What to bring?

What do you need to survive Burning Man? Here’s my (Kiba’s) list—although you can find more exhaustive lists on the inter webs, here’s what I think you actually need, tailored for what our camp provides.

First, some important notes…

  • Don’t bring it to the burn unless you’re OK with losing/breaking it. The playa can chew up and spit out nearly anything.

  • Put your name and our camp’s address (7:45 & B as of 2026) on your bike and other valuable stuff. There is zero phone signal!

  • Remove extra packaging around things before taking them to the burn to cut down on the amount of trash you have to keep track of and dispose of at the end.

  • If you’re bringing stuff in the camp box truck (2026) or want to store anything in the camp shipping container that will be locked up until the next burn, it must be packed into this exact 27-gal tote box. These are the standard unit of Burning Man storage, and useful even if you aren’t using our cargo truck. You can bring more than one.

But first you need these

  • Ticket to the event. Check with the camp leads on whether you’re covered in the camp’s allocation, or apply for a Ticket Aid ticket.

  • Transportation to/from playa: driving, carpooling, in an RV, or on the Burner Express Bus (did you buy a ticket yet?)

  • Vehicle pass, if you’re driving in

  • Setup Access Pass, if you’re arriving before official gate open Sunday 12:01A

  • Paid camp dues. Check the camp Telegram chat for up to date info.

  • A photo ID

If you’re bringing a RV

  • Booked RV (plan ahead for Burning Man fees—all RV companies charge them!) see shelter guide.

  • Enough reflective insulation to cover all windows and the windshield

  • 2” painters’ tape. Don’t use duct tape, it’ll take the paint off and/or leave residue.

  • Sharp scissors for the insulation

  • Floor covering

    • I like plastic adhesive stuff, but it it takes two people. You might like paper, but you’ll probably have to replace it midweek.

  • Utility knife to cut the floor covering

  • Power strip

  • Bedding that fits odd-sized RV beds

  • Pillows

  • Spray bottle with diluted vinegar, rags/paper towels for cleaning (water alone won’t get alkaline playa out)

  • Doormat (recommended)

  • Optional:

    • Lights to decorate your RV in/out

If you’re bringing a tent

  • Tent capable of withstanding 50 MPH gusts and rain, see shelter guide

  • Your tent’s rain fly

  • Enough rope lines to secure all necessary sides (6x for shiftpod wall center hubs, 6x more for shiftpod fly)

  • Lantern-style light to hang inside

  • Emergency patch kit

  • No stakes: the camp will provide lag bolts & an impact driver

  • AC if you want it, or at minimum, a fan

  • Power strip

  • Air mattress or sleeping bag pad

  • Bedding

  • Pillow

  • Optional:

    • Eye mask

    • Lights to decorate your tent in/out

    • Small mirror

Water

  • Sealable water bottle for exploring with, or hydration pack

  • 5gal office water jug or other large container to keep water in your shelter and avoid extra trips to the camp tank

  • Pump if you’re bringing a 5gal jug

  • Cup (lid advised) with a color copy of your ID taped to the outside for alcohol, soup, ice cream, etc… around playa

Food

  • Food to last you all the days you’re at the burn (9 days from setup to temple burn)

    • You can bring a cooler and buy ice on playa, but this is a big pain

    • You can bring an electric cooler, but they’re $$$

    • The easiest thing is bulk backpacking food that only requires hot water. We will have a microwave and measuring cup for microwaving water.

  • Do NOT assume you’ll find food at the burn, and don’t bring anything that generates a lot of moop (trash), because we have to pack it all out with us. Come prepared!

  • Optional:

    • Heatproof snacks to take with you exploring

    • Powdered drink mix

Bike

  • Bike with dirt, fat, or hybrid tires (in that order—no road tires!)

    • Warning: at minimum, any bike that goes to the burn will require a deep cleaning and re-lube, and possibly new parts. Do not bring an expensive bike!

  • Dry lube-you WILL need it

  • A rag to keep the lube from hitting playa when you apply it

  • Light-up decoration for your bike, visible in all directions for safety (this is required!)

  • A headlamp for your bike—high power ones are best, but cheap is OK. Your personal headlamp will work in a pinch.

  • Cable combo lock. Keys get lost easily!

  • Highly recommended but not strictly necessary:

    • Phone mount

    • Bike cargo basket/shelf/bag

    • Spare inner tube/tire

    • Portable toolkit

    • Air pump

    • If your bike does not have a suspension, a seat post suspension can help keep your butt from getting sore going over bumps

Survival

  • Headlamp: IPX rated dustproof, rechargeable, or bring rechargeable batteries & charger.

    • DO NOT bring the popular style with a big light bar, that’s the fastest way to piss everyone off around you when you blind them! Make sure it has a lens/reflector and aims down.

    • Make sure USB-charging lamps have a port cover, or your port will stop working

    • One with a red light option is nice to keep your night vision and keep from blinding everyone

  • Goggles for dust storms. The big ski goggles look cool, but these are the most comfortable and practical.

    • If you only get one pair, get clear so you can see at night

    • You may want tinted ones for day

    • The cute heart shaped or steampunk ones tend not to be comfortable

    • Avoid big vents (dust gets in)

  • Sunglasses

    • These won’t be enough for dust storms, so bring your goggles EVERYWHERE!

  • N95 mask for dust storms

  • Sunscreen. The Korean/Japanese non-sticky ones are the best by a mile.

  • Moisturizer, specifically CeraVe cream. (Cream works way better than the lotion).

    • I advise doing this after every shower, or your skin might feel like sandpaper by day 3

  • Moisturizing eyedrops

  • Moisturizing nasal spray (see a trend here?)

  • Chapstick

  • Earplugs (foam for sleeping, music-attenuating for parties)

  • Your prescription meds

  • Charged electric razor (there are no sinks!)

  • MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) bags-drawstring trash bags, and a small plastic bag to collect trash in on the go (yes, we pick up other peoples’ moop too!)

  • Wet wipes, in case you get messy and can’t shower

  • Disposable urine bag (if you really don’t want to track down a porto)

  • A small backpack or sling bag for your goggles, N95, water bottle, etc… on the go

  • Optional

    • If you get hot easily, bring a spray bottle/fan

Clothing

  • Loose, light, cool clothes for hot days (100˚+)

    • A wide brimmed hat is a good idea too

  • Shoes that can get dirty

    • I like hiking boots, YMMV

    • Do NOT try to survive on sandals, Playa Foot is a thing and you do NOT want it.

  • A jacket/pants for cool nights (down to mid 50s), warm hat

    • Burners like faux fur clothing for this

  • Light up stuff to wear at night for safety

  • One set of clean clothes you keep in a ziplock bag for when you go back to the default world

  • Tutu for Tutu Tuesday

  • Do NOT bring MOOPy clothing (sequins, glitter, feathers, anything that can fall off and become trash)

  • Optional:

Digital

  • Small Bluetooth speaker for your tent and/or bike

  • Download your favorite playlists

  • Download our camp’s schedule, and note when you’re scheduled to volunteer

  • Download offline maps before leaving home (Apple Maps, Google Maps).

  • Download iBurn and Dust, update their data just before losing signal in Gerlach