Greetings all.
Have you ever walked through an actors camp and saw something and thought, ‘OOO that would make things so much easier, or wow I wish I would have thought of that.’

We have all made little discoveries that make our lives easier at Faire. It may be the 1500’s down on the Faire Site, but to be rested and ready to perform the next morning, I need some 21 century comfort.

If you are a method actor and would rather sleep in flea infested straw, knock yourself out.

So what kind of things are we going to look for?
They should pack small.
Be durable. Let’s face it, most people use their camping equiptment once or twice a year. We do more than that in a month.
Have a dual purpose if possible.
Ease of tear down and set-up.

I am going to start with sleeping bags.
With bags you get what you pay for. The big bags with the flanel lining are nice. They are usually inexpensive but bulky and take up more space when packing.
Backpackers Mummy Bags are more exspensive but they usually weight a lot less, can be shoved into a stuff sack for quick pack up and are rated for a wide range of weather conditions. Some folks find the Mummy style uncomfortable. Others put their feet in and use the rest like a blanket.

Whatever you choose it is important to set you bed up as soon as you can when you get to the site. If your bag is rolled tight or shoved into a stuff sack, all the insolation has been condensed. Dead air is what help supply the warmth. You should roll your bag out as soon as possible so it can ‘Attain Loft’.
Now when you come back from visiting your friends that you haven’t seen in a while, you bed will get toastie much quicker, you’ll sleep better and have a better performance.

Know any tricks, got any comments, know of some great deals? Spread the word.