No one wants to spend time at Burning Man re-organizing and searching through their stuff. That’s why I recommend getting two Camelbaks, one for day and one for night. Then the switch from day to night is as simple as switching backpacks.

Protect your eyes from sun and dust.  As with all essential items, get at least 2, because you’re bound to lose things at Burning Man.

Cover that beautiful face of yours from the constant sun.

Get yourself some Sunscreen if you're the type to burn at Burning Man

You need these to see at night.  The great thing about the Energizer headlamps is their low-intensity “red-mode”, which allows you to look at people without blinding them. Bring lots of AAA batteries for these and any other electronics.

Sun Goggles are fine during the day, but get clear ones for the night time.

Sew this amazing glowy wire into your night bag so you can be seen at night.  This is a matter of safety as well as fun.  This el-wire has 3 modes (solid, slow blink, and crazy fast blink) so you can signal that you’re rave-ready at the drop of a dime. You can sew it into your clothes or backpack. Make sure to get plenty of AA batteries, you'll need them.

 Come prepared for dust storms so your lungs don’t suffer.

You don’t want to be wearing sneakers if it rains or you inevitably have to walk across deep playa.

You need some stuff on you day and night. If it's not in one of your Camelbaks, you can clip it to your waist with a Caribiner.

Chapped lips are a commonly overlooked risk of the Playa. Clip these chapstick leashes to your waist to avoid reaching into your bag every time your lips need moisture.

Wherever you go at Burning Man, you want to have a cup on hand for collecting food and drink.  I loved having a Clip Cup on the Playa.  It sat snugly in my pocket so it was always within reach, and didn’t bounce around as I moved.

There are lots of options for sleeping quarters, but let’s assume that like most Burners you’re getting a Tent. Get at least a 4-Person Tent,  even if it’s just you in there, so you have breathing room and space to store your stuff.

Consider getting a 6-Person Tent if you can, because they’re large enough that you can stand up straight inside of them.  That extra convenience matters a lot when you’re going in and out of your tent several times a day.  Above all, make sure that your chosen tent can keep the dust out.

You can jump right into bed with these sleep cocoons. There’s no mess with blankets to worry about, they’re comfortable, and they’re cheap.

Because the Playa is too hard to sleep directly on top of.

Packs small but expands big and comfy. Packs small but expands big and comfy. 

I swear by these things.  Don’t settle for cheaper earplugs that can’t handle the intense late night noise.

The alkaline dust of the Playa will get everywhere, but most irritatingly it will get on your hands and feet.  Bring some heavy duty Bag Balm Lotion to avoid cracked Playa hands.

Let’s be honest, you’re probably not going to shower much, if at all, at Burning Man.  Wet Wipes are good for cleaning yourself or any other dusty surface

Get a convenient travel pack of toiletries to help you pack lighter.  They come customized for either women or men.

Bring safe sex items like condoms and lube. Also, this wouldn’t be GlowyStuff.com if we didn’t mention the existence of glowy condoms.

1.5 Gallons of H2O per day is a good rule of thumb for all the water one person needs at Burning Man.  In my experience this is a bit more water than you’ll actually end up using, so if you buy 4 2.5-Gallon jugs you should be set.

Eating only Dried Snacks gets old quickly, so fill up a Cooler with Ice and chill some food and drinks.

With or without a meal plan, you need some Dried Snacks you can grab on the go, such as:

They’re super convenient and allow you to save packing space.

These camping bowls are sturdy and reliable.

Comes with a cupholder for extra chillaxation.

You can never have too much soft stuff on the Playa.  Stock up on big fuzzy pillows to turn your chill space into an inviting oasis away from the hard desert.

A composition notebook, pens, and pencils will help you record your otherworldly experiences from the comfort of your chill space. Also grab some index cards for trading contact info with the cool folks you meet at Black Rock City.

For any accidents that might happen on the Playa. For more serious stuff, you'll want to head to rampart.

For MOOP, bring garbage bags. Be a good Burner and also use them to cleanup random MOOP that you run into on the Playa.

Gray Water can be dealt with using an Evaporation Pond, built from a dark plastic tarp and 2X4s. People hate on this approach, because it’s often messy/gross, so let us know in the comments if you've got a smarter solution.

A bicycle is a must for getting around Burning Man. Get one with wide tires that can handle the terrain. If you’re getting this bike just for Burning Man, I recommend renting from Playa Bike Repair (PBR). They even offer a delivery service, where you can pick your bike up and drop it off at their camp.  That means less packing, which is always a win.

 People steal bikes at Burning Man.  Always keep your bike locked.

Glow up your bike for safety and style at night. There are tons of options for Wheel Lights, but I think the MonkeyLight Wheel Lights strike a good balance between awesomeness and affordability.

Get something identifiable from a distance like an LED Balloon or Stuffed Giraffe so that you can see your bike from afar amongst the sea of other bicycles.

Rubbermaid’s Storage Containers are worth spending the extra dollar on, because they’re incredibly durable and easy to stack and pack.  I’ve stored all of my stuff in these things in my 4 years on the Playa.

Last but not least you should have a gift for your fellow Burners. I’ve always found that these glowy rings go over well at Burning Man, or anywhere else for that matter.