Convention Packing List and Survival Guide

You will forget something. This list exists so it's not your badge.

I've done the parking lot panic at Dragon Con, realizing my spirit gum was sitting on my bathroom counter 400 miles away. I've watched someone at Anime Expo hold their pauldron together with masking tape from a hotel front desk because they forgot contact cement. At a ren faire in Texas, I once saw a guy in full plate armor drink from a garden hose because nobody in his group packed water bottles.

Convention packing is its own skill. You're not just packing clothes for a trip. You're packing costumes, repair supplies, comfort gear for 12-hour days on concrete, and enough snacks to skip convention center food prices. And the list changes depending on whether you're hitting an anime con, a comic con, a furry con, or a ren faire.

I've refined this list across 30+ conventions. Every item earned its spot by being the thing someone desperately needed and didn't have. The first table is the short version you can screenshot or print. The sections after it explain each item, then cover what changes for furry cons and comic cons, and how to actually survive four days of con (sleep, food, hotel, money).

Convention checklist: the one-screen version

If you only read one part of this post, read this table. Pack top to bottom and you've covered what most people forget.

Want it as a list you can tick off on your phone? The con checklist tool has the same categories, saves your progress, and prints.

Convention day bag essentials

These go in your backpack or crossbody bag every single day of the con. Not in the hotel room. On your person. A small backpack or crossbody that sits close to your body is easiest in crowds, and smaller is better if the con screens bags at the door (more on that in the comic con section).

• Badge and lanyard. Clip it to your bag, not your costume. Costumes change. Bags don't.
• Phone, charger, and portable battery pack. Bring two battery packs if you can. Convention centers are dead zones for outlets, and you'll burn through battery taking photos and checking schedules. The Anker 313 PowerCore 10K lists at $25.99 on Anker's own store and lasts a full con day.
• Cash and a card. Most artist alley tables take cards now, but cash still wins on small purchases and when the hall's cell signal dies. Withdraw some before the con. On my trips, ATMs inside convention centers have charged $3 to $5 per transaction. (Full cash vs card breakdown in the survival section below.)
• ID and any required cards. Some cons check ID at badge pickup. If you're 21+, you might want your ID for evening events.
• Hand sanitizer and wet wipes. Convention halls are petri dishes. 50,000 people touching the same escalator rails for four days. Bring the good stuff, not the hotel lobby bottle.
• Refillable water bottle. A 32oz Nalgene or collapsible bottle saves you real money on overpriced venue water across a weekend. Most convention centers have water fountains or refill stations.
• Snacks. Granola bars, trail mix, fruit. Anything that won't melt or crush. Convention food lines run long during peak hours, and a granola bar from home beats a convention center sandwich.
• Small first-aid items. Bandaids (specifically moleskin for blisters), ibuprofen, allergy meds if needed. Your feet will hate you by day two.
• Deodorant. I shouldn't have to say this. I'm saying it anyway.
• Pen and small notepad or phone notes app. For writing down commission artist booth numbers, panel times, or phone numbers when your battery dies.

Cosplay-specific packing

This is where convention packing diverges from normal travel. If you're wearing a costume (even a simple one), you need repair supplies.

Costume pieces

Lay out your entire costume the night before and photograph it. Every piece, every accessory, every prop. If it's not in the photo, it's not packed.

• Full costume laid out and checked. Every armor piece, every fabric layer, every belt, every buckle.
• Shoes specific to the costume. And comfortable backup shoes for walking the floor when you change out.
• Wig (if applicable) on a wig head or in a wig bag with tissue paper to hold the style.
• All accessories. Jewelry, belts, gloves, bags, weapon props. These are the most commonly forgotten items.
• Contacts or glasses that work with the costume.
• Undergarments specific to the costume. Dance belt, strapless bra, compression shirt, skin-tone bodysuit. Whatever the costume needs that your normal underwear doesn't cover.
• A comfortable "hall costume" or regular clothes for when you're done being in costume but still want to walk the floor.

Emergency repair kit

This kit has saved me or someone near me at every single convention I've attended. Pack it in a gallon ziplock bag.

• Hot glue gun (mini) and extra sticks. The single most important repair tool for armor and prop cosplay. Some hotels will let you use an outlet in the lobby. A cordless hot glue gun is even better. Surebonder's cheapest cordless mini, the CL-195F, is $21.49 on their site.
• E6000 or Barge All-Purpose Cement. For bonds that need to hold through a full day. Hot glue is fast but can fail in heat.
• Super glue (gel formula). Loctite gel for small fixes. Gel won't run down your armor piece.
• Safety pins. A card of assorted sizes. These fix more costume emergencies than any other single item.
• Needle and thread. A small travel sewing kit with black, white, and one color matching your costume.
• Fashion tape and body tape. For keeping fabric where it should be and skin coverage where you need it.
• Zip ties. Assorted sizes. For armor attachment points, quick structural fixes, and strap replacements.
• Gaffer tape (not duct tape). Gaffer tape removes cleanly and comes in multiple colors. A small roll of black and one matching your costume.
• Velcro strips. Self-adhesive. For quick attachment points when a buckle or snap breaks.
• Scissors and a craft knife. Small ones. TSA won't let craft knives in carry-on, so pack these in checked luggage or buy at destination.
• Spirit gum and spirit gum remover. For prosthetics, elf ears, facial hair, and anything that needs to stick to skin. Bring the remover too, or you're peeling adhesive off your face with hotel soap.
• Sandpaper (fine grit). A small sheet for smoothing rough spots on foam or Worbla repairs.

Wig and makeup supplies

• Wig cap(s). Pack two. They tear.
• Bobby pins and wig clips. More than you think you need.
• Got2b Freeze Spray or similar strong-hold hairspray. The only product that reliably holds styled wig spikes through a full convention day.
• Setting spray for makeup. Urban Decay All Nighter or NYX matte spray. Convention halls are warm. Your makeup will slide without setting spray.
• Makeup remover wipes. For touch-ups and end-of-day removal.
• Full makeup kit for the costume, plus touch-up items you can carry on the floor.
• Mirror (small, portable). Convention bathrooms are crowded. A compact mirror lets you do touch-ups anywhere.

Ren faire and LARP additions

Renaissance faires and LARP events have different needs than indoor anime cons. Most of these are about weather and terrain.

• Sunscreen. SPF 30 minimum. Ren faires are outdoor events, often in open fields with minimal shade. The FDA says to reapply at least every two hours, and more often if you are sweating, which you will be.
• Bug spray. Outdoor events in summer means mosquitoes. DEET-based sprays work best, but keep them away from costume fabrics (DEET can damage certain synthetics).
• Rain plan. A compact poncho or water-resistant cloak. Getting caught in rain at a ren faire in full garb without a plan is miserable. Check the forecast, but pack for rain anyway.
• Sturdy, broken-in shoes or boots. Ren faire grounds are uneven grass, dirt, mud, and hills. New boots will destroy your feet. Break them in at least 2 to 3 weeks before the event.
• A drinking vessel. Many ren faires sell drinks in disposable cups, but bringing your own tankard or leather mug is part of the experience (and some faires offer discounts for bringing your own).
• Cash. Even more important than at indoor cons. Many ren faire vendors are cash-only, and cell service for card readers can be spotty in rural locations.

Furry convention packing list

A furry con packing list splits in two: what everyone brings, and what fursuiters bring on top of it. The day bag above covers the first half. The fursuit half is mostly about heat, sweat, and keeping the suit clean for four days. I'm a cosplay armor builder, not a suiter, but I've handled for a fursuiter friend, and the things below are the ones we ran out of or wished we'd packed.

If you're fursuiting

• Cooling vest or fans. A cooling vest is not optional. A real PCM vest is the difference between a fun hour and a medical emergency, and it is not a cheap purchase. EZCooldown's Complete Performers vest, the one most fursuiters point to, lists at 201.10 euro. Mini fans mounted inside the head (or a fan worn around the neck) help too, so pack spare batteries or a charging cable for them.
• Two or more full sets of base layers. Anthrocon's summer fursuiting guide says to bring at least 2 full sets of compression gear (a long-sleeve compression shirt plus leggings) instead of cotton. You'll sweat through at least one set per day of suiting.
• Water and a sports drink. The same Anthrocon guide says to drink water before and during suiting and a sports drink afterward to replace electrolytes. A straw that reaches through the head opening makes this much easier.
• A break schedule. Anthrocon's guidance is to take a break at least every 45 minutes or so in a fursuit lounge (the headless lounge): head off, water, cool down. Set a phone timer, because you won't notice the time in suit.
• Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. For sanitizing the inside of your fursuit head between wears. Isopropyl alcohol at 70 percent sits inside the range the CDC's disinfection guideline treats as an effective alcohol disinfectant, and it dries fast.
• Drying setup for the hotel room. A few hangers and a small fan or the room AC pointed at the suit overnight. A damp suit packed in a bag goes sour fast.
• Lint roller and a fur brush. Carpet fuzz, glitter, and other people's fur end up on your suit by noon.
• Handler supplies. If someone is handling for you, they carry water, your phone, and the route to the nearest headless lounge. If you're walking the fursuit parade, Anthrocon warns the wait before you exit the hall can be an hour or more, so plan to keep your head off while you wait.

If you're not suiting

• Budget for the dealers den and art. Badge art and con-floor commissions are a big part of furry cons. Confirm whether your artist takes card before you queue.
• Ears, tail, or a partial if you want to dress up without a full suit. Pack a tail clip or belt loop backup, since tails get stepped on.
• Weather gear for the specific con. Midwest FurFest runs December 3 to 6, 2026 in Rosemont, Illinois, so you need a real coat for the walk from the hotel. Anthrocon is in Pittsburgh in early July, which is why its guide is all about heat.

For a version of this list built only for suiters, use the fursuit convention checklist. If you're still choosing fur for a new suit, the fur selection guide covers which piles and fabrics run coolest. Every upcoming furry con we track is on the furry conventions page.

Comic con vs anime con: what changes

The core list is the same at both, and most of the differences show up at the entrance. Big comic cons screen bags and enforce strict prop rules, while anime cons have more people in costume and need a bigger repair kit.

Comic con packing list differences

• Activate your badge before you leave home. New York Comic Con uses badges you activate online ahead of time. Do it the night before, not in the entry line.
• Pack for a bag check. NYCC lists physical screening and bag checks as part of entry, and its safety and security page bans selfie sticks, folding chairs, and objects or toys that look like firearms, knives, or weapons. Leave the camping stool at the hotel.
• Fewer repair supplies, more walking gear. If you're not in costume, cut the repair kit down to safety pins and tape and spend that bag space on a battery pack and a layer.
• Check prop rules for your specific con. Dragon Con's policy requires peace bonding, bans working projectile props (including water pistols), and requires blades to be cased or sheathed. Dragon Con also spreads across connected downtown Atlanta hotels (the Hyatt, Marriott, and Hilton link by sky bridges), so your hotel room works as a mid-day costume change station if you book inside the block. See the Dragon Con 2027 page for dates.

Going to NYCC this year? The NYCC packing checklist is a pre-filled version of this list for that con.

Anime con packing list differences

• Plan for the weapons check line. At Anime Expo, anyone carrying a prop goes through the Weapons Check line every time they enter the convention center. If your prop comes apart, pack it so it reassembles fast.
• Use a clear or small bag. Anime Expo recommends clear bags, small clutch purses, and fewer bags overall to get through security faster.
• Pack the full repair kit. In my experience a much bigger share of the crowd at anime cons is in costume, and a lot of it is foam and Worbla built in a con crunch the week before. You'll fix your own armor and somebody else's.
• Budget more for artist alley. Prints, charms, and stickers add up faster than you expect. The convention trip budget guide has real dealer room numbers.

The Anime Expo 2027 page has dates and venue tips if you're planning ahead.

Artist alley and vendor supplies

If you're vending, your packing list is a different beast entirely. For a full breakdown on what to bring and how to price for profit, see our convention vendor profit guide. But the basics:

• Tablecloth, risers, and display materials. Test your full table setup at home before the con.
• Square/card reader plus backup. Convention wifi can be unreliable. Have a mobile hotspot or be prepared for cash-only periods.
• Price signs and business cards. People forget business cards constantly. Print more than you think you need.
• Bags for customers. Small paper or plastic bags for prints, stickers, and small items.
• Change. Bills and coins. Start the day with at least $50 to $100 in small bills and quarters.

Hotel and travel

• All booking confirmations printed or screenshotted. Don't rely on email loading in a crowded convention center with overwhelmed wifi.
• Luggage that fits your cosplay. Hard cases for armor, garment bags for sewn costumes, wig boxes for styled wigs. Throwing everything in a duffle is how armor gets crushed and wig styles get destroyed. For flights, wrap each armor piece in bubble wrap or soft fabric, fill the gaps with clothing so nothing shifts, and pack fragile bits (LED wiring, small details) separately in a padded pouch.
• TSA-friendly packing if flying. Prop weapons in checked luggage, clearly labeled. Craft knives, scissors, and spray adhesives in checked bags only. Spirit gum containers have to be 3.4oz or smaller for carry-on under TSA's liquids rule, or pack them in checked. For detailed guidance on convention travel costs, check our convention trip budget guide.
• Hangers. Hotels never have enough, and you need them for costumes. Pack 3 or 4 extra or buy cheap ones at destination.

Convention survival guide: sleep, food, hotel, money

Packing gets you to the con. Surviving it is a different list. The short version is the 6-2-1 rule plus a plan for food, sleep, and how you'll pay for things.

The 6-2-1 rule

The 6-2-1 rule means at least 6 hours of sleep, 2 full meals, and 1 shower, every day of the con. Those are minimums, not targets. It started in science fiction fandom and spread through furry fandom, but it applies to any multi-day con. Day three is where people break it, and day three is when the con crud and the bad decisions show up.

Food

• Do a grocery run the night you arrive. Bread, peanut butter, granola bars, fruit, and a case of water. That one run replaces a weekend of convention center snacks and overpriced water bottles.
• Eat one real meal outside the venue. Lunch lines in the hall peak around noon. I eat early (11 AM) or late (2 PM) and walk a few blocks away.
• Carry food you can eat in costume. Anything you can eat with one hand without smudging face paint. Bring straws if your makeup or mask makes cups hard.

Sleep

• Earplugs and an eye mask. Hotel parties run late at cons. Foam earplugs from the drugstore work fine, and hotel blackout curtains are never as blackout as they claim.
• Melatonin or your usual sleep aid if you use one. Con excitement plus an unfamiliar bed plus hallway noise is a recipe for bad sleep.

Hotel

• Share the room, but cap the headcount. Splitting a room four ways saves real money (the convention budget calculator shows how much), but every extra person means one more shower in the morning rush. Make a shower schedule the first night.
• Set up a costume station. Hangers, a corner for armor, and the wig heads on the dresser. Pack everything back into its bag every night so check-out morning isn't chaos.
• Book near the venue if you're in a heavy costume. A five-minute walk means you can go back for a costume change or a nap. A shuttle ride means you won't.

Cash vs card

Bring both. Most dealer room and artist alley sellers take cards now, often through Square, which charges 2.6% plus 15 cents per in-person card payment on its free plan. On a $5 sticker that fee is about 28 cents, or 5.6 percent, which is why some small tables still prefer cash for cheap items. Cash also covers you when the hall's cell signal drops and card readers stop connecting, which happens at almost every big con I've been to. My split: card for anything over $20, cash in small bills for prints, stickers, and tips. To figure out how much money to bring overall, use the convention trip budget guide.

Comfort gear

Convention days run 10 to 14 hours on your feet, often in uncomfortable costumes, in halls that swing between aggressive air conditioning and none at all.

• Comfortable backup shoes. Even if your costume shoes are comfortable, bring shoes you can walk 15,000+ steps in. Your feet will swell by day three.
• Compression socks. Not glamorous. Genuinely life-changing for multi-day cons. Your legs and feet recover overnight instead of carrying yesterday's swelling into today.
• Layers. Convention halls oscillate between meat locker and sauna. A light hoodie or flannel that fits over your costume (or works as a hall outfit) covers both extremes.

The packing checklist you'll actually use

I built this list from experience, but reading a blog post and checking items off while you pack are two different things. We built an interactive version that lets you check items off, saves your progress, and lets you share the list with your con group.

Use the convention packing checklist to customize this list for your next con. It covers categories for armor, sewing, wigs, props, and survival gear, saves your progress in your browser, and has a print button if you want it on paper. Every convention page on Costumary also has its own pre-filled checklist, like the Midwest FurFest checklist. If you're also tracking costs, the convention budget calculator pairs well with it.

My timeline: lay out the costume and supplies 3 to 5 days before the con, pack the day bag and repair kit 2 days before, and pack clothes the night before. That leaves time to order a replacement or make a store run when something's missing.