11 Coolest Festival Gadgets & Tech for 2024
Thought I’d take a look at the coolest gadgets for festivals available now. If you’re a fan of gadgets at festivals then here are all the festival gadgets you could want.
Festival gadgets are a great way to make festivals that little bit more comfortable, and efficient. Who wants skanky festival coffee when you grind your own beans a la the LUME (read on)?!
Sometimes though, the festival gadgets are trying to solve a problem that isn’t really there – six pack beer belt anyone?
Here’s my pick from the best of the festival tech available right now, just in time for your (limited) festival summer 2024.
The Coolest Festival Gadgets for 2024
Read on for all the best gadgets for festivals you could ever want.
1. Vango Inflatable Tents
OMG, inflatable tents are THE FUTURE.
Ever heard of them?
I actually hadn’t until I started researching this post and now I want one. Instead of poles the Vango inflatable tents work with Airbeam technology to replace the poles and make them lighter to carry and easier to put up – especially good if you’re going to a festival by yourself. Solving two massive festival tent problems in one there!
There are a few powerglass poles, just to keep the canopies taut, and Vango have been working on improving the airflow to help you cope better with Britain’s scorching hot / freezing cold summer festivals.
Unfortunately they’re around £500 on Amazon, so I’ll have to save me pennies.
2. Super compact Pio.Man camping chair
These Pio.Man chairs are amazing!
They fold up small enough to fit in that little bag at the bottom. SO good for festivals when you don’t want to carry a chair on your shoulder all day. They can take up to 150kg, but weigh less than a kg themselves.
“Have just tried this out at home so far…but it goes together easily and is going to be a dream to pack”
– Robert Ginger, Amazon
Click to find out more about the Pio.Man chair on Amazon.
3. Neon wire
Want to really stand out at the festival, with some cool neon lights to shine bright?
Well, get your hands on some of this neon wire. In fact, get it for all of your friends and you can look as fab as these people in the promotional photo. Of course this is fun, but it’s actually a really useful way to find your friends too.
This neon wire is actually really good value. Check out the latest prices on Amazon here.
4. RFID Chips
Used at Creamfields, Download, Isle of Wight Festival, and Reading and Leeds, RFID chips (Radio Frequency Identification) mean no more long queues, slow entries, worry of losing the physical ticket or money.
RFID enabled devices are programmed to bring quick recognition once scanned, enabling faster entries for people and reducing the number of fake tickets at festivals. They also allow for contactless payments and enable fast transactions with bank cards or smart cards, as well as mobile phones and smart watches.
In a recent survey by Data label, they found that 48% of millennials prefer to use these ‘smart’ watch payments at festivals.
5. Powerbank
Powerbanks have been around for a good few years now, and so if you don’t have one for your phone for festivals, whadyya think your doin?!
You’ll want your phone to find your friends, for the torch, for the camera, the video and the festival app, guaranteed. I’ve had this Anker one for a few years now, but judging by its recent performance I think it’s on its way out. So, I’ve scoured Amazon for the highest rated, best sounding, best value powerbank, and I’ve decided on this Anker Powercore.
It charges your iPhone 5 times after a full charge, is light and compact and comes with a travel pouch, for £26.99. And, Anker is well known for being one of the best powerbank brands to buy. Over 1000 Amazon reviewers have given it 4.7 out of 5 – done.
Click to find out more about the Anker Powercore on Amazon.co.uk
6. Lifeproof case
Guaranteed your phone is gonna go through some trauma at a festival. Common phone ailments include: being dropped, being smashed into, being temporarily lost, touched with dirty hands, forgotten about, chucked around in your bag, etc. Give your phone a break and buy it a Lifeproof case.
They’ve been around for a good few years now – mainly for adventurous travellers – but I think they’re perfect for festival phone lovers so they’re making the list of must-have festival gadgets.
Here’s the official lowdown…
“LifeProof case keeps your iPhone waterproof, dirt proof, snow proof and drop proof, so you can live LifeProof. It protects iPhone’s Retina display with an integrated scratch protector. And, it goes further with full access to touch ID. Along with completely operational touch ID and touchscreen, every feature and function work seamlessly with this case – camera, flash, buttons, microphones and speakers. Every LifeProof case is built to stringent specifications, then tested to ensure maximum protection for your delicate device. Cases built to this spec survive the drops, vibrations and bumps your device encounters day to day.”
Click to find out more about the Lifeproof case on Amazon.co.uk.
7. Light up trainers
Oh my god I actually LOVE these. The gold ones remind me of C3PO off Star Wars, but that makes me like theme even more.
I was so jealous when the whole ‘light up shoes’ craze came in for kids, I was just that little bit too old to indulge. This could be my opportunity to play though!
These light up shoes from Padgene come in a range of colours and sizes to suit all. You simply charge them up and they’re good to go. I quite like the idea of the black ones too – nice mature festival gadget for you!
Check out the latest prices for the Padgene light up shoes on Amazon
8. BioLite Burning Camping Stove
I used to be well into cooking my own food at a festival, but carrying all the stuff to do it has turned me RIGHT off. Step up the BioLite Camping Stove, this handy apparatus runs on renewable biomass fuel which it then converts into electricity so you can charge your phone. It takes 4.5 minutes to boil a litre – perfect for your coffee and Pot Noodles, right?
“Superb item does what it says, quality build and although large takes up the same amount of room as a jet boil, without having the reliance of a gas canister. Yes as stated you have to keep adding fuel, but that’s the point of a burning fuel source.”
– Raymond, Amazon
Amazon reviewers have given this little beauty 4.5 out of 5. Just to note though, you will need to provide some fuel for the fire, literally.
Click to find out more about the BioLite on Amazon.co.uk.
9. LUME Coffee Grinder
Y’know when you’re camping and you just cannot grind those coffee beans enough for the ultimate brew?
Hmmm, me neither as I’m perfectly happy with a cup of Nescafe Gold, BUT I know for some people this would be an absolute dream. The LUME was funded from a Kickstarter campaign and now it actually exists in our world.
“LUME is a rechargeable travel burr coffee grinder that yields coffee shop grade grounds. It’s also a 150 Lumen bright camp light. At 22 ounces, LUME is the lightest auto-grinder on the market that delivers coffee shop quality grounds wherever you happen to take it. At full charge, LUME will grind enough for up to 50 cups.”
– LUME website
They do worldwide delivery, but it looks like there’s a bit of a backlog right now so get your orders in from Lume quick.
10. Music Pro Hearing Protection
I often come away from festivals with my ears ringing, but it’s only when I get home and I’m by myself that I realise. I usually just ignore that high pitch ringing in my ears, but as I get older and try to take more care of myself, and my hearing, I’m totally persuaded by some music earplugs. I feel like I see more and more people wearing them at festivals.
Click to find out more about the best Festival Ear Plugs
11. GloFX Space Whip
You might’ve noticed the neon / light theme going on in this article? I love a bit of a light show, especially at a festival – it’s all very trippy.
With the GloFX Space Whip YOU can be one of the cool people showing off your mad moves with some epic dancing to provide the entertainment. I definitely wouldn’t have the skills to even entertain the thought of getting one of these for myself, but if you’re into your poi or juggling, then you need one of these in your life.
Best gadgets for festivals
As you can see, there are loads of great festival gadgets to choose from to make your festival experience that little bit easier. Sometimes, it pays to invest for a good time!
Excellent list – thank you! Getting the ear plugs now.
Ah glad you like the list Sarah – would love to know how you get on with the ear plugs!