OK, so one of my last unmarried friends has decided to tie the knot this summer. Rather than a "traditional" bachelor's party, he has decided that he and a whole bunch of his close friends should head off for a weekend at the Coachella Music and Art Festival near Palm Springs, CA. Coachella Website We're all flying into Las Vegas, spending one night (OK, that's a bit traditional for a stag party :)) and then driving in a rented van to Palm Springs.

While not something I'd normally do, I have to admit it sounds like good fun. However, I'm having a bit of trouble figuring what kind of survival or safety items I should pack with me. As my wife put it, "Nah, there's absolutely no opportunity for you guys to get in big trouble on THAT trip!"

Here's my thoughts on the parameters:
- I'm flying to get there, and then need to abide by the festival rules, so no weapons. Probably even no blades.
- We'll be staying in a motel while there (no crazy camping ala Burning Man)
- Most likely issues will be sunburn and dehydration
- Most likely major disaster would be major earthquake

I'm thinking of bringing, in addition to clothes, toiletries, etc:
- DR/AMK PSK.
- Two Nalgene one-liter bottles (bring them in empty and fill at water fountains. Try to always have one full one.)
- Small first aid kit, mostly for boo boos. I will have a CPR barrier, however.
- Lots of sunscreen and hand sanitizer.
- Broad brimmed hat and light-weight, light-colored, long sleeve shirt.
- Inexpensive knife, probably a SAK. I'll probably leave it in the motel the first day, and bring it along the other days if it looks like I can.
- Some cliff bars or something similar, so I always have some food available.

What am I missing? Anyone been to this, or other festivals like it? Anything I'm desperately missing for spending a few days at a concert in the desert? Should we bring a separate mode of communication beyond our cell phones? (FRS radios? Other?) I don’t want to leave myself or my friends completely at the mercy of the concert organizers if something goes wrong. . .

Any thoughts are appreciated.

If you're going to be relying on cell phones to communicate with each other be aware that you'll have issues. The local cell towers will be overloaded.

I'd bring the SAK even if they're not allowed frankly. Find a place to hide it on your person. They're not illegal. Bring it in your checked luggage.

I'd buy a couple of cases of water and keep it in your van, it's a long drive from Las Vegas to Coachella and it's all in the desert. Use it replenish your water in the morning and at night, you'll be buying water during the day as they most likely won't let you come and go to the parking lot.

+1 on the water. At big events getting out can take 2-3 hours. Nice to have cold water for the drive.

Don't take anything that you can't afford to have stolen.

A big +1 on the sun protection and water.

On road trips everyone else would bring the beer. I would supply a part of the ice and stock water. By midday people would be trading beer, and pretty much anything else, for water. Slamming beer in the Florida sun is good for a time but you could just about die of thirst doing it.

Wide brimmed hats, light long-sleeved shirts, sunscreen, zinc oxide, sunglasses. I've found it good to toss in a couple of $10 discount store fleece tops and a fleece blanket big enough for three. After a day of partying sundown can feel mighty cold.

The blanket also works as cover for relief into a bottle. Get a Freshete or Lady-J for distaff use. Undercover relief into a bottle can prevent unpleasantness associated with public exposure/urination charges and mile-long port-a-potty lines. Carrying an adapter for females use into a bottle gets you big points with the ladies. As we all know, if the ladies are happy everyone is happy. Might want to keep a supply of condoms on hand. Not that one necessarily leads to the other. But things happen and safe is better than not safe.

Include a couple of pairs of socks. Tops of feet get sunburned, feet get cold, people seem to lose their shoes and the half mile walk back to the car is easier if they have something to protect their feet from the inevitable broken glass.

Garbage bag - Emergency rain wear, a dry place to sit after a rain, a place to stash your trash, a good place for that guy in front of you to puke (into a bag is better than your lap), a place to stow the clothes that come off as the day warms, a way to hide the body.

Ian is right about keeping the gear cheap and expendable. Concerts foster a strong community property atmosphere. Gear in a duffel with someone sitting on top is pretty good protection but no guarantees.

Dehydration, sunburn, small scrapes and lacerations, and sprains of the ankles and wrists tend to be the most common injuries.

The first-aid kit would be:
Water - a few half-liter bottles as reserve.

Aloe - Soothing for sunburn.

Zinc oxide - sooths sunburn and prevents more sun damage.

Alcohol swabs - Bandaids and tape won't stick unless you clean off the grease.

Bandaids - Fabric, box of 3/4" ones and a few fingertip and knuckle.

3by3 gauze pads - I like to go with one large size and fold or cut down for small jobs. A couple boxes if your using them for everything. Others might carry fewer large ones and use 2by2s to wipe and clean.

3" elastic bandages - support wrists and ankles but also hold gauze for larger wounds. Get ones with or carry safety pins to hold them closed.

Athletic tape - At least a couple of rolls. Cheaper, stronger, better sticking and more adaptable than adhesive tape sold for first-aid. Easy to rip for thinner pieces. Tape and a bit of gauze and you have a bandage. Duct tape is also good. Handy to tie hands and/or feet of freak-out cases.

Triangular bandages - Bandage and binding for wounds, material for tourniquet if it comes to that, cover for sunburned feet, blindfold, gag for biters and screamers, lay one out for a clean place to work off of. Fairly efficient restraints.

Betadine swabs - quick and dirty wound cleaning. You can do the same job with 2by2s and a bottle of betadine but it can be messier. Less expensive on a per use basis but messier.

Don't forget the lighter!

Some of us are old enough to remember that we had to hold up our lighters at various points during the concert.

The LED flashlight just doesn't have the same "oomph."

Maybe a Bandanna? cool and functional.

A way to lug all your gear, like a backpack cooler. or a backpack with a soft-walled cooler inside

Folding chairs, they are a pain to lug, but you can get them cheap there, and chicks will love you for providing a seat for them. Well they would if someone else does not offer your chair for you.

the radio's would be awesome, due to overloaded cell towers, but are hard to hear over loud music, and the ear bud's are cool, but they give me a headache. Texting is a good option.

Put some money in your sock, pin your keys inside your waistband, ID in your hat

A TOWEL! sunshade, groundcover, sweatremover, hand dryer, basically a better version of a bandanna.

Highs may be in the 80s, but nights are dropping into the low 50s, plus a breeze, so take something warmish to wear.

For the travel and the destination, carry drinking water by the GALLON, not those prissy little bottles.

Cheap chairs feel better if you're sitting on some Reflectix insulation (bottom and back), esp if you're sitting outdoors in the evening. (If you haven't used it, you may be really surprised at the difference.) Stop in Indio, do a bit of selective shopping.

I don't know your route or how much you know about that part of the country, but you'll be driving through a LOT of some of the most desolate country in California, no matter which way you go. Lots of open area with practically nothing in it.

Get a paper map, don't depend on the GPS. Have a really good idea where you're going. It would be seriously embarrassing to have to come back here and explain about how you and your friends got into trouble that made the front page of the NY and LA Times. And it would be even worse if you couldn't come back to explain...

I grew up in that part of the country. You don't have to tell her, but your wife is wrong.

Sue

Believe me, Sue, my wife was being sarcastic!

A Knap-sack or Lumbar pack w/A camp towel,Bandanna,Aspirin,Squirt bottle -set on mist for cooling off,TP-because the Andy Gumps will be VERY Fouled up!Hoo-Ahhs/Wet wipes-How much TP can you carry,lol?Lifesaver candy-Cottonmouth cure,Breath strips-for the obvious & Double them up,& you will be WIDE-AWAKE towards the end of day,Powdered Drink mix that contains Pottassium-You will need it for All the walking,Bullfrog spf-50-sweat/waterproof Suntan lotion-Palm Springs!,Beef Jerky,a few cliff bars or a sack of grope-You will get VERY Hungry at some point& Unless you hail from Old Russia,Standing in line whilst the Band is Jamming,Is NOT an Option!If possible wear a Capilene shirt,Wide-brimmed hat,Zip-off pants/shorts,Decent pr. of Hikers,Merino Wool socks-cause'yer'dogs will be barkin' otherwise!2-1gal.Clear Plastic jugs of water w/ screw-on caps-Milk Jugs work the Best!Last but not least,A Doug Ritter PSK in your front pocket!Each person carry's this load & You will be Very Well to do! P.S. Eat a High Calorie Breakfast,before Entering the Zone!Andy Gump will be your Bestfriend,If you poop early in the day,Otherwise...Probably a Sworn Enemy,lol! HAVE FUN & ENJOY!!!!

I've been to Coachella 3 times and camped out at it twice. It's a fantastic festival; probably the best I've been to. I can only do one festival a year for a while so I'm passing on it this year. Here are my thoughts on the festival itself.

Free water availability in the festival is poor to lacking. For sale water is $2 a go. Gatorade was $3, maybe more now. You may not be able to sneak in your own Nalgene but I understand the fest is now selling their own 'souvenir' containers that allow unlimited refills. I drank around 3 cases of water in '07 over the w/end (Thurs afternoon - Mon morning) Food availability in the festival is wide, varied, not outrageously expensive and generally v.good quality.

I ate at the Augustine casino each day before heading in to the fest. http://www.augustinecasino.com/ Good cheap eats and plenty of it. It also put me on the 'right side' (South side) of the festival which helped me avoid a little festival traffic. It's a little out of the way though especially if you're trying to corral a bunch of drunks on a bachelor part w/end.

Leave the sak at the motel. It will either be taken at the security check or left unused for the w/end. There is a tremendous amount of PD / EMS in the area if something happens.

I wear SPF50 sunscreen. I've seen security take aerosol type sunscreens from people at security check. YMMV. Widebrim hats are a great idea, just don't bring a novelty store sombrero.

Bandaids etc are a good item to bring in. I usually carry a small flashlight too in my backpack as well as some baby wipes and toilet seat covers. Bring earplugs too especially if you go near the Sahara tent.

I had zero issues getting/sending txts within the festival grounds. I believe they bring in mobile towers for the weekend.

I'll edit to add more as I think of it.

Have fun, take lots of pics.



From my experience there and from reading the Coachella forums for a long time, theft within the festival or the campgrounds is not a major problem. At all. Does it happen ? Yes but a lot less than you would think considering the opportunities people have.



No chairs.



Try closer to 100* during the day. I never wore anything in the evening but a lot of folks did. YMMV. Dates this year are earlier than previous fests by ~2wks so I'm not sure how temps will be affected.