Yeah, it's more or less the unavoidable sin of most "tactical"/"tech" vests out there; they need to be bulky enough to hide the contents, so more padding and a warmer garment. Great for autumn or a well air conditioned office, not so much for summer.

Outdoors/fishing style vests tend to be built lighter and with more ventilation, making them more suitable for the summer, at the cost of looking like you're wearing a fishing vest (a deal breaker for some).

- Tickets
- Money
- Dice (try to keep to no more than 2 sets
-Mech pencil
- phone charger
- water bottle (top it off every time you see a water station and drink your water!)
- snack (try to keep it low sugar, it will just make you jittery)
- hydro bandaids for blisters (wear socks and shoes, it's too hot and too much walking and you will spend the rest of your time hobbling)
-Con booklet - maps, write down notes, coupons 
- compact bag (I carry a thin foldable bag to carry purchases and vendor freebies

Tip - Schedule at least an hour to eat. The lines are long and it might take a while to get to food from where you are in the con
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I always enjoy this thread.  I find it useful to see what others think of, and to limit my inventory.  I want to limit both the carry weight and clutter of unnecessary items. As the con gets closer, I'm starting to prepare what I'm going to carry.  Here goes:

In my backpack:

Gen Con Program (mainly for the maps)
Pencil box (dice, pencils, tokens, and room for small odds and ends)
Zip lock bag with a couple snacks, hard candies, breath mints
Zip lock bag with Advil (aches) and bandages (feet)
Water bottle (I'm going to try an electrolyte powder a couple days, but I'm good with water) 
Fold-up bag (larger purchases)

* A couple of days I'm going to try to bring a collapsible stool.  I'm getting old and sitting on the floor makes it hard to get up.  I'm going to see if it's worth the hassle/weight.

I wish everyone a great Gen Con 2024!

I started that collapsible stool trend a couple years ago. Was really excited when I saw a dozen or so people with them last year. And they really are worth it. Why? Standing in a long line you can take a load off and still use about the same amount of space as standing. My parents made fun of me, but I know they also really wanted to have a chair to sit down on. You don't have to look for a bench, you don't have to sit all the way on the floor, it's really a life changer.
The stool I have is light, collapses pretty small and has a strap on it, so I strap it to the outside of my backpack for quick access. I believe it's this one, or very similar:  https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/outdoor-recreation-sports/camping-rv-supplies/camping-accessories/telescopic-camping-stool/35899/p-1642874317752049-c-7834.htm?exp=false

I won't list everything that I bring cuz basically everything has been said except a print out of the Con map. It's better on 2 pages so you can actually see the words. With this you just open the papers instead of your convention book to find the map if you need it. Much lighter than the convention book too, if that's really the only reason you carry it.

I also tear out all the pages that have stuff I'm interested in in the convention book and the coupon book. I'll typically keep the coupon book in my backpack, just in case we end up at a booth that I wasn't first interested in, but having just a few pages in my pocket is much better than the whole book/let.

Well I just weighed my bag. with snacks...2 lbs 4 oz. The 2 days were I have a minis toury. Added dice and figures.2 lbs 12 oz.

Goal accomplished. 

Due to the forecasted rain, I'm bringing a light water resistant jacket with hood. One of those micro foldable umbrellas would also work.

Water resistant outdoor hiking shoes. I know the con is inside, but the food trucks are outside, and the walk to/from the parking areas is enough to drench if you get caught out in it.

You can u

Wow those are great ideas how can you get them 2048 cupcakes unbelievable

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A folding backpack is a great idea—packs down small when you don’t need it but expands when you inevitably end up hauling around merch, snacks, and all the random freebies from the dealer hall.

If you're still on the lookout for a stylish but functional bag, https://coach-bags.co.uk/ has some great options that balance practicality with a sleek look. What’s the one thing you always make sure to have in your bag at every Con?