Pyramex
Pyramex G204 splash goggles
Splash goggles with the vents capped, so dust stays out of the lens.
Often about $8
Opens in a new tab.Burning Man dust mask and goggles
Mesh looks breathable in the store. It fills with dust. A scarf is for sun. A whiteout wants a respirator.
5 min read
Sits beside Playa foot care for first timers/Dust kit for Burning Man/Dust goggles, masks, and vinegar
Shop the dust kit. Each piece is its own listing. We don't ship a kit as one box.
Playa dust isn't campground dirt. It's closer to flour, and it's alkaline. It cakes on sweat, scratches lenses, packs zippers, and a breeze you wouldn't think twice about will put it in your eyes. In a whiteout you can lose the person next to you. That's why the goggles and the respirator go on before you need them.
Eyes
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Read the note
Buy goggles that seal. Chemical splash goggles with capped vents are the honest hardware-store answer. Fashion goggles with a row of open holes become a scoop. Bring a second pair in a zip bag. Anti-fog is a losing battle you fight anyway; the spare pair is the actual plan when the first lens is a mess.
Lungs
A cotton shemagh is excellent for sun and for an ordinary dusty afternoon. When you can't see the person next to you, switch to a particulate respirator and put it on before you have been breathing dust for half an hour. They clog. That means they are doing the job. A beard will break the seal. This is dust protection. Follow the maker's instructions, and the fit is your responsibility.
In a whiteout
- Capped splash
- The seal we pack. They fog.
- Vented ski or moto
- Fine if foam covers the vents. Open holes fill.
- Costume goggles
- A look. Dust comes through the gaps.
At noon
- Capped splash
- Wear them when the wind gets up, not as sunglasses.
- Vented ski or moto
- A tinted lens is pleasant until the vent fails.
- Costume goggles
- Pretty, and not a plan.
What we buy
- Capped splash
- Two pairs. One on you, one in a zip bag.
- Vented ski or moto
- Only if you will tape or foam the vents.
- Costume goggles
- Not for this job.
| What changes | Capped splash | Vented ski or moto | Costume goggles |
|---|---|---|---|
| In a whiteout | The seal we pack. They fog. | Fine if foam covers the vents. Open holes fill. | A look. Dust comes through the gaps. |
| At noon | Wear them when the wind gets up, not as sunglasses. | A tinted lens is pleasant until the vent fails. | Pretty, and not a plan. |
| What we buy | Two pairs. One on you, one in a zip bag. | Only if you will tape or foam the vents. | Not for this job. |
Getting it off
Water smears alkaline dust into a paste. White vinegar in a spray bottle cuts it on skin, bikes, bins, and car panels. Rinse sinuses with a proper saline kit and clean water. Do it at the end of the day. You'll feel the difference on the drive home. Lubricant eye drops live in the day bag for the grit that got past the seal. A saline spray is the version you can use without setting up the rinse kit. The kit is still the wash at camp.
The gear
A small HEINPRO blower is how the flour leaves a sleeping bag, a bin, and the floor of the car. The one we use takes a DeWalt 20V pack. The same blower is sold for Makita, Milwaukee, and Ryobi. If you already own the tools, buy the blower alone. If you do not, a compatible battery and charger is cheaper than the name-brand pack and it runs the blower. Blow downwind. Goggles on. Not into the tent next door.
Feet, socks, and the vinegar tub at dusk are the slower part of the same dust. That page is feet, skin, and the dust you wear all day. Once the week is over, getting the playa off the gear is a different job from the mask. The hours of sun, when the goggles are on your neck, are sun protection for the walk.
Dust
Saline sinus rinse
A saline rinse for the dust that already got in.
A kit is often under $20
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HEINPRO
HEINPRO handheld blower
The little yellow-and-black blower. Long nozzle, three tips, battery not in the box.
Buy this early
Often about $35–50, tool only.
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Dust
Tool battery and charger
The cheaper pack that runs the blower if you do not already own the tools.
Buy this early
Often less than a name-brand tool battery.
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Refresh
Refresh Tears lubricant eye drops
Lubricant drops for eyes the dust has dried out.
Often about $15
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ARM & HAMMER
Simply Saline daily care spray
A saline spray you can use without setting up the rinse kit.
Often about $8
Opens in a new tab.Questions
- What goggles work in playa dust?
- Goggles that seal. Chemical splash goggles with the vents capped keep dust out of the lens. Open vents become a scoop. Bring a second pair in a zip bag. They fog. That is the trade for a seal. Ski or motorcycle goggles can work if the vents are covered with foam. Costume and rhinestone goggles are a look, not a whiteout plan.
- Is a bandana enough for Burning Man dust?
- A cotton shemagh is good for sun and an ordinary dusty afternoon. When you cannot see the person next to you, use a particulate respirator and put it on before you have been breathing dust. They clog. That means they are working. A beard breaks the seal. Follow the maker's instructions.
- Do I need two pairs of goggles?
- Yes. One pair lives on you. The spare stays in a zip bag so a scratched or dust-packed lens does not end the night. A clear pair matters after dark. A tinted costume lens does not.
Shop the kit
A kit is the shopping list for one job. Each piece is its own listing. We don't ship it as one box.
