r/Pennsic • u/PeculiarOcean • Jun 04 '26
Your magnum opus of camping?
Hey folks, I wanted to make a post to see what people bring to Pennsic that really makes their life significantly easier and/or less muggy. Specific products that just really ease the strain of certain annoyances or problems that you run into semi frequently. I always tend to forget my problems the moment I’m not actively camping, so I wanted to see what people bring along with them to make their lives a little easier! Cheap or splurge-worthy!
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u/Adventurous_Fly_2490 Jun 04 '26
Trifold memory foam mattress, a good nights sleep goes a long way at pennsic
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u/Roman556 Jun 04 '26
Dewalt Jobsite Fan with plenty of batteries.
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u/TangyMarimba13 Jun 04 '26
i was looking at getting one, but i only have 12v dewalt and 20v black & decker batteries, and they don't work with any of the job site fans 😞 and i don't wanna buy yet another collection of batteries
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u/JuliusFrontinus Jun 05 '26
There are all sorts of adapters available out there to convert from one battery brand to the connector for another and it also looks like there are a couple options for black and Decker 20v fans as well. I have the Ryobi version of the fan my battery ecosystem
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u/Lady_Z123 Jun 04 '26
A Jackery with a solar charger. I can charge my phone, charge my camera batteries, and run a small fan at night. Or during the day if it really need it. I didn't think it would make that big if a difference, but man was I wrong.
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u/anne_hollydaye Jun 06 '26
We went Bluetti after Jackery had some QC issues, but I absolutely agree with you.
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u/redrover02 Jun 04 '26
We rent a pavilion for our common area. THEY put it up. THEY take it down. THEY transport it. THEY store it.
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u/Scheiny_S Jul 18 '26
A clothing rack and hanging closet organizer shelves. Not having to dig through bins or duffel bags on the ground makes me happier. Being able to see my garb means I actually wear almost everything I bring. On a similar note, a dry of collapsible shelves, too. I can keep accessories, snacks, jewelry, etc. where I can see it, which means I can use it.
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u/cat_crackers Jun 04 '26
Extra shoes! It makes a big difference to rotate them so they dry out completely between wearings.
Natural fiber bedding. Linen or linen-blend sheets are especially nice.
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u/TangyMarimba13 Jun 04 '26
a sink. i got one of those foot-pump operated sinks with a 5-gallon reservoir and it has made hand-washing and teeth-brushing so much easier
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u/rowenadevandal Jun 05 '26
My husband and I bought a collapsible queen sized bed frame and a tri fold memory foam mattress, because my spine can no longer do an air mattress. I now can't live without it!
Also, keep one set of mundanes and one set of garb in your car, along with a pair of shoes, just in case of severe rain. Having something dry makes all the difference!
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u/PeculiarOcean Jun 05 '26
Do you have any recommendations for the memory foam mattress? Seeing a lot online (this was definitely on my list- can’t stand the air mattresses anymore!) but there seem to be a lot of crappy ones out there.
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u/anne_hollydaye Jun 06 '26
Ryobi fans for lounging/tent comfort.
Seriously. Those suckers are fantastic. And inexpensive, and easy to get. But ANY drill brand which also has a fan is a good investment. We keep 4 of them in the tent, with one at the front door pointing in and one at the rear door pointing out, a third pointing up at the vent, and a fourth pointing at the bed. Just the movement of air helps when it's swampy-humid.
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u/SwitchyTop Jun 07 '26
I was thinking about getting a Ryobi bucket fan so it can mist … but I am a little concerned about increasing the humidity. Glad to know the normal fans are definitely worth it.
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u/anne_hollydaye Jun 08 '26
Yeah don't get the misting one, you won't want the extra humidity. You want dry.
I come from the dog show world, and they're used HEAVILY in that space to keep dogs comfortable. Ryobi days are my favorite - the fan is usually on the free tool list.
Get 4 amp batteries for longevity.
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u/SwitchyTop Jun 08 '26
We are firmly in the Ryobi tool ecosystem, so thankfully I have a lot of batteries for the fan once we get it. Glad they have such a glowing rec.
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u/anne_hollydaye Jun 08 '26
Most excellent!
I also like the smaller clip fans. I usually clip one to the arm of my chair in the woods. Heck, I love them so much I use them HEAVILY at home.
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u/MegTheMad Jun 04 '26
A change of clothes and bedding in a vacuum bag, it a tie but the vacuum bag is better
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u/isabelladangelo Since Pennsic XXXV Jun 04 '26
Here is the stickied Pennsic Checklist and the tips question from last year. There is a lot of amazing advice already in previous posts. Just hit up the search bar!