The hardest part about Burning Man is packing for it. Take a look inside my 91-item list.

Burning Man is a magical experience, but it requires a lot of preparation and supplies.Peter CohenBurning Man is a magical week in the desert, but it can also include extreme weather.You need to pack and prep for every possibility when you're living in its famous Black Rock City.Take a look inside my Burning Man packing list.Burning Man isn't easy.Amid the incredible music, beautiful artwork, and legendary parties, there's also wild dust storms, extreme heat, and endless biking.But after attending my first Burn, I was surprised to find that the toughest part about the entire week was… packing for it.From the goggles on your head to the socks on your feet, surviving and thriving in Black Rock City is a head-to-toe effort that requires a lot of supplies and pre-planning.Here's a look inside my 91-item Burning Man packing list.Burning Man is full of fun and playful fashion.Julian Walter PhotographyPeople tend to associate Burning Man fashion with either "Mad Max" cosplay or models in crystal-covered bodysuits and six-inch platforms, but that's not the norm.One of the 10 principles of Burning Man is radical self-expression, and what better way to express yourself than through your style? The key, though, is making sure you can bike all night in whatever you wear.I packed all my clothes in a heavy-duty moving bag (easier to squeeze into an RV with four other people than a suitcase), and organized each outfit in its own Ziploc bag to protect from any lingering dust outside. Here's what I packed:Fun jackets for cold nights — I lived in my faux fur coatsAn outfit for Burning Man's famous Wednesday white party. My camp leaders got married on this day, so our entire camp was in white for their Burning Man wedding!Fun tops, shorts, skirts, and dresses, but nothing with loose feathers, glitter, or sequins — anything that can litter the playa is known as "MOOP" and is looked down on by BurnersBoots you can ride a bike in all night — I brought one colorful, funky pair and one classic black pair (neither survived the week)Bodysuits and swimsuits, which are great to throw on for hot days and easy to dress up with accessories.Sunglasses for both fashion and eye protectionJewelry, robes, belts, and other accessories for extra flairYou also need clothes and accessories that will keep you safe and comfortable in the desert.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderGoggles with foam so the dust can't get inA sweatshirt for sleeping on cold nightsLoose and comfortable loungewear or PJs to sleep inSlider sandals for walking to the Porta PottiesMany, many pairs of socks. We'd wear these even with our sandals to protect ourselves from the alkaline dust — no one wants Playa Foot!Underwear, specifically cotton for the heatSneakers for helping set up or tear down campA clean set of clothes for the long ride home, protected from the dust in its own Ziploc bagYou might have noticed I didn't bring any rain gear, which was a big mistake when the infamous Burning Man mudstorm hit in 2023. Next time, I'll throw in a rain jacket and waterproof shoes. Walking to the bathroom with my feet covered in garbage bags is an experience I'd rather not repeat.It takes a small army of toiletries to keep you feeling clean.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMost people don't shower during their Burning Man experience. You have to bring all your water to Black Rock City, and you can't spill any used for cooking, cleaning, or bathing (known as "Gray Water" in Burner lingo) onto the playa. So, a stocked bag of toiletries is essential for staying clean.Baby wipes or body wipes (this brand I found on Amazon has been my go-to for any camping festival)Face wipesWitch Hazel, which helps neutralize the alkaline in the dust while cleansing the skinLotion and/or moisturizing creamFoot cream to help prevent the skin from crackingRazors and shaving creamToothbrush and toothpasteAnd you'll want to be stocked with the essential ointments and medicine.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderI had a second toiletry bag dedicated to items that would protect me from the sun, dust, and Porta Potty germs. It included:A first aid kitSunscreen and aloe veraMany, many tubes of Chapstick with sunscreenMedicated lip ointment, tissues, eye dropsCuticle cream (that alkaline dust can also crack your cuticles)Nasal saline spray to rinse out the dust in your nose every dayHand sanitizer for the Porta Potties — there are no provided sinks or soaps at Burning ManCBD cream and Icy Hot patches for muscles sore from bikingMedicine kit with Advil or Tylenol, cough drops, throat spray, Tums, and Pepto Bismol (the 30-and-up crowd knows why)You also need to pack your own food.An Iranian dinner served by YOUniversal Teahouse at Burning Man.Courtesy of YOUniversal TeahouseOne of Burning Man's 10 principles is gifting, and many camps choose to make their gift food and drinks. The only items you can buy at Black Rock City are ice or coffee.There are camps whipping up delicious buffets, serving miso and sake at sunrise, or handing out hot dogs after chasing you in their ketchup and mustard costumes.But you never know what's going to happen at Burning Man. When the storm hit in 2023, we were stuck in our camp for three days because the mud was too thick to bike through. When you're in the middle of the desert, you want to have backup food. This is what my RV packed:At least 1-1.5 gallons of water a day per personGatorade or electrolyte packetsPre-packaged dehydrated meals that just need hot water (we loved the options from Mountain House)Ramen, canned chili, soupsIced coffee and/or energy drinksShelf-stable snacks like chips, trail mix, crackers, jerky, protein bars, and dried fruitSweets and candyBeer, liquor, bottles of prosecco to pop at sunrise on a dance floorYou'll spend most of your time at Burning Man on your bike, so you need the proper gear.Arriving back to camp at sunrise.Peter CohenBlack Rock City measures 3,879 acres and holds nearly 100,000 people during Burning Man. Not only are you riding your bike daily for hours on end, but you also have to park it whenever you visit a different camp — usually among hundreds of other bikes. (It's much harder than finding your car at the mall.)It's crucial to pack a bike that's comfortable but also distinctive, meaning it should be decorated with lights, streamers, and totems.Here's what I packed for my daily rides:A bike with a seat, cushion, and lockA CamelBak or reusable water bottle to keep me hydratedA backpack and a fanny pack to store suppliesA reusable cup and collapsible silverware for eating and drinking gifts from other campsDust mask and a pashmina or bandanas for WhiteoutsBattery-operated lights to wear and put on my bike at night to help avoid crashesAn LED headlamp for biking at nightExtra batteries (someone's lights are always dying in the middle of the night)A mini flashlight for the toilets — a pitch-black Porta Potty is a scary placeExtra toilet paper (1-ply to be Porta Potty safe)But you still need to make camp a comfortable place to relax and rest your head.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderThere are a variety of ways to camp at Burning Man, from canvas tents and Shiftpods to cars and RVs. There have also been luxury "plug-and-play" camps, where everything is set up for you at a hefty price, but Burning Man Project is trying to make those a "thing of the past," according to its website.My friends and I opted for an RV, where we eventually had eight people sleeping after the storm hit and flooded three of our friends' tents. Here's what we had packed:Sheets, pillows, and blankets for the RV's beds and couchesSleep masks and foam earplugsA hanging shoe organizer and storage binsCoolers for drinks and food that won't fit in the fridgeReusable cups, plates, and silverware for the kitchen (collapsible items help save space)A whiteboard and dry-erase markers to hang outside the RV. Since we didn't have cell service, this is how we coordinated meet-ups with friends.And you have to keep your campsite protected from the elements.Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderMost Burners who rent RVs know that the likelihood of getting their security deposit back is slim to none, even after paying the hefty Burning Man fee that most rental places charge.But we still packed items to help protect and clean the RV, including:A canvas cloth to cover the RV floor from any outside dustMylar film to cover the windows and keep heat out of the RVGarbage bags, paper towels, cleaning spray, and soap for cleaningExtra gas and a spare tire in case of any road emergenciesBungee cords to help secure our bikes on the rack while driving to Black Rock City (any nicks or scratches are coming right out of that security deposit)Last but not least…Anneta Konstantinides/Business InsiderOne of the most beautiful parts of Burning Man is Temple. The wooden structure acts as a sacred place for Burners to hang photos, letters, and other mementos they've brought from home.These items could be from a lost loved one, a pet who died, a relationship that has come to an end — whatever they need. At the end of the week, Temple is burned to the ground, giving people a chance for closure or cathartic release.It's a beautiful and essential part of the Burning Man tradition — it might just be the hardest thing to pack.Read the original article on Business Insider

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