Travel, Camping and Festivals Guide

In this article we’ll give you tips and a list of essential items for travelling, camping and attending festivals with the following hairstyles:

     1. Natural dreadlocks. 

They’re very low maintenance, which allows you more time to enjoy yourself. This is why dreadlocks are so common among travellers!

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES: Natural Dreadlocks FAQ, Synthetic Dreadlocks Guide (read this if you want to add synthetic extensions to your dreads).

     2. Synthetic dreadlocks. 

This hairstyle is perfect for festivals, because it’s temporary. You can wear a set of colourful synthetic dreads just for the weekend, and remove them before getting back to work. 

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES: Synthetic Dreadlocks FAQ, Synthetic Dreadlocks Guide.

     3. Box braids or cornrows. 

These two hairstyles are also very common at festivals: they’re temporary and look stunning. You can even add volume and/or colour by using Jumbo Braid Hair and the so-called “feed-in” technique.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES: Jumbo Braid Hair Guide (for how to create feed-in box braids or cornrows), Dreadlocks Sectioning Guide (applicable to box braids)

 Photo by Maxim Potkin

Here’s the list of ESSENTIAL ITEMS:

1. Dreadlocks products (shampoos and more)
2. headband and/or headwrap
3. shower cap and/or swim cap
4. microfiber towel
5. night cap
6. crochet hooks or extra elastic bands (for quick fixes)
7. canvas cosmetic bag
8. beanie

Here below we’ll see these items one by one, explaining why they’re so important, and at the end of the article we’ll give you extra tips to enjoy your getaway.

1. DREADLOCKS PRODUCTS

Shampoos and other products can be poured into smaller bottles and easily packed.

Please be aware that no product should be used directly in a body of water as it may harm aquatic wildlife. Use the water on land and far away from lakes, rivers or streams.

Image by Jonas Greuter

2. HEADBAND AND/OR HEADWRAP

Benefits:

1. If you’re traveling to a hot country, or planning to do sports such as hiking, an extra wide headband will help you manage sweat and will keep your hair out of the way.
2. And if you’re going somewhere dusty or sandy, such as a festival ground or a beautiful beach, or polluted, such as a big city, a headwrap will keep your dreads protected from dust, sand and air particles that can be very tricky to remove. 

3. SHOWER CAP AND/OR SWIM CAP

1. Have you heard that dreads and braids take forever to dry? This is why you might want to protect them from water, unless they need washing. A shower cap is particularly handy in case the shower head doesn’t detach, which is not uncommon for camping grounds. 
2. A swim cap is essential for wild swimming, to keep floating dirt from sneaking in your dreads. Again, like sand and dust, floating dirt can be extremely tricky to remove. To save space you can also just bring a swim cap with you and use it for showers as well.

4. MICROFIBER TOWEL

We’ve mentioned it several times: a microfiber towel, unlike “regular” towels, doesn’t leave textile fibers in your hair. Textile fiber from towels is one of the main causes of lint, which actually makes your dreads harder to clean (see our Clean Dreadlocks Guide for more info). This is less of a problem with braids and cornrows, but it’s still recommended to use a microfiber towel.

Extra benefits: a microfiber towel is lighter, takes up less space and dries quicker than a “regular” towel.

At the moment we are not stocking microfiber towels but we might in the future, so keep in touch with us through our newsletter if you want to be notified about new products. You can sign up at the bottom of this page (don’t do it now: we’ll remind you again at the end of this article!).

 Holi: a colourful festival in India where you should definitely cover your dreadlocks! Image by Murtaza Ali

5. NIGHT CAP

A night cap is essential for the same reason we mentioned above: it protects your hair from textile fibers and avoids lint formation. And if you’re camping you’ll be exposed to dirt as well as textile fibers from clothes and sleeping bags.

Extra benefit: the night cap keeps your synthetic dreads, box braids or cornrows tidy, and prevents morning frizz. If you’re going to a festival with one of these hairstyles bring a nightcap with you, so you won’t need to “fix” your hair in the morning!

6. CROCHET HOOKS OR EXTRA ELASTIC BANDS

1. If you have natural dreads or synthetic crochet dreads, you can fix them on the go with a crochet hook! You can choose from among our stainless steel crochet hook, our coffee crochet hook with protective cap (perfect for traveling), and our bamboo crochet hook. 
2. If you’re wearing temporary synthetic dreads, box braids or cornrows, you may want to bring extra elastic bands in case some of the ones you’re wearing break off.

7. CANVAS COSMETIC BAG

Carry all your dreadlock supplies in this sturdy canvas bag by Dollylocks: shampoos and other products, crochet hooks, headbands, night cap, shower cap, etc. 

8. BEANIE

If the weather changes, or if it’s cold at night, you will be very grateful to your past self if you brought a beanie. It doesn’t require much space in your luggage or backpack, but it can be an absolute treat when it’s chilly outside. 

FINAL TIPS: 

1. If you’re in need of a loctician, look for dreadlocks-related facebook groups, or couchsurfing groups, to find one near you.
2. If you have natural dreads, plan a dreadlocks detox right after the trip, to remove all the dirt accumulated during the getaway. Do you need instructions? See our Clean Dreadlocks Guide for a complete how-to. 
3. Looking for updo or decoration ideas? Read our Dreadlocks Styling Guide and our Beads and Decorations Guide.

We hope this article was helpful for you. Have a great time on your trip, and don’t forget to tag us on your social media using the hashtag #DreadLab!

One more thing: consider subscribing to our newsletter to get notified about new products, discounts and giveaways!

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