Ultimate Packing List for Leeds Festival
Not long now until Leeds Festival, but what to take hey? Here’s your ultimate packing list for Leeds Festival to make sure you have all you need.
What you pack for Leeds Festival will definitely have an effect how good your festival experience is, especially if it’s your first time at Leeds. Your kit list for Leeds Festival is everything.
Weather on August bank holiday could be anything from 10-26 degrees and possible rain too, so you need to be prepared for all with your Leeds Festival kit list. You may be tempted to take as little as possible but if your outfit gets caked in mud on the first day its nice to have something fresh to wear the next day, and something clean to come home in too.
Packing well for Leeds Festival is also a good idea to save money. If you’re on a strict budget it makes sense to have warmth, rainproofing and sun shields too. You just don’t know what it’s going to be!
So, here’s everything you need for camping at Leeds Festival this year.
Leeds Festival essentials
Your Leeds ticket – there’s absolutely no way you’ll be allowed into Leeds without your festival ticket. This needs to be the absolute number one on your list of Leeds Festival essentials. Also, ID.
Money and bank card – if you feel ok bringing all the money you need for Leeds Festival in one go, do that. It’ll save you time and money at the ATM. I prefer to just take £100 and then my bank card too – that way I can keep an eye on my festival budget.
Tent that’s big enough – as I’ve got older I’ve realised the value of having a decent sized tent. When I was younger I’d go for one like the above, but now I have a four man with a pod in the middle. It just helps to keep things organised.
My tent is bigger than this Coleman one, but it has the same black out technology. Honestly, it’s SO good. I wouldn’t go back to a normal tent. Really helps you to sleep better, and keeps you cool if you want a nap in the day too. Make sure your tent is waterproof – here are the best waterproof tents out there.
Check the latest prices on Amazon.
Last time I looked it was reduced to less than half the price.
Good sleeping bag – this cosy sleeping bag is great value at only £24 and 4.4/5 stars from 8,980 people on Amazon. If rain is forecast on your way into Leeds Festival then make sure to cover it in plastic. A wet sleeping bag is not fun, trust me.
Boxes of wine – boxes and bags of wine are the cheapest and lightest way to get your wine into the campsite. Saves hundreds! And yes, it’s definitely an essential for your Leeds kit list.
If you’re camping at Leeds you can take alcohol in, but you’re not allowed to take it into the main arena.
- READ MORE: The Best Alcohol for Festivals
Essentially you could get by on the above for Leeds, if you really had to. But that’s no fun. Here are a few more things creeping up into the ‘essentials for Leeds’ list.
Leeds festival packing list
Summer clothes – as an end of August festival the weather could be doing anything at Leeds, so you need to be prepared. Shorts, tshirts, strappy tops – pack something new for every day as you can get pretty dirty.
Rain clothes – Make sure you have a poncho in case of desperate weather conditions. Also, a few different pairs of trousers, or at least leggings.
And winter clothes – you need to have nice, cosy jumpers for the evening and night. Leeds goes on until late and you don’t want to be the party pooper who goes home cold, do you? Tights and leggings are a great day to night warm up – so add those to your Leeds festival checklist!
Comfy wellies – it’s a festival, you need some wellies! Get a cool design like these mid-calf boots to really stand out. There are a few designs to choose from.
If wellies aren’t really your thing, or it’s too hot. Try hiking boots. There are loads of great priced hiking boots on Amazon to choose from and I find them a bit easier to walk around in, and to carry.
Toothbrush and toothpaste – brushing your teeth is one of the easiest and quickest ways to stay fresh at a festival. Make sure to pack some of the good stuff for Leeds Festival.
Enamel mug – enamel mugs are great for festivals. You can use them to help clean your teeth, to drink out of, and to eat cereal and soup of too. Take a look at the many, many enamel mug designs they have on Amazon.
Sun cream – standing out in the August sun every day can give you a red face. Pack a little tube of sun cream and take it round with you.
Toilet roll – occasionally you’ll find a toilet roll where it’s meant to be, by the toilet. But to make sure of it, carry your own around with you. If you don’t want to carry a big roll around then these little packets of tissues are great.
Baby wipes – too many reasons, but you definitely need some baby wipes. Great for the toilet, for cleaning your tent, yourself, your face, and just to have around. Try and find the biodegradable ones, if you can.
Hand sanitiser – festivals = grime. This sanitiser is a spray too so you can give the toilets a quick going over before you park your bum. And it’s not as gloopy as some of the others. Please take hand sanitiser. I kind of blame my lack of sanitiser for my getting ill at Glastonbury 2017. So many germs everywhere.
Also, this is 2021 – who doesn’t have sanitiser!
Face mask – you NEED a face mask for the festival.
Driving license – most festivals are Challenge 21, so it’s best to carry your driving licence if you look young. Don’t your baby face get in the way of you and your cider!
As long as you have the above on your Leeds Festival kit list, you’re pretty much sorted for a good time. But of course, there’s always more…
Not so essential festival packing
Lilo or blow up bed – this this single blow up mattress is just over a tenner from Amazon. I can guarantee it’ll be worth every penny, especially if it rains and the ground is cold and wet. I’d recommend taking a blanket to put on top, and then a bedsheet over that too.
Lots of socks and knickers – take more than you need, as whether it’s too hot or too cold, you’ll feel amazing for being able to put fresh ones on whenever you go back to the tent.
Groundsheet – this 6 x 4ft groundsheet from Amazon is just £2.49. Groundsheets are actually a great thing to pack in your day pack for Leeds as you can sit on them around the festival.
Trolley – trollies can really help you in getting your stuff into the festival, which can always be a challenge. Just buy some bungees and strap it all on. If there’s a queue to get into Leeds you’ll be well happy with this. Check out my guide to the best festival trollies for more advice.
Spare carrier bags – to keep all your rubbish in order, and to separate filthy clothes from not so filthy during the fest. Also, good for sitting on if the ground is a bit wet.
Torch – believe me, you need to check out those toilet seats before you get your skin anywhere near them. Try and get a head torch for Leeds Festival, perfect for in the tent when you’re rooting around, or just rooting.
If you’ve got the space in your backpack
Hat – whatever the weather, hats are always good.
Flip flops – great for late night / early morning runs to the bathroom, but I wouldn’t really recommend walking round the festival in them – you need ankle support!
Compact mirror – great for checking your face looks ok in the morning, and for applying your glitter. Here’s a pretty cheap mirror or you could buy the most basic little mirror for just £2.40.
Reusable plastic cups – can help for alcohol consumption at the tent, and plastic reduction around the site. These pop up beer cups are a great idea and easy to carry around.
Things you might need at Leeds Festival
Make up – just another way to feel semi-normal at a festival, make up can really freshen you up. It’s the same at every festival, so check out my Glastonbury beauty tips for more tips on what beauty items to take.
Face cleaning stuff – get that Micellar water packed to get the dust and grime off, and don’t forget the cotton wool pads either.
A variety of sunglasses – oh you can’t beat a pair of fun festival sunnies to cover up your sins at Leeds, can you? Pack a few to change your look up.
Solar powered shower – last time I went, the queues for the Leeds showers were the worst I’ve ever seen at a festival. They might be better now, but still, you could group together and buy this one for less than a tenner.
Glitter – a festival must have in my eyes. It’s so much cheaper to take your own glitter to glitter up, and quicker and easier too.
Make sure to stick to the biodegradable types of glitter though. Better for the planet and all that.
Moisturiser – shine those pasty legs up – they’ll go through a lot in the possible harsh weather conditions you’ll be in the middle of.
Lip balm – my lips always go dry at festivals – I think it’s being outside so much, and a bit of sunburn too. Pack a good lip balm to keep your lips moist.
Vitamins – I like those dissolvable ones that make water taste like orange juice. Anything you can do to get more vitamins at festivals is a great idea.
Paracetamol – obviously. Be ready for those mornings after.
Pillow – in the old days I used a rolled up hoody, but now I take a proper pillow to ensure the best chance at getting a good sleep as possible. You could go somewhere in between and try an inflatable camping pillow, but I don’t think they’re the most comfortable.
Portable phone charger – way better to buy this now than have to queue at the big chargers at a festival and waste time waiting to pick it up again. I always take a few of these to festivals, running out of charge is the worst. Here are some of the best phone chargers for festivals compared.
Shitty phone – when I went to Glastonbury in 2011 I bought a little £10 phone as I was so worried about losing my phone. I didn’t, which was great. But I did lose it at Glasto 2019, and I’m still not over it.
Ear plugs (20 Pairs for £3.57) and an eye mask – can help you to sleep better, and we all know how important that is, right?
- Check out 11 Top Tips for Sleeping at Festivals
Camping chairs – camping chairs like this are definitely more of a luxury item, but I do love having the option of a chair at festivals. So good at the tent, and in the afternoon at Leeds too.
A specially bagged clean set of clothes to go home in – they will feel amazing. So fresh and so clean.
As long as you have the Leeds essentials and a great attitude to mud, people and exhaustion, you are literally going to have the best week of your life!
Packing list for Leeds Festival, in short
- Money
- Bank card
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Bags of wine / booze
- Summer clothes
- Winter clothes
- Comfy wellies / hiking boots
- Toothbrush and paste
- Enamel mug
- Sun cream
- Toilet roll
- Baby wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Driving license
- Lilo or blow up bed
- Socks
- Groundsheet
- Beer trolley
- Spare carrier bags
- Torch
- Hat
- Flip flops
- Compact mirror
- Reusable plastic cups
- Make up
- Face cleaning stuff
- Sunglasses
- Solar powered shower
- Glitter
Have I forgotten anything for your Leeds kit list?
Are there access to electric point to blow up airbed?
Hi Tony, I’m afraid not.