An Introduction to Galactic Glamping: laid-back camping in a galaxy far far away

Hello there! Instead of a fresh entry in the Diamonds in the Rough series, this week I’m happy to present a guest post, courtesy of Anders of DT Blasterworks. Be sure to read to the end to learn about an exciting upcoming Star Wars reenacting event!

The intent of “Galactic Glamping” is to have a fun, relaxed, car-camping experience while enjoying the Star Wars aesthetic: it’s another way to enjoy cosplay outside of the confines of a hotel or convention center and really get in touch with the way the characters interact with their environment. In this primer, we’ll go over the look of the gear and equipment you should be using, some good in-universe food and snack ideas, and general recommendations. The most important thing about this is comfort and convenience—by not having to carry everything in on your back, and instead letting your “speeder” carry your gear, you aren’t limited to lightweight, small items. You can bring that heavy tent, use hard-sided containers like footlockers and coolers to transport your stuff, and cook a good meal out there!

What is the GFFA Campsite Aesthetic?

Part of what makes Star Wars LOOK and FEEL “Star Wars” is the right vintage stuff—though it was “modern” at the time the movies were made, the plastic-fantastic aesthetic of the 1970s and early 1980s is now very much Retro, and a key feature of the galactic setting. Andor in particular does a great job of using vintage items to maintain that feel. To that end, a GFFA campsite should have a mix of 1970s-style retro stuff like coolers and other hard-sided containers, combined with the WWII and Cold War/NATO military-surplus items that make up a lot of the web gear used by the soldiers of both the Rebellion and the Empire. It’s only natural to assume that military surplus from the earlier Clone Wars era and the Galactic Civil War would make its way into a civilian campsite (much like it does here on Earth).

The color palette of your gear is also important: earth tones of green, tan, gray, and off-white, as well as navy blue and muted burnt orange are all great to look for. Avoid blacks and reds as the dominant color, as well as overly bright oranges and greens. Avoid any camouflage patterns! Coolers and crates can be easily spraypainted and clothing can be dyed or altered to get the right look, but tents are a lot harder to change the color of due to their material. Austin has previously covered this well in this article, but in general, dome tents, A-frame tents, as well as poncho shelters and freestanding canopies are all represented well in-universe. This Snow Peak Amenity Dome Tent is a great example of an off-the-shelf GFFA-looking shelter, as is this French F1 Surplus tent:

Crates and containers can add a LOT to the look of an in-universe campsite. Consider old Coleman or Igloo style coolers, particularly the round ones (remove top carry handles – people in Star Wars like to carry things as awkwardly as possible), as well as footlockers or crates. These can be used to carry food of course, but also put your tent and gear in them for transport and packing—then use them as chairs and tables in camp! The pet food containers made by Vittles Vault—some of which are reminiscent of the Plasteel Cylinders from KOTOR—are also great. Paint, weathering, and a few greeblies (don’t go overboard) can take any appropriate container to the next level as well: go for matte/flat finish primers in gray, off-white, and olive drab, with a contrasting colored band to accent. Check out your local thrift stores during the warmer months for good vintage coolers!

Lighting is also important! Lanterns are a great way to add atmosphere to your camp, and Andor has now canonized the ubiquitous Harbor Freight LED lantern—though plenty of other light sources could be put to good use. Something like a Mosquito Lamp serves a dual purpose of keeping the bugs away, as well as providing a unique light source similar to Luke’s “Fusion Furnace”. There are also lanterns that double as USB power banks for a very similar real-world functionality!

Cooking is a great way to create a memorable camping experience—and there’s a lot of good food in the galaxy! 20th-century military mess kits are seen often in Star Wars and are an inexpensive yet authentic way to prepare some meals. Cooking over a fire or a butane/propane backpacking stove are all appropriate. Several examples of mess kits seen in the recent shows and movies are the German WWII style kit, the Swiss M84 Canteen and cup, as well as the Yugoslavian/JNA mess kit—though anything of appropriate vintage works well. Stanley products have also made their way on screen, and their 1913 line has some good-looking items which are modern make but still vintage “style”.

We can’t forget Luke’s iconic “Snacklebox” from his camp on Dagobah (also covered previously)– just make sure whatever you use is safe for food and doesn’t have any rust inhibitors in the plastic.

One fun way to make any of your food more in-universe is to repack it in unlabeled Mylar zip bags- they make several sizes for snacks or camping meals- or use vacuum bags like in ‘The Force Awakens‘:

Getting rid of earthly labels and packaging adds another layer to the experience that brings you a lot closer to reenacting! For recipe ideas, there are a range of official and unofficial cookbooks out there—or you can head to Wookieepedia’s food category for a wide range of eats from new and old canons!

The Star Wars camping experience is all about immersion—taking a vacation from “Earth” to spend the weekend in a galaxy far, far away—and there’s no better venue for that than the Galactic Civil War series of airsoft events! Our second event, Ambition’s Toll, is coming up soon! Travel to the planet ‘Mauston III’ two years before the events of A New Hope as the fledgling rebellion struggles against an Empire that is tightening its grip. Join as a Rebel, Imperial, Outlaw, Mando, or civilian and create your own character and story during the 30-hour continuous event. Fight for a faction, play a game of Sabacc in the cantina, perform quests for NPCs, or hunt down bounties—and earn in-game Credits which can be used to upgrade your character’s abilities or buy things you can take home!

You can check out the Event Rules or find more information via Discord, Facebook, or Email.