What not to bring to Burning Man

The useful packing list has a second column. Their what to pack, and what to leave at home page is that column. We are not going to reprint it. Rules change, and a copied list goes stale. This note is the decision we use before we open their page, and then we follow the page.

Three questions cover most of the mistakes. Will it shed? Will the wind take it? Will you pack it out when you are tired, dusty, and trying to make exodus? If the answer to any of those is no, it stays home. The first-timer packing list is what survives those questions.

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.

Things that shed

A costume that looks finished in a bedroom can come apart in the wind. Their precycle page names the pieces, including glitter, which they do not allow in the city. Feathers, sequins, beads, and anything glued on belong on that page, not in a paraphrase here. What to wear is the outfit that still works after you take those pieces off. Burning Man MOOP and leave no trace is the sweep for the bits that escape anyway.

Things the wind takes

Paper plates, loose cardboard, a napkin on the kitchen table, a plastic bag that was 'just for a minute.' Their leave-no-trace tips say not to leave those where the wind can bury them. We unbox new gear at home so the plastic wrap and the peanuts never see the playa. Zip ties get their tails cut flush and pocketed. A tail on the ground is the same problem as a feather.

Things you will not carry home

The extra costume, the maybe bin, the glass you meant to be careful with. Their what-to-pack page is also where gray water, fuel storage, and the rest of the leave-at-home lines live. Read it before you load the car. Contractor bags are for what you do bring and then have to haul. A magnetic sweeper finds the metal. A small dry bag is for the phone and the meds, which are the opposite of this list: they come, and they stay with you.

Wipes are trash. They come home. What may go in a porta-potty is on those same leave-no-trace tips, and we are not going to paraphrase it. Used wipes in a burn barrel are the wrong ending.

The other half of the list

Leaving things home only helps if the car still has water, goggles, lights, and a way to sleep. That order is the what to buy first for Burning Man, and the longer version is the complete Burning Man packing list. After the week, how to clean playa dust off gear is the job that starts once the hex is already clean. Vinegar is for that film. It is not a reason to bring more stuff.