Other things to be aware off. Okay here’s a small list.
Bring more socks and underwear than you need, just in case it’s raining and you get soaked. Although I’ve worn out a couple of pairs of socks just from all the walking I’ve done.
Sunscreen. No one likes sunburn. Definitely don’t do what I did on the Friday afternoon of the last event and fall asleep in the sun. Going into battle the next morning felt like my armour was trying to grate me to death.
If you suck at sleeping like me then I recommend ear plugs. Anvil can be really loud at night, whether it’s other people or animals in the next field.
Look after your needs. Eat, sleep and stay hydrated. Its actually quite easy to forget to fuel yourself. I also advocate pooping before time in. Mainly because I’m paranoid about dunking part of my kit in a chemical toilet.
The new player brief and the workshops on the Friday afternoon are really good. Make sure you attend the combat brief if taking the field.
Get a decent cloak, it can get cold at night. Wool is preferable, but you can waterproof a cotton one with Nikwax.
Find out what’s going on around Anvil. There’s always a festival somewhere. Get stuck in and have fun.
People have covered a lot, but some things I’d add:
Thermal T-shirts or vests will hide under almost any kit and keep you warmer, letting you save on IC layers.
You don’t have to spend all your character points at creation and you can hold off on skills until you know, for example, what weapon you want to use.
Get a notebook, pen and pencil and keep it on you. It’s really useful for both OC notes like “what’s my character ID, how many Rings to a Crown etc”, and also IC notes. Before you pack, write down some things off the Wiki about where your PC is from. Or look at the Winds of Fortune page for the event, which is basically the News Headlines. Note down a problem or opportunity you want to get in on.
Carry your own mug. Lets you get a clean mug of water out the tap, clean glass at an IC bar etc. Chow’s usually has a big box of second hand pewter mugs, or you can buy a cheap steel or enamel mug at a camping shop in the sales.
Kit doesn’t tend to have pockets. Things like tankard loops and pouches let you store stuff on your belt. I recommend one pouch just to keep your phone/money/keys in.
Another thing, once you do have your kit, try it on, do housework in it, try going to the loo. And the loo stalls at Empire are cramped and tiny, so make sure you can sit down on the toilet without your weapon or armour or whatever else falling in the toilet or scraping the mud, urine, and whatever else is on the floor onto your kit.
Having your own drinking vessel can lessen your chances of catching LARP lurgy, don’t put your mouth to any shared vessel.
Oh and belts… more than one, some say the more the merrier, but at least two belts. One for your soft kit and the pouches and bits and bobs, and a strong one for securing your armour and weapon.
Allow two pouches: one for the mundane bits, like wallet, phone, keys, etc, I suggest no loose coins unless contained inside a coin purse. The second pouch for your IC stuff, such as a coin purse for the game’s currency, your writing implement, and notebook. Why the coin purses? Because if you are taking the battlefield, you could end up on the ground, and coins tend to fall out. You don’t want to lose that throne you won last night, do you?
Also, if you wear glasses, a leash for them is wise. If you do get knocked in the face, or you fall in a dramatic moment on the battlefield, you don’t want your glasses to go flying and someone accidentally stomps them to bits. Bring a second pair if you can afford it, just in case.
When things are hand-made anyway, it’s only a little extra work to make them a custom size. (Also, leather is not cheap, so smaller costs the maker less in materials.) So don’t be afraid to ask the people at, say, Darkblade, Battle Ready, Velvet Glove (for soft kit) etc. about making something for you with a size (or shape or design-tweak) that’s not on their standard menus.
(On the other hand, whenever getting anyone to make something for you, do be really careful about double-checking that you have a shared understanding of what you want.)
It depends. With some sellers, especially the ones who make what they sell, price and quality do tend to go together (and as mentioned, the cheap stuff from Mytholon tends towards basic cheap-and-cheerful rather than a cheap-and-nasty waste of money).
On the other hand, some firms sell overpriced rubbish, or decent things at twice the price you could get them elsewhere.
Bear in mind that the pewter might have lead in it, depending on its age. Though maybe some people feel that’s not too big a deal, for a few drinks per year, especially if they’re not acidic (e.g. cider).