If you’re at all like me, you’re a preparer and a planer. Nothing wrong with that, you like preparation! BUT, if you’re also like me, you like to save time, money, effort, etc. However, Bonnaroo was my first camping festival and needless to say, I have quite a few “uh-oh” moments, like when I realized it gets to 50 degrees at night and I didn’t bring a single pair of pants. BUT FEAR NOT, Rave Hackers is here to give you all the down and dirty deetz. Keep reading.

This is a whole compilation of the important (and usually expensive) items that I either had or wish I’d had, at Bonnaroo.

Here are the recommendations from fellow ‘Roo-ers over the years and even from the Bonnaroo website! (Pssst: click ‘Bonnaroo’ to go to their site!)  If you’re not new to the ‘Roo scene, then you’re already pretty aware of what works best for you and your Croo. BUT, sometimes you can find some great shit in these posts that you’d never thought about! For you new to the ‘Roo-verse babies, you’re going to want these, need these, and be oh so glad you know about them now.

I. Camping Gear- (LOL) Right? Stupid thing, but let me just say, I hadn’t even thought about a tent until my boyfriend told me he decided to get us a tent. I would have fully gone to Roo, with no tent, and been so pissed. So don’t be me.

• Something to sleep in & on: SO, like I said, in previous years I’ve done the tent life, however, after realizing how unbelievably HOT it gets in the mornings, I’ve decided that just having something to sleep in that covers your head is what’s important. And something to keep the bugs out. (*duh*) I’ve also had friends who just pop their trunk open and chill in their trunk with an air mattress. So truly, to each his own. Just have something. Here are some great choices if you’re not sure what you’re looking for:

Per usual: (left to right, top to bottom)

Coleman Pop-Up Tent – There are tons of version of this type of tent and it’s a great alternative if you don’t have to/need to squeeze a lot of people into it.

Easthills Outdoors Beach Tent Delux – So, at 99″ wide, 53″ deep and 57″ high, this is a GREAT option if you’ve want/need to squeeze into a tent, or if you just want that extra space!

Arcshell Premium XL Pop-Up – Who doesn’t love a good pop-up? With an advertised and proven time of 30 seconds for pop-up set up, it’s a great steal for a great price!

Double Hammock from HikeGuru – If you’re not a fan of a tent, or think you’d prefer the Bonnaroo nomad lifestyle, this is a great option! You can pitch up in The Grove (Plaza 7), or post up over by Planet Roo inside of CenterRoo!

Quik Shade 10’x10′ Canopy Tent – If you prefer that open option so you can see everything, then this is the option for you. You can drop your doors or open them up for a welcoming atmosphere!

Other recommendations include:

|     Sleeping Bag    |     Yoga Mat/Bed Roll     |      Cot     |

Sleeping bags– These are truly not unimportant. I decided to go without a sleeping bag at my first Bonnaroo and BOY was I regretting it. Not only did I NOT have a sleeping bag, but I also didn’t have blankets. (But you can bet I had enough outfits to last a month). SO, grab one, borrow one, rent one?, idk, but get yourself one.

Yoga mat/Bed Roll– Honestly, this isn’t the worst idea, especially if you don’t prefer a stiff mattress (aka: the ground). But it’s doable without it. I’m personally a fan of the idea of a cot.

Cot – As previously stated above, I’m a fan of the cot for a multitude of reasons. A being that it keeps me above ground from creepy crawlies, and B being that it’s a great double for a chair during the day!

Lanters – My first time? Yeah, we only had one. For the entire camp. Stupid. Don’t be an us. Get yourself a couple options, either one for each of your tents, or I recommend lights. See misc. below 😉

II. Miscellaneous Fun Necessities – This is a group of, personally my fave, topics. These are all items that are really, REALLY great to have.

Lawn Chairs – So silly, I know, but having lawn chairs (if you decide to go without the cot) is fantastic. I love sitting on the ground, but sometimes it’s nice to have a chair to sit in and eat, ya’know?

Table – Also, a nice thing to have. I’ve always used my old white beer pong table and it works out splendidly! You can snag them from Wally World for like, $30!

Mirrors – One of my Croo members last year decided to bring a mirror and it was LIFE changing. Have you ever wanted to see what you look like to make sure your outfit is adorable, only to realize that you have NO way to do that? Yeah, so maybe think about snagging a cheap mirror from Wally-Word or TJ Maxx!

Tapestries – Another underrated thing that I wish I’d had during my first Roo. Everywhere I looked through the campsites there were gorgeous tapestries and beautifully created flags. To say I was a little jealous would be an understatement!

Lights – So I’m personally directionally challenging, therefore having a way to determine in the dark, and likely not in the best frame of mind, where my campsite is, is a MUST. Use some battery-powered twinkle lights to get yourself a custom light pattern to find your way home!

SO, that’s it! What did you think? Helpful? Not at all? Let us know below! We love and crave your feedback! Drop us a comment below or send us a message! & make sure you subscribe to keep up to date with all the new Bonnaroo updates that are to come! Check out some of the already released deetz for Bonnaroo 2018 here!

What’s your BIGGEST/MOST IMPORTANT item that you recommend everyone have for Bonnaroo?

This page does contain some affiliate links. However, I don’t recommend anything that I don’t personally use currently or have used in the past! It took me a long time to find these things when I was a beginner so I want to make your guys experiences all amazing from the start!