I’ve most likely spent entire years of my life at conventions of 1 sort or one other. I’ve caught up on new tech at CES, cosplayed at Atlanta’s Dragon Con, and most lately, reviewed movies and attended concert events at SXSW. Whether they’re weeklong occasions or one intense day, cons all have one thing in widespread: They’re chaos to navigate in case you’re not ready. Getting by conventions is a particular form of survival talent and requires its personal form of gear. Your physique nonetheless has all the identical wants you will have when, say, tenting or mountaineering, however with the added problem of needing to remain linked in an city setting. These picks ought to provide help to survive.

Special provide for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This consists of limitless entry to WIRED.com and our print journal (in case you’d like). Subscriptions assist fund the work we do every single day.