We are officially in con season. Whether you’re getting ready to attend San Diego Comic Con in July, Dragon Con in August or any of the other national comic conventions you will need to pack. Lucky for you, we at Rebelle Geek are veterans when it comes to cons and making sure we pack. 

 

Whether this is your first con, or your 100th con, this list of recommendations should help compliment and ease your packing pains. To make this list we reached out to our Rebelle Geek community to get some of your best recommendations.

To ensure we were able to create the most comprehensive guide we have created multiple categories. 

Below we have included links to some of our favorite items. Some of these links are affiliate links and any purchases made will go back to helping fund Rebelle Geek to provide in depth pop-culture stories and guides like this one! But please know all items are highly recommended and have been used by the rebelle geek family. 

Without any further ado let’s dive in!

Important Con Documentation and PreGame Tips

1) Your Con Badge

I know this may sound silly, but I am constantly afraid of forgetting my Con badge whenever I travel. I usually place my pass at the bottom of my bag, as the first item I pack. If you have a digital ticket, be sure to take a screenshot. Sometimes wifi is spotty at convention halls, so having your ticket available when you first arrive will be key to a great con experience. 

Cosplay ProTip: If you’re cosplaying be sure to tie your badge around a belt, or to a piece of your cosplay where you can easily hide it. I can’t tell you how many photos I accidentally ruined because I had my con badge around my neck. 

2) Identification

You never know why you may need identification. Some cons do sell alcoholic beverages. Be sure to consume responsibly, but also be sure to pack your identification. Usually a drivers license or form of legal identification which shows your age will do. 

Cosplay Pro tip: If you don’t have a handler to help carry your bags, I often keep my bank cards, and ID in a small purse, pouch, or even inside of my lanyard. I always am sure to keep those items close to me somewhere I can hide them. You can hide it in a jacket of your cosplay, or even your boots!

3) Program & Con App

Many cons have apps, be sure to download the app on your phone before arriving to the con. As I mentioned earlier, wifi is at times spotty or it’s difficult to download the app while on the floor because the wifi is slow. Downloading it ahead of time will help you to stay up-to date on what’s going on on the con floor, and provide maps on where everything is at. I like to turn on notifications because sometimes there are surprises that weren’t announced. I’d hate to miss a surprise give away because I didn’t turn on my notifications. There are also physical programs. I like the physical programs as a souvenir, but also because it allows me to save my phone battery. 

4) Cash

In our current electronic lives we don’t usually carry cash on us. But remember that cash is king. You don’t have to carry a lot of cash, but some vendors on artists alley might not have online buying, or their systems might be down. Remember, wifi can get spotty when you have large swaths of people in one place. Cash could make purchasing something like a cool piece of art easier. 

On To The Packing!

Bags

Backpack

A good pack is always necessary. There are many bags available on the market. For us we like a backpack that is versatile, has many pockets, and is flexible. Veteran travelers have raved about the Cotopaxi Allpa 28l Travel Pack. We like it because you can fit a lot of stuff in there. It’s flexible, you can carry it like a suitcase, and you can connect it to your roller bag. 

https://amzn.to/3FE5hLA

Suitcase

This one is a top personal recommendation. I used to buy the cheapest suitcase, a price I paid for heavily during my last Chicago trip. The wheels couldn’t handle the city terrain and fell apart, making walking feel impossible. I invested in a Beis suitcase (mostly because they had a Wicked Collab). It is the nicest suitcase I have ever used. We are not sponsored by Beis at all. I just had a wonderful time with the suitcase during my last trip to Japan. The wheels are so smooth, and it’s hard shell will keep everything inside your suitcase safe! 

https://beistravel.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=ordinary_adventures

Tote Bag

It’s a good idea to have a tote bag handy, especially one that is convertible like the nanobag. Tote bags are great for carrying snacks, drinks, and even trash. https://amzn.to/4dIzdTi

ProTip: Something I learned while visiting Japan, also be sure to carry a small wash cloth. Some bathrooms don’t always include paper towels, and a small wash cloth is great for drying your hands, or even sweat on those really hot days. 

Essentials

Below is more of a list of recommended items. We don’t have specific brands to recommend for some items. Since this is an ultimate guide I want to be sure to recommend the best brands. Be sure to let us know your favorite brand recommendations in the comments! 

Toothbrush: https://amzn.to/4mLp2kU

Band-aid: https://amzn.to/3ZQDezh

Portable kleenex: https://amzn.to/4mPISvx

Deodorant: This is an important one. Walking around in heavy costumes for hours while consuming con food can produce some funky smells. I usually like deodorants that are great for sensitive skin like Dove. You can also get it unscented. Aside from packing deodorant in your bag in general, be sure to pack an extra stick to carry in your bag. This especially comes handy during hot can days. https://amzn.to/45dFapk  

ProTip: Sometimes people like to take pictures with you in your awesome cosplay. If you’re a shorty like me, and are at armpit height from a lot of people a good trick to not get too much sweat on you is to wear deodorant on your shoulder. It can help reduce friction from the cosplay, and help you not to get sweat on your shoulders. 

Comfortable shoes: This one is more of a reminder than a recommendation. Let me know your favorite shoes brands we should try! 

Water Bottle. I am a big fan of Stanley’s because they keep drink cool. I wouldn’t recommend taking your full size cup though. The Stanley Ice flow flip straw bottle is more portable and keeps your water cold! https://amzn.to/3T0i7ad 

Medicine:

Ibuprofen or Tylenol

Baby aspirin

Benadryl or some sort of allergy medicine

Hand sanitizer