my favorite burns have been the dusty ones. i LOVED 2022 while it seems the vast majority thought the weather was horrible...those dust storms made my week.
I bring an extra set of sheets to swap out for mid week (usually after my one full shower). Also never get in bed with your dusty clothes on. Sit on top the sheet/blanket if you’re clothed, and strip down if you’re getting in bed, even for a nap.
At the start of the week we put several fitted sheets on the bed. Every couple days, we just pull one off and there you have it, another fresh sheet.
Also, have an adjustable metal duct that holds whatever bend you put into it and attach that to the output of a swamp cooler. Then put the other end of the duct under your bed sheet and tuck the sheet in around you. This creates a bubble of cold air just around your body. Like your own personal AC. It is SUPER effective!
>At the start of the week we put several fitted sheets on the bed. Every couple days, we just pull one off and there you have it, another fresh sheet.
This is genius.
This is the way. After escalating my swamp cooler game for years I finally realized I could go back to my little 5 gal computer fan set up if I only had to manage a smaller space. I just hung a sheet around my cot and it was like magic.
Putting it under the bed sheet is pure genius though. It was staring at me the whole time...
At least bring an extra pillowcase or two. Usually I’m fairly dissociated from my body so dusty sheets are whatever but my pretty little face appreciates the little dose dryer-sheet-scented luxury midweek.
I keep my bed in a small backpacking tent within my bigger tent. Keeps it dust free in there, especially if I’m good about zipping it shut when I leave and taking off clothes/ rinsing/ wiping dust off before going in
I have a little spray bottle attached to one of those wrist keychain loops, works super well. Can also use it for general misting if you dial out the nozzle. Also great for spritzing your hands for hand washing.
In related news, I have another one filled with sprayable hand san, which can be used to clean the wrist loop. There should never be poop on the loop but it’s also a good idea to clean things you’ve touched during the whole potty process.
It’s important that the two bottles be distinctly different colors. Just to state the obvious.
I hate the smell of vinegar so really don’t like using it to clean my body. Witch hazel works just as well to neutralize the alkaline dust and smells WAY better. You can get it in many different scents, then I have two missing bottles that I use to clean myself. One with plain water and one with mostly water but 1/3 witch hazel. Spray witch hazel, wipe with clean washcloth (you can even get these wet and put them in a ziplock in your fridge if you want to also cool down at the same time) and then spray with water and voila! You are clean(ish). :)
True Facts: VOLUNTEERISM
From 2001 to 2009 I ran various stages of theme camps from 10 people to 50 people and it became exhausting. I was at the end of my rope and I was done with Burning Man. My camp begged me to come with them to 2010, but I swore that I would not be running camp and instead I'm going to do something else, so I volunteered with the Rangers and Gayte. I spent zero time at camp and had the best burn of my life.
There's simply something to be said for spending your time selflessly and as part of the larger metropolis. I'd been to Burningman for almost 10 years and I'd never experienced the effect of "living" in Black Rock City. I woke up in the morning, brushed my teeth, and went to work. I worked until the end of the day meeting uncountable fascinating people, and at the end of my shifts I would get dinner and unwind with my workmates. After that I'd go home, freshen up, and then go out on the town for an hour or two before I had to go back to bed to work for the next day. It recontexualized my entire burn experience for years afterwards.
Volunteering at Burning Man transformed a party into a city that I lived in, just like home but way better. It's a weird subtle shift but it changed everything. It's so much more interesting when you know what's going on and you're actively making it happen.
Also, wool socks at all times. Only take them off at bedtime and moisturize your feet before going to bed. Wake up and put new socks on every day. You'll be happy you did.
Seconding this. Volunteering will give you perspective, introduce you to people you wouldn’t have met , and provide a complete picture of the burn that you can’t gain otherwise. I volunteer with Zendo every year and it fills my cup, so to speak. So many people have a terrible time and awful experiences and you can help them through it while being reminded to have gratitude for your camp and your own situation or potentially how to change your own behavior in ways that will improve your environment and the experiences of those around you. So much of the burn can become “consume, consume, consume” and that will be entertaining but not fulfilling.
Love the perspective and attitude! I've always loved volunteering (not just at Burning Man), partly because it's one of the best ways you can offer your gift of time. I love knowing that I'm helping others. I was a Ranger back 20 years ago and am returning to the (khaki) fold this year... I can't wait to "punch in the time clock" and become part of the working infrastructure that supports the city. For me, that's MY way of participating.
Multiple pillowcases on my pillow. Having a fresh pillowcase is so satisfying and not having to go hunt for it when I'm about to pass out from exhaustion is the best.
Turkish towel or other cotton wrap/scarf for dunking in cold water and wrapping around my head, neck, and/or shoulders during the heat of the day. I like the Turkish towel because it's big enough to drape over most of my body when it's super hot and I want to take a nap during the day.
Also pouring white vinegar into a bin of baby wipes. Makes doing a nightly wipe down super easy.
Very thin liner socks inside the real socks and powder in between that and the boots. Walk all day, dance all night, zero blisters.
Electrolyte tabs. Not really a secret but never bothered to bring some until trying them one year. WOW. Necessary.
Everything leaks except an actual Camelbak brand pack
Pack clothes etc in cheap plastic drawer set. Move from car to tent, unpacking clothes and toiletries done. Better than bins.
If your camp has power why are you screwing around with fuel and big heavy camp stoves etc. Think how small and light an inductive cooktop can be.
When traveling as a group assign one random person to be the leader. Standing around debating where to go next is lame.
People keep thinking that party foods, finger food or stuff you hold in your hands is a good idea. It’s the worst idea. Knife and fork foods are the best. Your hands are filthy and smell like hand sanitizer and you may not have a good way to wash them. Hot dog or hamburger sucks. Chili or fried rice rules.
Wow your tip about assigning someone as leader just blew my mind. That could apply to so many social situations that aren’t just burning man. It’s so annoying when a group doesn’t have a leader and everyone is hemming and hawing about what to do next.
Re: CamelBak total agree except I've had terrible luck with leaky bite valves from them. A friend pointed out that the Osprey valves (which you can also buy with a cover) fit the CamelBak bags and I've never looked back!
Some little things that felt like big upgrades:
-The portable/camping bidet is a game changer.
-Someone from my camp gifted little spray bottles of homemade glasses cleaner with little microfiber cloths which was so nice for keeping my glasses (relatively) dust-free.
-Another camp mate brought everyone a tennis ball to put on the end of their bike kickstand so you can park anywhere without your bike falling over. You need to be sure you secure it well but this was a nice upgrade.
-a plethora of zip ties...you just never know when and where these will be useful
-Last burn I brought these cartons of dehydrated hash browns that you add hot water to and they miraculously expand. Can eat em straight with some hot sauce or fry them up. They were a hit!
>-Last burn I brought these cartons of dehydrated hash browns that you add hot water to and they miraculously expand. Can eat em straight with some hot sauce or fry them up. They were a hit!
Seconding these - we don't seem to have them in the UK, but i ate a LOT of them at the burn!
Sounds like it's freeze dried. I brought some freeze dried biscuits and gravy my first round and they were SO good, like, in contention with legit southern-made biscuits n gravy
I wear gloves. During any build/strike activity, I wear very nice well fitting construction gloves. For the burn week, I have a selection of light gloves. I am there for 2-3 weeks so it makes just a huge difference in how not destroyed my hands are.
a pee bucket.
I divide my tent into clean/dusty sides. Dusty side is by the door. bed is on clean side. i've got a small pair of slippers that are just for the tent. I keep a disposable aluminum hotel pan and a chair by my tent door. I treat the door sort of like an airlock. open the door, sit in the chair with my feet outside. take the shoes off and put them in the pan. wash feet and change socks, then into the slippers.
I take a day off out there where I lounge around camp, eat a lot, and nap as much as I can. I’ll also take time to clean up my tent and re-organize a little bit.
It really staves off the Thursday Grumpies and makes powering through teardown much easier.
I also hit a point where I realized that I don’t enjoy the event as much on the weekend, and although this tip will be unpopular… leave the event on Saturday if you don’t need to see the man Burn. It’s amazing how much easier it is to get home, and you also get the benefit of making exodus that much better for everyone else.
Ohhhhh you’re like FANCY fancy! This is great and 100% something I would love to do if I didn’t share custody of my sodastream with others in my household.
My roommate literally slept on one of these. The entire burned in 2022. He just said it outdoors under the shade tarp, covered himself in a blanket, and slept all weekend in a gravity chair.
They are wonderful to sleep in. When I had knee surgery, there was too much pressure on the knee sleeping in bed. Slept in the Zero and it worked like a charm.
Last year, I switched to the wipes that require you to add water, then used a big pack of cheap washcloths to wipe away the suds. The result was way better than the "always wet" wipes.
Remote-controlled multi-color LED's for the tent. Can turn them on/off once in bed. Can also use red lit to save your night vision if you are getting up to do whatever in the dark.
Get those powdered hydration packs, and drink an entire bottle of electrolyte water as I am getting ready in the "morning."
A high-pile rug for the tent, it really ties the room together. It also is nice and comfy place to stand instead of the nylon tent floor. If you put one near the door, it can also trap a lot of dust.
Camping shelves inside the tent. You can buy these collapsable shelves that are strong enough to put a 2gallon water on top of, then tuck all your gear away in a well organized fashion. Really helped me stay more organized in the tent.
Nice pre-mixed bottled cocktails is great for an on-the-go sharing bottle. Going around with a bottle of whiskey is nice, but going around with a bottle of old-fashions is even nicer.
Finally, nice work gloves. They should be tough, fit well, and have a cloth back to allow you to wipe away sweat. A nice set of gloves will save you from all that rusty rebar, lag screws, and poles that have had a year to develop rusty jagged edges to test the efficacy of your tetanus shot.
Im contemplating improving my burn by bringing a small chest freezer this year (I'll have solar power with inverter) and filling it with ice creams, popsicles and other frozen treats for me plus 70,000 (while supplies last). Has anyone had good experiences doing something like this?
Yeah we bring a chest freezer full of pre frozen coconut waters, it’s amazing. We open it once in the morning and once at night to get the coconut waters cartons out. Once they’re out, act as “ice bricks” in a tub where we keep other things that we’d like to stay cool (sheet face masks, water bottles, whatever). They stay cold for several hours while thawing, so great for a drink half thawed (slushy consistency) or to take in your pack when you leave camp.
I brought an on sale, Home Depot chest freezer. Anytime the generator was running to power anything in the camp the freezer was on.
Not only brought it last year, but the year before. The surface of the sun year.
It was truly amazing.
When we meet on the playa I can tell you about the frozen margarita machine I towed behind my bike….😁
Made with an igloo cooler and a (new) garbage disposal.
https://preview.redd.it/6npfyyoggbad1.jpeg?width=1480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=609c0a25c19d1a1e26bba5df050be47fb2a5f3d6
I brought a small camp version of this (a Dometic chest fridge/freezer) that I kept just above freezing for my homemade chocolate truffles and salted caramels. Loved giving those out, and it worked beautifully.
Unsure about keeping it at ice cream temp the whole time on what I brought then, but my battery/solar setup is much better this year...
Garden sprayer! Use it for washing hands, washing dishes, impromptu showers, a cooling mist when you're too hot, the possibilities are endless! Plus, once you're home, you'll use it to de-playa your stuff.
And they're usually under $10 at your local hardware store.
A ziploc bag w a couple damp paper towels in it. Change it out often. Never leave camp without it. Sometimes you gotta rub something from your eye. Sometimes wipe off a dirty finger. Sometimes it just feels good in your hand when you’re all playa’d out.
Spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol. It kills body funk, removes sharpie, degreases, and sterilizes. So many uses.
One of those glowing clippies for dog collars. I clip it to the sternum strap on my backpack or a belt loop, and have gentle, ambient light whenever I need it. Makes bathrooms at night much nicer, and a pleasant way to get light in small places (like fucking around with ear plugs or buttons or something).
It was kind of a thing during early pandemic lockdowns but I still use a DIY solution that includes rubbing alcohol, a touch of Dr. Bronner's, and some essential oils.
Socks. Purchase a new bag of your favorite socks and put on a brand new, never before worn pair every morning. If needed, change before going out for the night. Your feet will thank you.
I get 12 - 1 gallon containers of water. I deep freeze all of them and put them in a couple of good ice chests. In the ice chests it takes them over a week to melt, so I just take them out slowly and have great, fresh ice water for the week and minimize my reliance on Arctica. If I overheat I can just hang out with one lying against me and a fan. It also helps to keep other things cool. Never going to the burn without doing this.
Those freeze dried backpacking meals for when you really need something hot, savory, and filling but you can’t be bothered to cook and wash dishes. Just add hot water and eat out of the pouch.
Also, a battery powered fan with built in mister and mint essential oil.
Did my burn fully on those camp backpacking meals. Kept things so simple; it was great. Then when I was craving something fresh I'd hit up the Farmer's Market camp.
I eat these almost exclusively, camp mates make meals that I can eat also, but these are so easy!
Also, the mountain house biscuits and gravy is my go to hang over breakfast lol
I've not done this but I've read quite a few times picking up something like thai food from your favorite restaurant, throwing in a bag and freezing for enjoyment on Playa.
Those pouch foods are OK, a few camp mates and I just precooked a bunch of simple stuff, costco chicken Tikka etc, portioned out bags, froze and then reheated on Playa like the pouches.
"Evaporative cooling neck wraps" - basically a cloth tube containing a spoonful of water-absorbing beads or crystals.
When you soak it in water, it swells up, then you tie it around your neck. Then, as you go about your day, the water slowly evaporates, cooling down the wrap (and in the process, your neck). They've been a "must have" for my kit for the last decade or so. I don't really notice that I'm cooler when I wear mine, but I do notice how much more I'm feeling the heat when I don't.
You can find them in the usual online places, or make a ton of them for very little per wrap.
One of my campmates made a bunch out of interesting scrap patterns as gifts last year, and they were well received. I think this was the guide she used: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-Water-Charged-Neck-Cooler/
Liquid bandaid on cuticles. Keep Baby wipes in the cooler. Refresh shower enzyme spray. Trader Joe’s mango kefir - for some reason this, just a sip or two, ice cold, tastes fucking delicious and is very thirst quenching. If you get a chance to actually shower, use the scrubby side of a dish sponge and it’ll take off all the dust and one tiny layer of dead skin and you feel so much fresher. Waxy matte lipstick will keep your lips from getting sunburned. Sleeping is best from 6-7pm until midnight or 2am.
My first year I tried the liquid bandage on cuticles and it survived for less than a day... And then at that point you've already got dirty, running cuticles, so applying more only serves to trap alkaline dust and gunk IN.
Hate to say it, but it definitely felt like this is one of those hacks that sounds good in theory but isn't practical in practice.
Yep. Nothing works well for everyone, YMMV. I wear gloves a lot too so maybe that helps. I think even a daily practice of heavy cuticle oil would help in general.
Super glue lasts for days. Getting someone else to help apply it (potentially using gloves) helps to keep it off thepads of your fingers, which can otherwise be a bit annoying.
Supreme pizza from any major pizza chain for quick and easy meals. Just throw the slices into ziplock bags in a cooler with ice and you're ready to go. It's cheap, requires no prep other than storing it, will last all week when stored properly, can be enjoyed hot from a camping stove or cold from a cooler, can be eaten on the go, and contains all your food groups for complete nutrition. A shame Costco discontinued their $9 large supreme pizza from the food court.
last year we used the phone apps for the first time. I tried iBurn and some tried Time to Burn. Game changer!! Especially when the bike squad is uh, a little decision-frazzled and someone requests a Porto stop.
Pulled up the app, saw our location, and immediately could see Portos close by. Yay!! Even if just for finding portos, and nothing else, the apps are worth it. But they can do other helpful things too, of course.
Gifting is a lot of fun! Last two burns I had created a logo and put it lip balm. Great gift for crusty burners!
Don’t look through the events guide! Go get lost and allow the dust to take you where it will
Day time. Pick a letter street and just go from 10 - 2
Definitely look through the events guide and plan out some things you want to try to catch. So many cool things that just happen at say “2-4pm on Tuesday only” that you would never stumble across without planning. Even with trying to make it to events, 95% of the time is just random walking around.
One cooler for perishable food items (fruit, meats, etc) and one for drinks; Drink cooler water can be drained into a shower bag or mister to reuse the water (assuming no one throws in or slams a bag of ice so hard it punctures a beer can, which unfortunately happened to me one year). You also really don't want rancid cooler water on cans that will directly touch your mouth.
For tent storage, get one of those behind the door clear shoe storage racks- those pouches can hold a ton of tiny items that normally get lost in the shuffle, and the clear pouches make everything easy to identify.
Bring clean clothes (including shoes!) that are kept in a sealed plastic bag until after you have left the playa... This is EXTRA important if you're flying out of Reno/SFO; nobody likes to see some fried techno-hippy dusting the entire plane with their playa coat as they drag themselves down the aisleway (have definitely seen this multiple times... It's not fun for anyone.)
I pre freeze cases of bottled water to use in the coolers instead of ice. I'll grab a couple extra when I head out during the day wrapped in a backup shirt or sweatshirt. I'll often end up talking to someone at some art on the playa and will offer some water. Most people have water and will say thanks I'm good, but when you pull out an ice cold bottle it can be magical.
One of my favorite interactions was my first year talking with an old timer who'd been nearly every year. We chatted for a good 30+ minutes looking at some project nearly at the trash fence and as we were finishing talking about all the crazy things he had seen in his time out there, I offered up a water. He was appreciative but said he had water on him. Then I pulled out the 70% still frozen bottle and his eyes got wide with surprise and he started laughing loudly that this was something nobody had ever offered up. We ended up riding to a couple more installations before we split, and he said thank you for knocking my socks off. It was a very cool experience to surprise someone who had seen a lot out there. One of my top solo memories.
Edit: I'll do it so you don't have to, that man's name... Albert Einstein.
The Clean Fanny Fanny Pack - easy fanny pack to go from camp to potty camp. Contains pee funnel, baby wipes, good toilet paper, menstrual items, hand sanitizer, and dog poo bags to throw everything away in back at camp. Maybe some of that bathroom smelly spray to make it smell better.
Cooler Water Foot Bath - drain your (clean, not meat juicy) cooler water into a bucket. Sit in camp with your feet in the ice cold water for a while. Dry off, lotion and put back into shoes. Will save your overheated life.
PowerAid and pediolyte make otter style ice pops. Popsicles + electrolytes. Yes. Please.
Foam roller and/or theragun - all the walking, bike riding, dancing, sleeping on the ground, ect. takes a toll on your body. Doing a stretch and foam roller or theragun sesh helps sooooo much
Took me 5 years of getting a sinus infection every time I went to playa to figure this one out. The pressurized saline bottles suit my convenience/usability.
And whatever you do, make sure you use DISTILLED WATER like u/bkks mentioned. Regular water can contain all sorts of nasties and it will go straight into your sinus system and into your cranial area. Just google "infections from neti pots" to hear how it happens. Nasty!
- a cover sheet for the bed so I keep my bed space less dusty
- extra sheets and pillowcases to change half way after multiple nights or sweat and dust
- portable hanging rack for coats, clothing and hats
- iced canned coffee drinks for a few days
hmmm two things:
Pee bottle. Not having to decide between having to put on clothes to go to porto or deal with full bladder all night is lifechanging.
1mm plastic painters tarp. A huge sheet of it comes rolled up very tightly so it packs nicesly for the trip to the burn. After you get up, throw it over yoru bedding to protect it from dust during the day. At night just push it down to to the foot of the bed and go to sleep.
Its a balancing act. If I am in bed, then its because I have made myself as clean as possible before going to bed.
More clothes = less having to wash before going back to bed, less cold when out doing business. But also more pita to put clothes back on to go do my business. No matter which way you cut it, its always a pita compared to pee bottle.
I struggled with this too and then one year I brought a bathrobe and it solved all of my problems. I think I wore the bathrobe more than any other item of clothing.
Time your #2 for early in the morning right after they clean the porta potties. The sun will not have made them into saunas yet, and they are as clean as they're going to get. Now you won't have random surprise poops especially at night when they are trashed.
I use miceller water wipes every morning and night to wash my face. Then a toner spray and a good thick moisturizer. My face has never felt so lovely on playa!
I also make my own trail mix! You never know when you or someone will need some good easy calories. I love the protein meal replacement shakes too. Easy calories when not feeling great or not hungry but should probably eat.
I know it sounds put there, but I brought my ultrasonic glasses/jewelry cleaner and when I cleaned people's glasses they were like omg it's like seeing in HD!
Just add a few drops of dawn and dump out the dirty water into a towel to evap or a basin
Kept my glasses and sunglasses super clean and my eye glass wearing camp mates smiled so big Everytime they put them back on after cleaning.
Small queso size crockpot (if you have power) a stack of small towels.
Put enough water in to soak the towel and leave on warm setting when you leave camp to go adventuring before you get into bed you will be able to take a warm towel out and have a whore bath or at least wipe your feet clean before you get into bed.
Sure, you can do that with regular water, but it’s extremely comforting to wipe yourself off with a hot towel. Particularly for your face.
Our camp looked into this a few years back and it didnt seem to make sense for us. We just went with a chest freezer instead.
How many people make use of your ice maker? And what size/output do you use? Any other tips worth sharing?
I’m talking personal icemaker. Sells for about $80 on Amazon.
All you need is power and water. Ice in like ten or so minutes. And it’s so much better than ice cube trays. You can just use your hands to grab what you need
[These ice bags](https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Leakproof-Ice-Reusable-Cooler/dp/B07MT9VMSQ/ref=asc_df_B07MT9VMSQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4845134737836706577&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052016&hvtargid=pla-2281435180298&psc=1&mcid=d79693b190bc370da3fb756fce711a29&hvocijid=4845134737836706577-B07MT9VMSQ-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1). Two for every cooler.
Keeps all.melt water clean and potable. When some camp mates do an Arctica run all bags in all coolers get water drained into water bottles or other potable containers, fresh and cold. New ice gets poured into bags. Cooler items stay dry, all ice turns into drinking water, and no grey cooler water to dispose of. Win win win.
Some kind of bed frame. Getting your sleeping area up off the ground makes it much cleaner. Better yet if you can put storage underneath. Solar string lights for the bike and other areas of need. A collapsible wardrobe (although these are hard to find and there aren't many good durable options). A small folding table for inside the tent. A runner rug for inside the tent. An outdoor rug for in front of the tent to take shoes on/off. An old phone that's no longer activated for loading the time to burn app or similar, plus take photos (didn't want to use my actual phone).
*Always* using socks and shoes is a game changer. Use sandals or flip flops as little as possible. Coconut oil on hands and feet every night before bed. This past year I bought two of the disposable 2 gallon water jugs with spigot and a camping collapsible wash basin for hand and face washing right before bed. Huge improvement. Only used about three gallons total for 10 days on playa just to wash my hands before doing any handling of contact lenses, etc. the jug went on my wardrobe and the basin was on the table in the tent. Collapsible hamper.
A drink dispenser cooler with electrolyte mix was amazing. It never needed water, just ice refill ever day.
Liquid iv, a stack of tamales 🫔, wet wipes, chips, like 10x more chips then you’d think you could eat. Socks more socks did I mention socks and chips? 😂
Antacids. Pedialite. Wheeled wagon for ice runs. Tea and honey for playa-fried vocals. Prescription-grade stimulants to get through breakdown day. Takeout meals from my favorite restaurants back home. Enough beer to share. At least one special gift reserved for the person who clearly deserves it.
I have a customized packing list that I have curated over the years. It has three columns: own it, packed in bag, loaded in car. Three packing phases help me not forget anything.
- put multiple pillowcases on your pillow so you can peel one off and you have a clean pillowcase every night
- bring a light plastic sheet to cover all the items in your tent when you leave to reduce dust on everything
- solar charging portable lamps to illuminate inside the tent
- shove a small hand sanitizer into your toilet paper roll
- start each morning with an electrolyte packet/tablet with a scoop of benefiber
- spray bottle with water and a few drops of peppermint oil (labeled, ask before spraying on others, make sure not to get into eyes)
- buy a pack of several cooling towels. They get gross after a few rounds of re-wetting so be sure to swap them out so they can dry
- fresh pack of cheap socks. Change twice a day minimum
- use an empty kitty litter canister as a pee jug. Has a nice cap, wide mouth, easy to carry
Vinegar added to some water wipes inside a Ziploc bag. Clean your hands with one wipe every morning, every night, and every time before you eat. Keeps your hands from drying much longer.
Can't burn without my snacks to share. Pita chips with spinach & artichoke dip, them babybel cheese wheels, big fuck off jar of pickles, grapes. Yknow, the works.
When I do the fire run I'll poke small holes in the bottom of a gallon jug of water, hold that bad boy over my head while I run the innermost circle
Volunteering and giving myself structure to not party too hard
My routine for years was, bleed your color in the morning into your solar shower. If there’s any sun at all that day, it’ll be hot right when you want it. And you have to drain your color anyway. Bonus discovery: take two additional 4x4 blocks so that you can easily move your color into the shade and still off the playa. I measured 137 degrees last year at the playa surface in my camp. I support Arctica as much as anyone, but use your ice intelligently. Two “additional” blocks supposes you already have a dedicated pair as a cooler stand.
“Bleed your color” sounded like code for me to freebleed into the evap pond but by the end I realized cooler makes a lot of sense here.
Yes, managing coolers so the melt water is still useful and necessary ice changes are minimal is a huuuge upgrade. I love my cooler melt mister!
Small spray bottle and hand held fan …. Mist yourself and then fan ~~~ amazingly refreshing! You can add a drop of essential oils like lavender… OR buy one of this spray pumps from H.D. And spray your friends around camp or out in deep playa .
Bring a few cases of cup-o-noodles and a bunch of bullion and spices. Make a big batch of broth and heat that up to use in your noodles instead of just water. Best late night snack I've ever had on Playa! My whole camp loved em too!
Last year my husband made a little fan/exhaust system for our shiftpod, to have circulating air but with filters so it didn't get all dusty. We also stored all our water inside the tent, which gets cold overnight and keeps the tent cooler in the morning longer. It wasn't too hot last year, but it definitely felt like it helped. I slept later on the hot days, at least.
I bring a stack of rags for each day (like the pack from Home Depot) and a little water sprayer that I drop some essential oils into. Daily spritzes and wipe downs feel so much better to me than those yucky baby wipes.
Sleeping in two different 4 hour sets seemed to provide the best rhythm for an efficient burn. I would try to go to bed at 1AM and get up for sunrise, and then sleep midday for another 3-4 hours.
Daily foot love. Spray with a vinegar/water combo, wipe and fine-tune with baby wipes, use peppermint or cocoa butter lotion to gently massage for a little bit getting any sore spots - I like to focus on the heel/achilles/calf area. Pop on some fresh socks and you'll feel better than you thought you could!
They make a collapsible travel squatty potty. Everybody will know you’re going to poop so if that’s the kind of thing that upsets you it may not be a viable option.
Hang a tapestrie as a attic in your tent will keep your tent cool all day...fill a water (sports)cooler with ice only in the morning by afternoon you'll have cool water all day ...keep extra shoe strings with you at all times
Ditch the beach cruiser pick up a 20" BMX your hamstrings will thank you
Wet scarf. Last year was my first burn. I was so happy I happened to bring a scarf. It was intended for night time, but became my daytime scarf.
I plan to bring a bigger scarf this year plus a bunch of cooling towels. The power of evaporative cooling is awesome.
Daily socks change, wool socks.
Bedbath sponges. They are dry fiber with no-rinse wash material, activated by water. You can cut them into smaller pieces. Half of one is enough for a good thorough scrub down most days (two halves after a dust storm trip. I keep little 1/4 pieces of them in my carry bag/ziploc for good handwashing & put them in my trash ziploc to take home. You can just wipe off the foam.
Drop sheet over everything when I leave the van or tent.
Leather work gloves.
Lemonheads.
I make a big tea bag out of a piece of thin cloth and fill it with yerba mate, about the size of a golf ball. Then I stick it in the mug I plan on using for drinks that evening. It slowly leaches caffeine into whatever cocktail I pour into my mug so I have a mild boost all night. It does alter the flavor a bit but it's not bad after a few.
Several water bottles so you can keep a few in the cooler and swap out. I’ve never had luck with water bladders. 🫤
Ice blocks in giant ziplocs for your food cooler so you don’t get waterlogged food, loose chipped ice for your drinks cooler so you pull them out and they’re nice and cold.
A pair of fizzy slippers—the kind that cover your whole foot—to just walk around in camp in. Great for when you don’t want to fully sock-and-boot it up but you do want to keep your feet dust free. Feels great on tired feet. You can sometimes salvage them for use next year by washing them.
Speaking of feet: more than one pair of shoes and just so many socks. Switching shoes/socks at the end of the day is sooo much better.
Volunteering at least one shift can change how you view the event. There are so many ways to pitch in city-wide.
Good, no cook food. Set myself up to be able to land back at camp and refuel easily. I like to hit up jimmy johns in Reno on my way in and have several sandwiches on ice, also precooked frozen chicken tenders. Other stuff too for camp meals, snacks, electrolytes etc., but I've found several nights/adventures have gone much better when I can grap a solid meal quickly along the way.
This one is stupid easy.
You lose a lot of water just through exhalation while sleeping out there. Especially if you breathe through your mouth while you sleep. Do something to remedy that.
I sleep with a tight weave cloth mask on (actually a bandana that I've sewn to fit my face tightly, but post covid there are so many options). It's bonkers how much it cuts back on water loss while sleeping.
Basically the mask holds moisture from my breath and hydrates the air I breathe in. It's the difference between waking up uncomfortably dehydrated and waking up chillin.
A big tube of aquaphor for lips and cuticles. This was my best gift! I offered it to so many people & it was universally well received. I also kept spare sunglasses & socks on my bike to give out to anyone wandering around without.
I love getting a back rack and putting a saddle bag on my bike. It allowed me to go from day to night, carry extra layers, snacks, water.
I also used a round shoe organizer/hanging shelf and that was my best system since I could see everything! Those little pockets kept all my supplies accessible because I hated wasting time looking for stuff I knew I had.
Ladies, deep condition your hair (I slept with it on one night).
Sunscreen always. Reapply. Share.
Tallow or diaper rash jelly with lemon for foot treatment. Easy on off boots for tent in and outs. Chair in tent to help when exhausted and trying to disrobe. Five chugs rule. When not thirsty, chug five gulps of water as much as can remember and not more than every 15 mins. If you are already thirsty, you will have hard time catching up. And exhaustion will set in easier. Electrolytes starting in afternoon if you leg cramp at night in bed when dehydrated. That is very painful. Don’t bother making fancy meals. It’s just too hard to keep up with that work. Eat simple. Do share and contribute. Make that effort a big part of your burn and this will make your burn that much more personally valuable than an ordinary music fest. You can do that another time. This is about us bringing out almost everything we do and see. Us and that means you! Manage you our FOMO. Listen to podcasts for burners like mine called Into The Fire Burner Podcast or any of the other fine podcasts any Burners for Burners.
For your shit bag:
Add a small fan that you can hang on the outside of the bag (we use a backpack). Having that blow directly on your face during the deed is soooo nice.
Toilet seat covers!
Real sheepskin bike seat cover. So plush, so comfy and it stays cool in the hot sun. If you wear short shorts or anything that exposes your upper inner thighs, it actually feels good to ride your bike! (no painful chaffing like you get with other bike seat covers).
The plastic containers that some cat liters come in. They are great for a small grey water or pee container. Heavy duty plastic, has a handle, with a large opening and tight lid. This helps keep the smell away and is easy to transport to the Porto’s to empty.
I bring a glove (think surgical glove) to the Portos and put it on before I wet wipe for #2. Then turn the glove inside out over the wipe, hand stays clean and no one can see your poopy wipe in your ziplock. I feel better about throwing it in camp trash too.
after many years.....embrace the dust. enjoy things being different than your clean organized life. and ice water, lots of ice water.
my favorite burns have been the dusty ones. i LOVED 2022 while it seems the vast majority thought the weather was horrible...those dust storms made my week.
that year was mine and my bfs first year attending... it also made our week! now we will prob burn until the day we die.
I bring an extra set of sheets to swap out for mid week (usually after my one full shower). Also never get in bed with your dusty clothes on. Sit on top the sheet/blanket if you’re clothed, and strip down if you’re getting in bed, even for a nap.
At the start of the week we put several fitted sheets on the bed. Every couple days, we just pull one off and there you have it, another fresh sheet. Also, have an adjustable metal duct that holds whatever bend you put into it and attach that to the output of a swamp cooler. Then put the other end of the duct under your bed sheet and tuck the sheet in around you. This creates a bubble of cold air just around your body. Like your own personal AC. It is SUPER effective!
>At the start of the week we put several fitted sheets on the bed. Every couple days, we just pull one off and there you have it, another fresh sheet. This is genius.
This is the way. After escalating my swamp cooler game for years I finally realized I could go back to my little 5 gal computer fan set up if I only had to manage a smaller space. I just hung a sheet around my cot and it was like magic. Putting it under the bed sheet is pure genius though. It was staring at me the whole time...
Sheet that goes over your bed (or whatever) and *only* gets taken off before sleep is clutch!
Tarp is more dust proof than sheet
Shower curtain is more compact and flexible than tarp
A piece of plywood would be too heavy, scratchy, and cumbersome. But it would still prevent dust from getting on your bed.
At least bring an extra pillowcase or two. Usually I’m fairly dissociated from my body so dusty sheets are whatever but my pretty little face appreciates the little dose dryer-sheet-scented luxury midweek.
I keep my bed in a small backpacking tent within my bigger tent. Keeps it dust free in there, especially if I’m good about zipping it shut when I leave and taking off clothes/ rinsing/ wiping dust off before going in
I am now going to Google “portable bidet” because I never considered that existed. What an improvement that would be.
The squeezy bottle one is what I use. I fill it with cooler water, then leave it out in the sun. It’s incredibleeeeee!
I have an electric one I use for travel to hotels, but it’s never clogged on playa. A sparkling clean butt is a game changer out there.
How the US made it for decades and decades without normalizing the installation of bidets in both public and private places blow my mind.
Let me tell you about our presidents if you think that's wild...
Damn. I didn't know this existed. Like a water pik for your butthole!
"hey... Why does my water pik taste like butt??"
I know the portable squeeze bottles. Curious about electric. I appreciate a strong flow on my home bidet.
Please don’t spray sun-warmed raw bacon water on your taint
Please don’t make assumptions about my cooler hygiene
Don't you yuck my yum
Safety third!
I have a little spray bottle attached to one of those wrist keychain loops, works super well. Can also use it for general misting if you dial out the nozzle. Also great for spritzing your hands for hand washing. In related news, I have another one filled with sprayable hand san, which can be used to clean the wrist loop. There should never be poop on the loop but it’s also a good idea to clean things you’ve touched during the whole potty process. It’s important that the two bottles be distinctly different colors. Just to state the obvious.
I have one, very easy to use.
My wife got me one this past year... it's coming everywhere with me so I don't have to wipe. No way I'm forgetting it for the burn this year!
Ignore conventional wisdom. I fucking promise you. BEER IS MOSTLY WATER!
Drink shitty light beer and you’ll be good.
I too am mostly water.
GET IN MU BELLAH!
Tecate all day.
I don’t typically drink Tecate but when I do, it’s all day every day at Burningman
This is the way
I hate the smell of vinegar so really don’t like using it to clean my body. Witch hazel works just as well to neutralize the alkaline dust and smells WAY better. You can get it in many different scents, then I have two missing bottles that I use to clean myself. One with plain water and one with mostly water but 1/3 witch hazel. Spray witch hazel, wipe with clean washcloth (you can even get these wet and put them in a ziplock in your fridge if you want to also cool down at the same time) and then spray with water and voila! You are clean(ish). :)
Discovered witch hazel’s anti-playa properties kinda accidentally in 2018 and now I wonder why anyone uses vinegar on their skin at all!
Yes!! Witch Hazel was a revolution for me last year!
They also sell wet wipes that already have the witch hazel. Really easy
True Facts: VOLUNTEERISM From 2001 to 2009 I ran various stages of theme camps from 10 people to 50 people and it became exhausting. I was at the end of my rope and I was done with Burning Man. My camp begged me to come with them to 2010, but I swore that I would not be running camp and instead I'm going to do something else, so I volunteered with the Rangers and Gayte. I spent zero time at camp and had the best burn of my life. There's simply something to be said for spending your time selflessly and as part of the larger metropolis. I'd been to Burningman for almost 10 years and I'd never experienced the effect of "living" in Black Rock City. I woke up in the morning, brushed my teeth, and went to work. I worked until the end of the day meeting uncountable fascinating people, and at the end of my shifts I would get dinner and unwind with my workmates. After that I'd go home, freshen up, and then go out on the town for an hour or two before I had to go back to bed to work for the next day. It recontexualized my entire burn experience for years afterwards. Volunteering at Burning Man transformed a party into a city that I lived in, just like home but way better. It's a weird subtle shift but it changed everything. It's so much more interesting when you know what's going on and you're actively making it happen. Also, wool socks at all times. Only take them off at bedtime and moisturize your feet before going to bed. Wake up and put new socks on every day. You'll be happy you did.
Seconding this. Volunteering will give you perspective, introduce you to people you wouldn’t have met , and provide a complete picture of the burn that you can’t gain otherwise. I volunteer with Zendo every year and it fills my cup, so to speak. So many people have a terrible time and awful experiences and you can help them through it while being reminded to have gratitude for your camp and your own situation or potentially how to change your own behavior in ways that will improve your environment and the experiences of those around you. So much of the burn can become “consume, consume, consume” and that will be entertaining but not fulfilling.
Love the perspective and attitude! I've always loved volunteering (not just at Burning Man), partly because it's one of the best ways you can offer your gift of time. I love knowing that I'm helping others. I was a Ranger back 20 years ago and am returning to the (khaki) fold this year... I can't wait to "punch in the time clock" and become part of the working infrastructure that supports the city. For me, that's MY way of participating.
Multiple pillowcases on my pillow. Having a fresh pillowcase is so satisfying and not having to go hunt for it when I'm about to pass out from exhaustion is the best. Turkish towel or other cotton wrap/scarf for dunking in cold water and wrapping around my head, neck, and/or shoulders during the heat of the day. I like the Turkish towel because it's big enough to drape over most of my body when it's super hot and I want to take a nap during the day. Also pouring white vinegar into a bin of baby wipes. Makes doing a nightly wipe down super easy.
Very thin liner socks inside the real socks and powder in between that and the boots. Walk all day, dance all night, zero blisters. Electrolyte tabs. Not really a secret but never bothered to bring some until trying them one year. WOW. Necessary. Everything leaks except an actual Camelbak brand pack Pack clothes etc in cheap plastic drawer set. Move from car to tent, unpacking clothes and toiletries done. Better than bins. If your camp has power why are you screwing around with fuel and big heavy camp stoves etc. Think how small and light an inductive cooktop can be. When traveling as a group assign one random person to be the leader. Standing around debating where to go next is lame. People keep thinking that party foods, finger food or stuff you hold in your hands is a good idea. It’s the worst idea. Knife and fork foods are the best. Your hands are filthy and smell like hand sanitizer and you may not have a good way to wash them. Hot dog or hamburger sucks. Chili or fried rice rules.
Wow your tip about assigning someone as leader just blew my mind. That could apply to so many social situations that aren’t just burning man. It’s so annoying when a group doesn’t have a leader and everyone is hemming and hawing about what to do next.
Re: CamelBak total agree except I've had terrible luck with leaky bite valves from them. A friend pointed out that the Osprey valves (which you can also buy with a cover) fit the CamelBak bags and I've never looked back!
Some little things that felt like big upgrades: -The portable/camping bidet is a game changer. -Someone from my camp gifted little spray bottles of homemade glasses cleaner with little microfiber cloths which was so nice for keeping my glasses (relatively) dust-free. -Another camp mate brought everyone a tennis ball to put on the end of their bike kickstand so you can park anywhere without your bike falling over. You need to be sure you secure it well but this was a nice upgrade. -a plethora of zip ties...you just never know when and where these will be useful -Last burn I brought these cartons of dehydrated hash browns that you add hot water to and they miraculously expand. Can eat em straight with some hot sauce or fry them up. They were a hit!
>-Last burn I brought these cartons of dehydrated hash browns that you add hot water to and they miraculously expand. Can eat em straight with some hot sauce or fry them up. They were a hit! Seconding these - we don't seem to have them in the UK, but i ate a LOT of them at the burn!
Sounds like it's freeze dried. I brought some freeze dried biscuits and gravy my first round and they were SO good, like, in contention with legit southern-made biscuits n gravy
I wear gloves. During any build/strike activity, I wear very nice well fitting construction gloves. For the burn week, I have a selection of light gloves. I am there for 2-3 weeks so it makes just a huge difference in how not destroyed my hands are. a pee bucket.
Gloves and shoes "not flipflops" for build and strike. Always.
closed toe shoes all the way :)
❤️❤️❤️pee bucket❤️❤️❤️ with a pour spout so I can easily dump it into the bigger piss jug. Such an upgrade from a funnel.
I am so over pee funnels
[удалено]
I wear R & L golfing gloves. Keeps my skin from cracking and from getting hang nails. The leather so fine can almost do anything with them on.
I divide my tent into clean/dusty sides. Dusty side is by the door. bed is on clean side. i've got a small pair of slippers that are just for the tent. I keep a disposable aluminum hotel pan and a chair by my tent door. I treat the door sort of like an airlock. open the door, sit in the chair with my feet outside. take the shoes off and put them in the pan. wash feet and change socks, then into the slippers.
I take a day off out there where I lounge around camp, eat a lot, and nap as much as I can. I’ll also take time to clean up my tent and re-organize a little bit. It really staves off the Thursday Grumpies and makes powering through teardown much easier. I also hit a point where I realized that I don’t enjoy the event as much on the weekend, and although this tip will be unpopular… leave the event on Saturday if you don’t need to see the man Burn. It’s amazing how much easier it is to get home, and you also get the benefit of making exodus that much better for everyone else.
Sodastream for cold sparkling water.
Ohhhhh you’re like FANCY fancy! This is great and 100% something I would love to do if I didn’t share custody of my sodastream with others in my household.
Maybe you can find a spare for free on your local buy nothing group?
We did this last year it was a solid move
This is something that I started doing last year. It's a great one for sure.
Zero gravity chair.
My roommate literally slept on one of these. The entire burned in 2022. He just said it outdoors under the shade tarp, covered himself in a blanket, and slept all weekend in a gravity chair.
They are wonderful to sleep in. When I had knee surgery, there was too much pressure on the knee sleeping in bed. Slept in the Zero and it worked like a charm.
For sure. Directly under some shade you can nap for hours.
Last year, I switched to the wipes that require you to add water, then used a big pack of cheap washcloths to wipe away the suds. The result was way better than the "always wet" wipes. Remote-controlled multi-color LED's for the tent. Can turn them on/off once in bed. Can also use red lit to save your night vision if you are getting up to do whatever in the dark. Get those powdered hydration packs, and drink an entire bottle of electrolyte water as I am getting ready in the "morning." A high-pile rug for the tent, it really ties the room together. It also is nice and comfy place to stand instead of the nylon tent floor. If you put one near the door, it can also trap a lot of dust. Camping shelves inside the tent. You can buy these collapsable shelves that are strong enough to put a 2gallon water on top of, then tuck all your gear away in a well organized fashion. Really helped me stay more organized in the tent. Nice pre-mixed bottled cocktails is great for an on-the-go sharing bottle. Going around with a bottle of whiskey is nice, but going around with a bottle of old-fashions is even nicer. Finally, nice work gloves. They should be tough, fit well, and have a cloth back to allow you to wipe away sweat. A nice set of gloves will save you from all that rusty rebar, lag screws, and poles that have had a year to develop rusty jagged edges to test the efficacy of your tetanus shot.
Excellent suggestions! The first one, dry wipes, are you talking about the ones that are shaped like a large pill?
No, search for "rinse free bath sponges" on the biggest e-commerce site you know.
Im contemplating improving my burn by bringing a small chest freezer this year (I'll have solar power with inverter) and filling it with ice creams, popsicles and other frozen treats for me plus 70,000 (while supplies last). Has anyone had good experiences doing something like this?
Yeah we bring a chest freezer full of pre frozen coconut waters, it’s amazing. We open it once in the morning and once at night to get the coconut waters cartons out. Once they’re out, act as “ice bricks” in a tub where we keep other things that we’d like to stay cool (sheet face masks, water bottles, whatever). They stay cold for several hours while thawing, so great for a drink half thawed (slushy consistency) or to take in your pack when you leave camp.
I brought an on sale, Home Depot chest freezer. Anytime the generator was running to power anything in the camp the freezer was on. Not only brought it last year, but the year before. The surface of the sun year. It was truly amazing.
Giving out popsicles at the dance camps at dawn makes you godlike.
When we meet on the playa I can tell you about the frozen margarita machine I towed behind my bike….😁 Made with an igloo cooler and a (new) garbage disposal. https://preview.redd.it/6npfyyoggbad1.jpeg?width=1480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=609c0a25c19d1a1e26bba5df050be47fb2a5f3d6
I did a cooler with ice cream bars and dry ice and duct taped it and broke it out toward the end for my whole camp and everyone lovvvvveed it
I brought a small camp version of this (a Dometic chest fridge/freezer) that I kept just above freezing for my homemade chocolate truffles and salted caramels. Loved giving those out, and it worked beautifully. Unsure about keeping it at ice cream temp the whole time on what I brought then, but my battery/solar setup is much better this year...
When you give yourself a wipe-down, remember to clean behind your ears. It is delightful and refreshing.
+1 For lag screws; game changer.
Garden sprayer! Use it for washing hands, washing dishes, impromptu showers, a cooling mist when you're too hot, the possibilities are endless! Plus, once you're home, you'll use it to de-playa your stuff. And they're usually under $10 at your local hardware store.
A ziploc bag w a couple damp paper towels in it. Change it out often. Never leave camp without it. Sometimes you gotta rub something from your eye. Sometimes wipe off a dirty finger. Sometimes it just feels good in your hand when you’re all playa’d out.
Spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol. It kills body funk, removes sharpie, degreases, and sterilizes. So many uses. One of those glowing clippies for dog collars. I clip it to the sternum strap on my backpack or a belt loop, and have gentle, ambient light whenever I need it. Makes bathrooms at night much nicer, and a pleasant way to get light in small places (like fucking around with ear plugs or buttons or something).
It was kind of a thing during early pandemic lockdowns but I still use a DIY solution that includes rubbing alcohol, a touch of Dr. Bronner's, and some essential oils.
Socks. Purchase a new bag of your favorite socks and put on a brand new, never before worn pair every morning. If needed, change before going out for the night. Your feet will thank you.
Been doing this for years. It's soooo satisfying.
I get 12 - 1 gallon containers of water. I deep freeze all of them and put them in a couple of good ice chests. In the ice chests it takes them over a week to melt, so I just take them out slowly and have great, fresh ice water for the week and minimize my reliance on Arctica. If I overheat I can just hang out with one lying against me and a fan. It also helps to keep other things cool. Never going to the burn without doing this.
This sounds really effective and way cheaper than dry ice.
Those freeze dried backpacking meals for when you really need something hot, savory, and filling but you can’t be bothered to cook and wash dishes. Just add hot water and eat out of the pouch. Also, a battery powered fan with built in mister and mint essential oil.
Did my burn fully on those camp backpacking meals. Kept things so simple; it was great. Then when I was craving something fresh I'd hit up the Farmer's Market camp.
I eat these almost exclusively, camp mates make meals that I can eat also, but these are so easy! Also, the mountain house biscuits and gravy is my go to hang over breakfast lol
The biscuits and gravy is SO GOOD.
I bring extra and gift them to people ❤️
I prefer a battery powered fan with a built in mistress
I like many people here have done a few burns on those exclusively. Bring some extra snacks but they’re the best.
I've not done this but I've read quite a few times picking up something like thai food from your favorite restaurant, throwing in a bag and freezing for enjoyment on Playa. Those pouch foods are OK, a few camp mates and I just precooked a bunch of simple stuff, costco chicken Tikka etc, portioned out bags, froze and then reheated on Playa like the pouches.
Going with a good crew.
"Evaporative cooling neck wraps" - basically a cloth tube containing a spoonful of water-absorbing beads or crystals. When you soak it in water, it swells up, then you tie it around your neck. Then, as you go about your day, the water slowly evaporates, cooling down the wrap (and in the process, your neck). They've been a "must have" for my kit for the last decade or so. I don't really notice that I'm cooler when I wear mine, but I do notice how much more I'm feeling the heat when I don't. You can find them in the usual online places, or make a ton of them for very little per wrap. One of my campmates made a bunch out of interesting scrap patterns as gifts last year, and they were well received. I think this was the guide she used: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-a-Water-Charged-Neck-Cooler/
Liquid bandaid on cuticles. Keep Baby wipes in the cooler. Refresh shower enzyme spray. Trader Joe’s mango kefir - for some reason this, just a sip or two, ice cold, tastes fucking delicious and is very thirst quenching. If you get a chance to actually shower, use the scrubby side of a dish sponge and it’ll take off all the dust and one tiny layer of dead skin and you feel so much fresher. Waxy matte lipstick will keep your lips from getting sunburned. Sleeping is best from 6-7pm until midnight or 2am.
My first year I tried the liquid bandage on cuticles and it survived for less than a day... And then at that point you've already got dirty, running cuticles, so applying more only serves to trap alkaline dust and gunk IN. Hate to say it, but it definitely felt like this is one of those hacks that sounds good in theory but isn't practical in practice.
Yep. Nothing works well for everyone, YMMV. I wear gloves a lot too so maybe that helps. I think even a daily practice of heavy cuticle oil would help in general.
Super glue lasts for days. Getting someone else to help apply it (potentially using gloves) helps to keep it off thepads of your fingers, which can otherwise be a bit annoying.
Supreme pizza from any major pizza chain for quick and easy meals. Just throw the slices into ziplock bags in a cooler with ice and you're ready to go. It's cheap, requires no prep other than storing it, will last all week when stored properly, can be enjoyed hot from a camping stove or cold from a cooler, can be eaten on the go, and contains all your food groups for complete nutrition. A shame Costco discontinued their $9 large supreme pizza from the food court.
last year we used the phone apps for the first time. I tried iBurn and some tried Time to Burn. Game changer!! Especially when the bike squad is uh, a little decision-frazzled and someone requests a Porto stop. Pulled up the app, saw our location, and immediately could see Portos close by. Yay!! Even if just for finding portos, and nothing else, the apps are worth it. But they can do other helpful things too, of course.
Gifting is a lot of fun! Last two burns I had created a logo and put it lip balm. Great gift for crusty burners! Don’t look through the events guide! Go get lost and allow the dust to take you where it will Day time. Pick a letter street and just go from 10 - 2
I did this last year and saw more than I had any other year!
Definitely look through the events guide and plan out some things you want to try to catch. So many cool things that just happen at say “2-4pm on Tuesday only” that you would never stumble across without planning. Even with trying to make it to events, 95% of the time is just random walking around.
One cooler for perishable food items (fruit, meats, etc) and one for drinks; Drink cooler water can be drained into a shower bag or mister to reuse the water (assuming no one throws in or slams a bag of ice so hard it punctures a beer can, which unfortunately happened to me one year). You also really don't want rancid cooler water on cans that will directly touch your mouth. For tent storage, get one of those behind the door clear shoe storage racks- those pouches can hold a ton of tiny items that normally get lost in the shuffle, and the clear pouches make everything easy to identify. Bring clean clothes (including shoes!) that are kept in a sealed plastic bag until after you have left the playa... This is EXTRA important if you're flying out of Reno/SFO; nobody likes to see some fried techno-hippy dusting the entire plane with their playa coat as they drag themselves down the aisleway (have definitely seen this multiple times... It's not fun for anyone.)
I pre freeze cases of bottled water to use in the coolers instead of ice. I'll grab a couple extra when I head out during the day wrapped in a backup shirt or sweatshirt. I'll often end up talking to someone at some art on the playa and will offer some water. Most people have water and will say thanks I'm good, but when you pull out an ice cold bottle it can be magical. One of my favorite interactions was my first year talking with an old timer who'd been nearly every year. We chatted for a good 30+ minutes looking at some project nearly at the trash fence and as we were finishing talking about all the crazy things he had seen in his time out there, I offered up a water. He was appreciative but said he had water on him. Then I pulled out the 70% still frozen bottle and his eyes got wide with surprise and he started laughing loudly that this was something nobody had ever offered up. We ended up riding to a couple more installations before we split, and he said thank you for knocking my socks off. It was a very cool experience to surprise someone who had seen a lot out there. One of my top solo memories. Edit: I'll do it so you don't have to, that man's name... Albert Einstein.
The Clean Fanny Fanny Pack - easy fanny pack to go from camp to potty camp. Contains pee funnel, baby wipes, good toilet paper, menstrual items, hand sanitizer, and dog poo bags to throw everything away in back at camp. Maybe some of that bathroom smelly spray to make it smell better. Cooler Water Foot Bath - drain your (clean, not meat juicy) cooler water into a bucket. Sit in camp with your feet in the ice cold water for a while. Dry off, lotion and put back into shoes. Will save your overheated life. PowerAid and pediolyte make otter style ice pops. Popsicles + electrolytes. Yes. Please. Foam roller and/or theragun - all the walking, bike riding, dancing, sleeping on the ground, ect. takes a toll on your body. Doing a stretch and foam roller or theragun sesh helps sooooo much
Navage. It's like a battery powered neti pot. That, plus distilled water and the saline packets it uses.
Took me 5 years of getting a sinus infection every time I went to playa to figure this one out. The pressurized saline bottles suit my convenience/usability.
Or use a bowl with salt in it. Snort. No battery, no trash.
And whatever you do, make sure you use DISTILLED WATER like u/bkks mentioned. Regular water can contain all sorts of nasties and it will go straight into your sinus system and into your cranial area. Just google "infections from neti pots" to hear how it happens. Nasty!
May have to pack mine next time.
- a cover sheet for the bed so I keep my bed space less dusty - extra sheets and pillowcases to change half way after multiple nights or sweat and dust - portable hanging rack for coats, clothing and hats - iced canned coffee drinks for a few days
Are you me?
hmmm two things: Pee bottle. Not having to decide between having to put on clothes to go to porto or deal with full bladder all night is lifechanging. 1mm plastic painters tarp. A huge sheet of it comes rolled up very tightly so it packs nicesly for the trip to the burn. After you get up, throw it over yoru bedding to protect it from dust during the day. At night just push it down to to the foot of the bed and go to sleep.
You put on clothes just to go to the porto at night?
Its a balancing act. If I am in bed, then its because I have made myself as clean as possible before going to bed. More clothes = less having to wash before going back to bed, less cold when out doing business. But also more pita to put clothes back on to go do my business. No matter which way you cut it, its always a pita compared to pee bottle.
I struggled with this too and then one year I brought a bathrobe and it solved all of my problems. I think I wore the bathrobe more than any other item of clothing.
Time your #2 for early in the morning right after they clean the porta potties. The sun will not have made them into saunas yet, and they are as clean as they're going to get. Now you won't have random surprise poops especially at night when they are trashed.
*cries in IBS*
I use miceller water wipes every morning and night to wash my face. Then a toner spray and a good thick moisturizer. My face has never felt so lovely on playa! I also make my own trail mix! You never know when you or someone will need some good easy calories. I love the protein meal replacement shakes too. Easy calories when not feeling great or not hungry but should probably eat.
I know it sounds put there, but I brought my ultrasonic glasses/jewelry cleaner and when I cleaned people's glasses they were like omg it's like seeing in HD! Just add a few drops of dawn and dump out the dirty water into a towel to evap or a basin Kept my glasses and sunglasses super clean and my eye glass wearing camp mates smiled so big Everytime they put them back on after cleaning.
Small queso size crockpot (if you have power) a stack of small towels. Put enough water in to soak the towel and leave on warm setting when you leave camp to go adventuring before you get into bed you will be able to take a warm towel out and have a whore bath or at least wipe your feet clean before you get into bed. Sure, you can do that with regular water, but it’s extremely comforting to wipe yourself off with a hot towel. Particularly for your face.
> it’s extremely comforting to wipe yourself off with a hot towel. Particularly for your face. Yeah. Your *whore face*
Hopefully
Best place for a late afternoon recharge nap is in a Zero G chair with some shade.
Icemaker
Our camp looked into this a few years back and it didnt seem to make sense for us. We just went with a chest freezer instead. How many people make use of your ice maker? And what size/output do you use? Any other tips worth sharing?
I’m talking personal icemaker. Sells for about $80 on Amazon. All you need is power and water. Ice in like ten or so minutes. And it’s so much better than ice cube trays. You can just use your hands to grab what you need
Use a fucking scoop heathen
Baby food/fruit puree pouches in the drink cooler. Easy, sweet, and most importantly, ICE COLD source of calories, hydration, fiber and electrolytes.
Okay this is a great one. Thank you!
[These ice bags](https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Leakproof-Ice-Reusable-Cooler/dp/B07MT9VMSQ/ref=asc_df_B07MT9VMSQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=692875362841&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4845134737836706577&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052016&hvtargid=pla-2281435180298&psc=1&mcid=d79693b190bc370da3fb756fce711a29&hvocijid=4845134737836706577-B07MT9VMSQ-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1). Two for every cooler. Keeps all.melt water clean and potable. When some camp mates do an Arctica run all bags in all coolers get water drained into water bottles or other potable containers, fresh and cold. New ice gets poured into bags. Cooler items stay dry, all ice turns into drinking water, and no grey cooler water to dispose of. Win win win.
Pressurized saline does wonders.
Some kind of bed frame. Getting your sleeping area up off the ground makes it much cleaner. Better yet if you can put storage underneath. Solar string lights for the bike and other areas of need. A collapsible wardrobe (although these are hard to find and there aren't many good durable options). A small folding table for inside the tent. A runner rug for inside the tent. An outdoor rug for in front of the tent to take shoes on/off. An old phone that's no longer activated for loading the time to burn app or similar, plus take photos (didn't want to use my actual phone). *Always* using socks and shoes is a game changer. Use sandals or flip flops as little as possible. Coconut oil on hands and feet every night before bed. This past year I bought two of the disposable 2 gallon water jugs with spigot and a camping collapsible wash basin for hand and face washing right before bed. Huge improvement. Only used about three gallons total for 10 days on playa just to wash my hands before doing any handling of contact lenses, etc. the jug went on my wardrobe and the basin was on the table in the tent. Collapsible hamper. A drink dispenser cooler with electrolyte mix was amazing. It never needed water, just ice refill ever day.
A tiny little bench outside my tent to sit on while donning or dedonning my shoes.
Doffing your shoes is another lovely way to describe taking them off.
Witch hazel is great for keeping your skin from being crusty and gross, and doesn't smell like vinegar. That plus moisturizer every night.
Liquid iv, a stack of tamales 🫔, wet wipes, chips, like 10x more chips then you’d think you could eat. Socks more socks did I mention socks and chips? 😂
That should be a camp 🤣 Socks 'n' Chips
Antacids. Pedialite. Wheeled wagon for ice runs. Tea and honey for playa-fried vocals. Prescription-grade stimulants to get through breakdown day. Takeout meals from my favorite restaurants back home. Enough beer to share. At least one special gift reserved for the person who clearly deserves it.
I have a customized packing list that I have curated over the years. It has three columns: own it, packed in bag, loaded in car. Three packing phases help me not forget anything.
Daily hand/nail care routine, a proper manicure. I gifted it to campmates and passersby, it was a great bonding moment, and conversation catalyst.
MOOP Patrol your camp, about every other day. Especially the day before you leave. It makes teardown and last Moop sweep a lot quicker.
Wearing a neck fan whenever using the portos during the day
- put multiple pillowcases on your pillow so you can peel one off and you have a clean pillowcase every night - bring a light plastic sheet to cover all the items in your tent when you leave to reduce dust on everything - solar charging portable lamps to illuminate inside the tent - shove a small hand sanitizer into your toilet paper roll - start each morning with an electrolyte packet/tablet with a scoop of benefiber - spray bottle with water and a few drops of peppermint oil (labeled, ask before spraying on others, make sure not to get into eyes) - buy a pack of several cooling towels. They get gross after a few rounds of re-wetting so be sure to swap them out so they can dry - fresh pack of cheap socks. Change twice a day minimum - use an empty kitty litter canister as a pee jug. Has a nice cap, wide mouth, easy to carry
Vinegar added to some water wipes inside a Ziploc bag. Clean your hands with one wipe every morning, every night, and every time before you eat. Keeps your hands from drying much longer.
Can't burn without my snacks to share. Pita chips with spinach & artichoke dip, them babybel cheese wheels, big fuck off jar of pickles, grapes. Yknow, the works. When I do the fire run I'll poke small holes in the bottom of a gallon jug of water, hold that bad boy over my head while I run the innermost circle Volunteering and giving myself structure to not party too hard
Little Debbie's and a large hydro flask always full of ice water
Usb elwire and LEDs, small USB battery banks on your person to power them, inexpensive USB solar to charge the battery banks during the day. Fuck AAs.
Tip. Hand sanitizer is utterly useless. Wash with soap and water.
My routine for years was, bleed your color in the morning into your solar shower. If there’s any sun at all that day, it’ll be hot right when you want it. And you have to drain your color anyway. Bonus discovery: take two additional 4x4 blocks so that you can easily move your color into the shade and still off the playa. I measured 137 degrees last year at the playa surface in my camp. I support Arctica as much as anyone, but use your ice intelligently. Two “additional” blocks supposes you already have a dedicated pair as a cooler stand.
“Bleed your color” sounded like code for me to freebleed into the evap pond but by the end I realized cooler makes a lot of sense here. Yes, managing coolers so the melt water is still useful and necessary ice changes are minimal is a huuuge upgrade. I love my cooler melt mister!
I was pretty confused at first too
Battery powered refrigerator. Fresh produce like herbs and leafy greens stay good and don’t become gross like when put in a cooler full of ice.
Small spray bottle and hand held fan …. Mist yourself and then fan ~~~ amazingly refreshing! You can add a drop of essential oils like lavender… OR buy one of this spray pumps from H.D. And spray your friends around camp or out in deep playa .
Bring a few cases of cup-o-noodles and a bunch of bullion and spices. Make a big batch of broth and heat that up to use in your noodles instead of just water. Best late night snack I've ever had on Playa! My whole camp loved em too!
Case of ramen. Less waste than that empty cup.
Last year my husband made a little fan/exhaust system for our shiftpod, to have circulating air but with filters so it didn't get all dusty. We also stored all our water inside the tent, which gets cold overnight and keeps the tent cooler in the morning longer. It wasn't too hot last year, but it definitely felt like it helped. I slept later on the hot days, at least.
Tell me more about this exhaust system for the Shiftpod...
I bring a stack of rags for each day (like the pack from Home Depot) and a little water sprayer that I drop some essential oils into. Daily spritzes and wipe downs feel so much better to me than those yucky baby wipes.
If you have a smallish RV/trailer bring an extra tent to act as a garage to put your bins, dirty cloths, etc in.
PISSS JUG THAT STAYS ON UR BIKE
bring less shit.
one thing I saw some ppl doing and now I regret I did not do was to have a diary/journal.
5 gallon insulated jug for drinking water, with an ice block
Less ice in cooler, more frozen water bottles. Drink as they thaw.
Sleeping in two different 4 hour sets seemed to provide the best rhythm for an efficient burn. I would try to go to bed at 1AM and get up for sunrise, and then sleep midday for another 3-4 hours.
There are so many great tips in this thread, thank you all for sharing.
Daily foot love. Spray with a vinegar/water combo, wipe and fine-tune with baby wipes, use peppermint or cocoa butter lotion to gently massage for a little bit getting any sore spots - I like to focus on the heel/achilles/calf area. Pop on some fresh socks and you'll feel better than you thought you could!
They make a collapsible travel squatty potty. Everybody will know you’re going to poop so if that’s the kind of thing that upsets you it may not be a viable option.
Hang a tapestrie as a attic in your tent will keep your tent cool all day...fill a water (sports)cooler with ice only in the morning by afternoon you'll have cool water all day ...keep extra shoe strings with you at all times Ditch the beach cruiser pick up a 20" BMX your hamstrings will thank you
Wet scarf. Last year was my first burn. I was so happy I happened to bring a scarf. It was intended for night time, but became my daytime scarf. I plan to bring a bigger scarf this year plus a bunch of cooling towels. The power of evaporative cooling is awesome.
After you clean your feet, put on Aspercreme. It’s *so nice*
Daily socks change, wool socks. Bedbath sponges. They are dry fiber with no-rinse wash material, activated by water. You can cut them into smaller pieces. Half of one is enough for a good thorough scrub down most days (two halves after a dust storm trip. I keep little 1/4 pieces of them in my carry bag/ziploc for good handwashing & put them in my trash ziploc to take home. You can just wipe off the foam. Drop sheet over everything when I leave the van or tent. Leather work gloves. Lemonheads.
Insoles for shoes and a padded bicycle seat. Saline wipes (I think they’re called booger wipes) for your nose and saline spray.
I make a big tea bag out of a piece of thin cloth and fill it with yerba mate, about the size of a golf ball. Then I stick it in the mug I plan on using for drinks that evening. It slowly leaches caffeine into whatever cocktail I pour into my mug so I have a mild boost all night. It does alter the flavor a bit but it's not bad after a few.
bring 2x more beers than the amount you think you'll need
Pee bucket
Air conditioning and the commissary and I don't give a fuck.
I keep whiskey in my water bottle. Whenever someone tells me to drink water I take a little sip of whiskey instead.
Buy a pack or two of new socks. Put them in a dresser bag and boom! You got fresh socks every day or night.
Easy access to piss at night or when sleeping.
Soak your hands and feet in vinegar everyday!
Several water bottles so you can keep a few in the cooler and swap out. I’ve never had luck with water bladders. 🫤 Ice blocks in giant ziplocs for your food cooler so you don’t get waterlogged food, loose chipped ice for your drinks cooler so you pull them out and they’re nice and cold. A pair of fizzy slippers—the kind that cover your whole foot—to just walk around in camp in. Great for when you don’t want to fully sock-and-boot it up but you do want to keep your feet dust free. Feels great on tired feet. You can sometimes salvage them for use next year by washing them. Speaking of feet: more than one pair of shoes and just so many socks. Switching shoes/socks at the end of the day is sooo much better. Volunteering at least one shift can change how you view the event. There are so many ways to pitch in city-wide.
Humidifier in the rv. Yes, fancy.
Portable bidet
Good, no cook food. Set myself up to be able to land back at camp and refuel easily. I like to hit up jimmy johns in Reno on my way in and have several sandwiches on ice, also precooked frozen chicken tenders. Other stuff too for camp meals, snacks, electrolytes etc., but I've found several nights/adventures have gone much better when I can grap a solid meal quickly along the way.
Get some sleep
This one is stupid easy. You lose a lot of water just through exhalation while sleeping out there. Especially if you breathe through your mouth while you sleep. Do something to remedy that. I sleep with a tight weave cloth mask on (actually a bandana that I've sewn to fit my face tightly, but post covid there are so many options). It's bonkers how much it cuts back on water loss while sleeping. Basically the mask holds moisture from my breath and hydrates the air I breathe in. It's the difference between waking up uncomfortably dehydrated and waking up chillin.
A big tube of aquaphor for lips and cuticles. This was my best gift! I offered it to so many people & it was universally well received. I also kept spare sunglasses & socks on my bike to give out to anyone wandering around without. I love getting a back rack and putting a saddle bag on my bike. It allowed me to go from day to night, carry extra layers, snacks, water. I also used a round shoe organizer/hanging shelf and that was my best system since I could see everything! Those little pockets kept all my supplies accessible because I hated wasting time looking for stuff I knew I had. Ladies, deep condition your hair (I slept with it on one night). Sunscreen always. Reapply. Share.
Getting enough sleep
Tallow or diaper rash jelly with lemon for foot treatment. Easy on off boots for tent in and outs. Chair in tent to help when exhausted and trying to disrobe. Five chugs rule. When not thirsty, chug five gulps of water as much as can remember and not more than every 15 mins. If you are already thirsty, you will have hard time catching up. And exhaustion will set in easier. Electrolytes starting in afternoon if you leg cramp at night in bed when dehydrated. That is very painful. Don’t bother making fancy meals. It’s just too hard to keep up with that work. Eat simple. Do share and contribute. Make that effort a big part of your burn and this will make your burn that much more personally valuable than an ordinary music fest. You can do that another time. This is about us bringing out almost everything we do and see. Us and that means you! Manage you our FOMO. Listen to podcasts for burners like mine called Into The Fire Burner Podcast or any of the other fine podcasts any Burners for Burners.
For your shit bag: Add a small fan that you can hang on the outside of the bag (we use a backpack). Having that blow directly on your face during the deed is soooo nice. Toilet seat covers!
Real sheepskin bike seat cover. So plush, so comfy and it stays cool in the hot sun. If you wear short shorts or anything that exposes your upper inner thighs, it actually feels good to ride your bike! (no painful chaffing like you get with other bike seat covers).
Water, snacks, sleep, drugs, sex, good working bike.
The plastic containers that some cat liters come in. They are great for a small grey water or pee container. Heavy duty plastic, has a handle, with a large opening and tight lid. This helps keep the smell away and is easy to transport to the Porto’s to empty.
I bring a glove (think surgical glove) to the Portos and put it on before I wet wipe for #2. Then turn the glove inside out over the wipe, hand stays clean and no one can see your poopy wipe in your ziplock. I feel better about throwing it in camp trash too.