LARP Packing 101: Essential Tips & Checklist

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:54 What to pack in?
1:43 In-game items
3:00 Out-of-game-items
4:03 Camping events
4:45 Last minute items

Music attribution:
On My Way by Kevin MacLeod

[Thelarper]

I once went to a small pre-Drachenfest con and forgot the most important thing for my dwarven character - the beard!
Luckily, the character is also an alchemist so I had a good excuse for that. I used a blood capsule to put red on my chin, walked around with a bandana on my face most of the time and when I had to reveal my beardless face I said there was an accident in the laboratory that burnt off the beard.

Also, on my very first larp con I almost got very serious hypothermia because I forgot my sleeping bag and it was the end of october. I was a npc and wanted to sleep at bit so I'd be ready for a late night plot. I woke up a bit later and decided to go back to sit at the fire with my friends. I waddled out of the tent and was confused why everyone suddenly jumped up, wrapped me in hundreds of blankets and dragged me into the building where the GMs slept. I mostly remember that I complained what the fuss is about and that I don't feel cold, they put me in one of the gm's bed and put a heater next to me.
It took me years to realise that exactly that is a sign of hypothermia and my husband also said when I walked out of the tent I looked like Death itself. XD Aaah, good times... Good times...

[Diamre]

Most memorable things I've forgotten to bring: Pillow (multiple times), Sunscreen (but usually you can borrow this), tent pegs, hammer for hammering in said tent pegs, clean underwear, tickets.
So yes, I too have developed a (extensive) checklist by now.

[Lillyluri]

First LARP event coming up this year! ✌️ Perfect timing!
I did things perfectly wrong of course. Instead of making a character first, I immediately started to build my camp, because I'm currently completely enamored with the romantic thought of medieval camping. And as I was getting those things, I began wondering what kind of person would have these kinds of items.
When a month of intense gathering later it clicked and I knew whose tent this was, I could add more ambience items for decorations.

And now I can finally begin to give her clothing.

I don't even know if there's an in-game camp at all.
I never knew, and I knew that I didn't know.

[jackiejames]

Always remember to pack extra socks. I forgot once and had to borrow a pair from my husband, his feet are way bigger than mine, so i did look kind of silly, but i never forget to pack socks now.

[AzraelThanatos]

I always pack a first aid kit...normally just the same one I use for hiking that's also got some survival pieces in it that are useful if things go wrong. Adding things like moleskin, suntan lotion, and bug spray to a sealed case is also a good thing. For medication, it's also a good idea to have a list of your meds that you take in the case of emergency along with allergies and similar because, chances are, you're going to be far enough away that the locals aren't going to have an easy time contacting your doctor or similar and it helps if they know things when something really bad happens.

A plastic poncho of some kind, normally the better than a trashbag material ones that fold down easily for storage. Both because it's useful for protection, and you can drape it over other things to protect them if needed and can add a layer if camping to keep rain off of you, or to spread on the floor of the tent to protect your ground cover options if you're more focused on a medieval or similar looking camp.

I also tend to add a citronella lantern if it's mainly outdoors, those are safer than the candles for inside a tent or campsite and help deal with bugs with little issue.

A battery bank...while your cell phone isn't period accurate, it's still worth it to have available in the case of emergency, and having the ability to recharge it is key.

A basic sewing/repair kit for your gear. Nothing ruins a LARP for you like something going wrong early on or in transit and some of your gear is damaged to the point you can't use it. Most places realize that emergency repairs aren't a big thing appearance wise, but being able to, say, patch up your pants where a seam tore after you slipped in the brambles is simple enough to do to a functional level there.

And a pile of extra blankets is always a good thing. Blankets work for so many things and let you deal with more. I tend to have a heavyweight sleeping bag that I just open up as a base (It's thick and makes a more comfortable bed to lay on, while being large enough to drape over a cot and hide it), but adding blankets under it adds padding if I'm having trouble while more on top means I can stay warm while not feeling constrained there. Plus there are a LOT of other things that they can be used for.

For fantasy/medieval, I also tend to pack a rather simple rack with a few bars (I believe it's a 4' tall with a 2' base and 4 bars along the height and three along the base that folds up that I'd found for cheap somewhere...it's extremely useful for letting things dry and air out as needed along with keeping a lot of gear straight in camp at night.

I have several cheap, LED lanterns that are from the decor section, a mix of battery and solar powered that I spread around my camp site rather than dealing with fire for most things. Most allow citronella and similar candles even if they aren't allowing most things with fire, but the majority of the light is easier with the neat looking ones that don't use actual fire...and you don't need to fumble with lighting them in the middle of the night.

Actual tools are another thing, scissors, screwdrivers, knives, mallet, and similar things are useful ones that are a nightmare if you don't have them and need them.

[PetervanArkel]

I pretty much always forget to bring sleeping gear, or at the very least a pillow. So usually I sleep on my outfit 😅

[DeBaardigeBard]

Went to an indoor larp while I forgot my sleeping bag... twice 🙈

[PCLHH]

This is the one instance where packingcway more underwear, is not dumb at all. I fell in a mud puddle on the second day, and spilled my drink all over my lap on the third day. Its also nice to have fresh socks after the battle, when sitting in the tavern. So yeah, pack double the amount of undies and socks!

[bladestormjones]

... Let's not talk about how I forgot my undershirt earlier this year. ... I mean... Drat... Disregard that!

[SandraOrtmann]

Luckily, I can use a car. I always pack by mentally imagining the costume piece by piece and putting everything nicely laid out on a table. My "personal stuff" always goes in a rather small bag, as we live in hotel rooms.
However, I learnt that you have not always a changing room. During my last event, we had to change in the parking garage, mostly in the dark. That was interesting...added a light mirror made out of a plate of PVC board and mirror tiles to my kit. Also a little lamp.
By now, as I added more and more decorative items to our exhibition stand, I have to begin to really think what comes with me and what not. There was a weekend when I traveled with two kits of armour, and things got really tight in my car. I really have to organize by now.