What to bring to Burning Man the first time
Water, dust, shade. Then the rest.
The printable version of the official list is the Survival Guide checklist. This page is the short version, plus the extras burners keep repeating.
From the Survival Guide
- 1.5 gallons of water per person per day, and a bottle on you when you leave camp. Survival Guide
- Goggles and a dust mask. Days run hot and nights run cold. Bring easy food. Survival Guide
From people who already went
- You do not need a camp. Open camping exists, and going alone works. r/BurningMan, things you wish you knew
- Stake the shade down with rebar. The Reddit version is not subtle about this. r/BurningMan, things you wish you knew
- The city is a clock and a letter. Put the camp address on your phone wallpaper. Use the iBurn offline map. r/BurningMan, tips for first-time burners
- Playa dust is alkaline. Vinegar helps playa foot. Break your shoes in before you arrive. r/BurningMan, tips for first-time burners
- Sleep. Bring earplugs. FOMO is loud. Rest when you are overwhelmed, and have your burn. r/BurningMan, tips for first-time burners r/BurningMan, mistakes first-timers made
Two more first-timer threads, if you want the unedited version: r/BurningMan, what did you wish you knew and the wish-I-knew thread already linked above.
Bulky pieces, if you are flying
A shade frame and a stack of jugs are the pieces that do not belong in a suitcase. Amazon to Reno is how they wait in town. If the shelter itself is a rig, start with RV for your first burn.
One question at a time
What we would pack from
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The longer list we would actually tick off is Burner Supply's packing list, the printable PDF, and, for the carton, ship bulky gear to Reno.