What to pack for Burning Man can be a bit subjective, depending on your desired level of comfort. Below you’ll find our sponsor Houston Art Collective’s Houpla theme camp packing list. This list is geared towards new burners with an eye towards good enough items that will get them through their first burn while being easy on the wallet. Then, they can decide what items they might want to upgrade later.
The list is divided into categories with necessary and nice-to-have items both listed. For many list items a link is provided to an example piece of gear for sale online we think is suitable and budget-conscious. Key considerations for each item are also listed, along with a price and source for the linked item for budgeting purposes. The prices and links were last updated in early March 2019.
Note–we aren’t an affiliate for any retailer. We just put in links, sources, and prices we Googled as examples and to make the point that you don’t have to break the bank putting together your Burning Man gear. For example, you don’t need a $500 Kodiak tent from a specialty outfitter. A $60 house-brand tent from Walmart will work just fine. That said, you should definitely shop around if getting the best prices and/or avoiding big corporate retailers like Walmart and Amazon are important to you. Remember, some of these items can also be borrowed from friends and family or found used at Goodwill, on Craigslist and through other resell channels.
Tent/Bedding
- Tent (necessary) – fits with the support poles of a 10′ x 10′ grid shade structure and minimizes mesh that will let in dust ($59 from Walmart)
- Cold Weather Sleeping Bag (necessary) – rated for Burning Man’s average lows in the 40s Fahrenheit ($20 from Walmart)
- Air Mattress (nice-to-have) – key for anyone who finds sleeping on the ground uncomfortable ($8 from Walmart)
- Air Pump (nice-to-have) – blowing up an air mattress is a lot of work ($10 from Walmart)
- Pillow (nice-to-have) – when a rolled up towel just won’t do ($5 from Walmart)
- Blanket (nice-to-have) – for when it gets especially cold ($3 from Walmart)
- Sheet (nice-to-have) – for when it gets especially warm ($5 from Walmart)
- Ground Tarp (nice-to-have) – helpful to put under tent for the very rare instances it rains ($16 from Amazon)
- Hanging Tent Light (nice-to-have) – sometimes easier than using a headlamp ($8 from Amazon)
- Battery-Powered Fan (nice-to-have) – for sleeping during the day ($8 from Amazon)
- Eye Mask and Ear Plugs (nice-to-have) – get better sleep ($5 from Walmart)
- Brush and Dust Pan (nice-to-have) – manage the inevitable dust in your tent ($5 from Walmart)
- Hammer (nice-to-have) – for your tent stakes ($4 from Walmart)
Managing the Elements
- Backpack with Water Bladder and Hose (necessary) – drink more water! the 2L version is preferred ($15 from Walmart)
- Wide-Brimmed Hat (necessary) – being from Houston we prefer a cowboy hat to keep the potent sun in the desert at bay ($35 from Cavenders)
- Dust Goggles (necessary) – for those sudden dust storms, day and night versions are preferred ($20 from Amazon)
- Dust Mask (necessary) – shemaghs can be tied and worn a great many useful ways ($10 from Amazon)
- Sturdy Footwear (necessary) – some of the worst injuries on playa come from stepping on sharp objects ($40 from Academy)
- Work Gloves (necessary) – keep your hands protected while setting up and tearing down camp ($5 from Walmart)
- Headlamp (necessary) – it gets very dark in the desert, especially inside portos ($7 from Walmart)
- Sunscreen (necessary) – you’re at altitude and in the sunny desert ($7 from Walmart)
- Heavy Coat (nice-to-have) – the desert can get cold at night ($41 from Amazon)
- Sunglasses (nice-to-have) – for when googles are too much…focus on UV protection ($9 from Walmart)
- Bungee Cord (nice-to-have) – useful for hanging your backpack from your shade structure ($5 from Walmart)
Keeping Clean, Healthy, and Comfortable
- First Aid Kit (necessary) – radical self reliance! take care of small cuts and scrapes yourself ($1 from Walmart)
- Towel (necessary) – just like in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy a towel is one of the most important items you can carry
- 1-Ply Toilet Paper (necessary) – 2-ply clogs up the portos
- Personal Toiletries (necessary) – toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, condoms…you know what you need
- Wet Wipes (nice-to-have) – Nice for anything that needs cleaning up. Some people use these on themselves when a shower seems like too much. Some people clean up the seats in the portos with them. Don’t throw these in the portos, though, as they can clog them ($5 from Walmart)
- Hand Sanitizer (nice-to-have) – keep you hands as clean as you can to avoid getting sick ($3 from Walmart)
- Eyecare (nice-to-have) – contact wears should bring everything they need, potentially including saline drops
- Footcare (nice-to-have) – some inexpensive vinegar mixed with water in any sort of container can make for a nice foot wash to neutralize the basic playa
- Skincare (nice-to-have) – moisturizing lotion can help with dry skin…don’t forget lip balm to moisturize your lips as well
- Aloe Vera Gel (nice-to-have) – helps sooth sunburns ($4 from Walmart)
- Cooling Towel (nice-to-have) – wet these to activate gel that keeps the towel cool ($7 from Walmart)
- Cooling Spray Fan (nice-to-have) – another item that can help you keep cool ($8 from Walmart)
- Go Bag (nice-to-have) – helpful to transport your essentials to the portos and back ($4 from Walmart)
- Pee Bottle (nice-to-have) – sometimes it’s just too cold to get up in the middle of the night and walk to the portos. Any wide-mouth container will do
- Pee Funnel (nice-to-have) – makes pee bottles viable for women ($7 from Walmart)
Food/Drink
- Cup (necessary) – everyone expects you to bring your own cup…leave no trace ($6 from Amazon)
- Plate, Bowl, and Utensils (necessary) – wash these instead bringing disposable paper or plastic…leave no trace ($7 from Walmart)
- Cooler (necessary) – just fits under Southwest Airlines size restrictions ($48 from Walmart)
- Food (necessary) – assume no one is going to feed you, then be pleasantly surprised…radical self-reliance
- Water (necessary) – bring 1.5-2 gallons per day in the desert…even if your camp supplies water, bring 5 gallons just in case
- Large Cooler (nice-to-have) – useful for keeping your drinks cold and your perishables fresh. You can buy ice at Burning Man, and we recommend buying the largest cooler you can check on a domestic flight ($48 from Walmart)
- Specialty Kitchen Gear (nice-to-have) – does your theme camp’s kitchen not stock a spice or piece of kitchen equipment you need? Radical self reliance…bring it yourself
- Adult Beverages (nice-to-have) – beer, liquor, and mixers are also great in sunny days…and make great gifts for your campmates and neighbors
- Paper Towels (nice-to-have) – you can never have enough, but these also create a lot of waste…plan ahead to minimize the trash you create as it all needs to be packed back out again at the end of the burn
- Electrolyte Drinks (nice-to-have) – don’t forget to balance your water intake with salty foods or electrolyte drinks like Gatoraide
Clothes and Costumes
- Day Clothes (necessary) – shorts, t-shirts, beach-wear…anything goes, but leave the logos at home! Only bring clothes you don’t care about
- Night Clothes (necessary) – it gets cold at night in the desert…add some layers to your day clothes
- Return Home Clothes (necessary) – keep these dust-free in ziplock bags so you won’t have any issues at the airport
- Costumes (nice-to-have) – costumes aren’t necessary at Burning Man, but why not take the opportunity to express yourself and have some fun? Anything goes…just leave anything that might create moop like glitter, feathers, etc behind
- LED Lights/El Wire/Safety Pins (nice-to-have) – while your headlamp will keep you from being a darkwad, it’s a lot more fun to decorate yourself with various colorful lights. These are available all over the internet in various colors and types ($10 from Amazon)
Bike and Chair
- Bike (necessary) – if you can’t find a working cheap used bike, buy a cheap new one…whatever you bring assume it’ll rust or be damaged by the alkaline playa ($98 at Walmart)
- Camp Chair (necessary) – you’ll need a place to sit ($11 from Walmart)
- Bike Headlight (necessary) – needed for safety at night ($3 from Walmart)
- Bike Lock (necessary) – bike theft is a problem unfortunately ($8 from Walmart)
- Bike Assembly Tools (necessary) – bring whatever tools you need to put your bike back together
- Bike Repair Kit (nice-to-have) – while there are bike repair camps on playa…radical self reliance ($6 from Walmart)
- Large Bike Seat (nice-to-gave) – if you’re not an everyday bike rider, the bumpy conditions at Burning Man can leave you battered and bruised without a large seat ($8 from Walmart)
- Daytime Bike Decorations (nice-to-have) – you’re only limited by your imagination…and a desire not to create MOOP on playa. Ribbon can be a great, durable choice and it available at Walmart and any fabric store
- Nighttime Bike Decorations (nice-to-have) – lights of any variety work, but wheel lights are particularly popular. Don’t forget to buy one pack for each wheel ($26 from Amazon)
Packing
- Footlockers with Wheels (necessary) – buy as many as you need to contain your stuff ($22 from Walmart)
- Used Bike Box (necessary) – to pack your bike into for its ride on the Community Truck (Free at any Local Bike Shop)
Miscellaneous
- Ticket, Parking Pass, and Work Access Pass (necessary) – you’ll need these to get through gate
- Government-Issued Photo ID (necessary) – many bars at Burning Man card
- Batteries (necessary) – for all your gear above
- Money (nice-to-have) – you can only buy two things at Burning Man: ice and beverages like coffee and tea at Center Camp. You’ll probably want to bring enough money to buy ice every other day for your cooler. It cost $4/bag in 2018.
- Gifts (nice-to-have) – handmade crafts, food, drink…whatever you’d like to receive generally makes a great gift
- Watch (nice-to-have) – sometimes it’s helpful to know what time it is without having to ask those around you…radical self reliance. Any cheap, plastic, digital watch will do ($11 from Walmart)
- Cell Phone Charger (nice-to-have) – don’t forget to bring your charger as many camps have a place you can plug in. That said, avoid being one of those folks constantly taking pictures and trying to get internet service…immediacy!
- Gum (nice-to-have) – a great gift and a good idea to keep you from grinding your teeth
- Duct Tape/Rope/Pocket Knife (nice-to-have) – these always seem to come in handy
- Music (nice-to-have) – do you have music to share? Bringing this in a form that can connect via a headphone jack-type auxiliary cable or USB port is best
- Permanent Marker (nice-to-have) – don’t forget to label your stuff! Things get misplaced and can sometimes find their way home again if labeled
- Carabiners (nice-to-have) – these are great for hanging things that need hanging…your cup, your light, your backpack, etc ($4 from Walmart)
With all of our major cost components discussed, we’re now ready to put it all together into a Budget in our next article.
(Background photo by Mayor McCheese)