A first-burn kit, by price

People ask what a first burn costs and get a blog that added up whatever the cart showed that morning. We are not going to do that. The ranges below are the lines already on these pages. They say "often." They are not today's price, and they are not a total. The buy order is which thing to open first. The complete packing list is the inventory. This page is the money, shelf by shelf.

We are an independent outfitter. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Burning Man Project. The event name is used so you know which week this gear is for.

How to read a range

If a line says "often about $35," that is the band we were willing to write down for that listing. The button still opens the current page, and the current page can have moved. If two products share a shelf, that means their published ranges sit near each other. It does not mean you should buy both, and it does not mean the cheaper one does the job.

The shelf at about $50 and under

These are the lines whose ranges, as written on the product pages, stay at about $50 or under. Buy the ones that answer a failure. Leave the rest.

• Pyramex G204 goggles. Often about $8. Vents capped. Bring two.
• 3M Aura respirators. A box is often $20–35. A shemagh is not this.
• Scott 1-ply. Often about $9. The roll in the basket is the roll you have.
• POYEE Aluminet, 10 by 15. Often about $35. Open knit. It is not a roof by itself.
• 12-inch lag bolts. Often about $35. One at every foot. They are not the short stakes in the tent bag.
• Black Diamond Spot 350. Often about $43. A red mode for camp.
• Black Diamond Moji R+. Often about $50. A camp lantern, not a bike light.
• Eneloop AAs. Often about $24. Charge them before the gate.
• Mack's foam earplugs. A 50-pair jar is often $15–25.

Lip balm is a couple of sticks, often under $15. A mineral sunscreen stick is often $12–20. White vinegar is a two-pack of gallons, often $15–30. None of those replace the goggles.

The middle of the list

This is the shelf where a week starts to look like a camp, and where skipping a line is how Thursday goes wrong. The ranges are still the ones on the pages.

• Reliance Aqua-Tainer, two 7-gallon jugs. Often about $54. Fourteen gallons is a start for one person's drinking water, not a camp's washing.
• Kelty Cosmic Synthetic 40. Often about $65. The maker rates the regular at 40°F. That is their number.
• Coleman 70-quart cooler. Often about $60–90. Shade and a shut lid are part of the product.
• Cygolite front and rear set. Often about $86. A beam on the ground and a red flash behind you.
• Kryptonite Evolution U-lock. Often about $110. Through the frame, including outside camp.
• Anker 20,000 mAh bank. Often $40–70. Phones and small lights. Not a fan for the afternoon.
• TETON Outfitter XXL cot. Often $100–160. It packs long. Measure the car.
• Jetboil. Often about $110–150, fuel extra. Outside the tent.
• CamelBak M.U.L.E.. Often about $136, reservoir included on the listing we opened.

The frame and the station

These are the purchases that change the week. They are also the ones people try to replace with a cheaper object that does not do the job. A slant-leg pop-up is not a straight-leg frame. A bigger phone bank is not a station.

• Impact Canopy 10 by 10. Often about $250. Straight-leg steel. The solid top that comes in the bag stays in the car.
• Jackery Explorer 300. Often about $200–300. Our note describes it as about 300 watt-hours and about 300 watts. Read the listing you open.
• A full-fly tent is a search, because the model rotates. A tent you trust is often $150–400. The shade still goes over it.
• EcoFlow WAVE 3. The unit is often around $1,000. The add-on battery is separate. The 300 watt-hour station cannot run it.

What we would actually open first

Goggles and a respirator, from the small shelf. Jugs, from the middle. Then either a clear yes from camp on shade, or the frame, the knit, and the lags. Lights and a lock before a costume. A bag for a cold night before a second outfit. The station if you need a fan and a laptop, not because a box looks serious. Ask camp what they already cover before you buy a second shade.

The city's Survival Guide is the must-bring list. If their page and this page disagree, pack to their page. The watt-hour arithmetic is camp power. The cooler, without a fake ice price, is cooler and ice. The piece-by-piece cart is the camp cart.