ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZAA
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(check off as needed)I'm sure I have one…probably?I've actually
seen it!
It's staged/ready!		It's in my bins,
or in my car!
This check mark
is for REALZ! Woot!		The corresponding "Burning Man Tips" doc at this link (http://tiny.cc/burning-man-tips) has explanations of most of these things. ;)
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HAVE
SOMEWHERE		BOUGHT/
FOUND		PACKEDNOTESNEED
TO HAVE?		(Ya don't have to print this column)
EXTRA INFO FROM PLAID - plaid@laburningman.com with questions!
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----> TICKET <----MUSTDOUBLE CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE!
Make sure you have a VISUAL on your ticket -- along with everyone traveling with you -- even the most experienced burners have forgotten their ticket, and you can't buy a new one at the gate any more!
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Vehicle PassMUST
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Keep on Person
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Podbelt/backpack MUSTI use both, podbelt and a little kids backpack for extra water/layer of clothes/etc. Podbelt.com = awesome/hands-free/easy to carry lots of stuff without having to hold it/take a chance on leaving it behind! or a backpack/way to carry stuff… never ever ever count on having to carry something (like an umbrella, etc.) in your hand without being able to stash it somewhere, that gets old SUPER fast, especially on a bike…
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SunglassesMUSTBring a case or something to keep them in when not wearing them, even your bandana will work
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Hat (with strap) NICEHaving a sun-shade type hat is a great way to protect your skin from the desert sun -- and with ha strap it's even better, bc it can get windy with no warning, and it doesn't take much of a gust to blow your hat off!
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BandanaMUSTGood as an emergency dust mask, wet it to make it even better at catching dust! Also great to protect your shoulders from the sun in a pinch.
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Drinking Water/extra water (bottles)MUSTI use disposable water bottles and refill them all week - that way one case/24 is plenty, and it's easy to share one if someone needs it!
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Cup with handleMUSTMany bars on the playa, but you need to have your own cup. Handle = hook it to your backpack/podbelt when not in use w a carabiner
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Car keyNICENice to have one on you -- and a MUST HAVE to have another extra car key to magnetize then duct tape to my car somewhere!
And a third extra one for my friend to hang on to!
AAA doesn't come to BM, and the locksmiths who do charge a fortune!
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Water bottle(s)MUSTCarry extra water with you always
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Baby WipesNICEPut a few in a ziplock bag, great insta-shower after a dust storm!
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Ziplock bag for MOOPNICEMOOP = Matter Out Of Place… like your baby wipes :)
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ChapstickMUSTAnd back up chapstick, this is a must-have and an easy-to-lose!
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Cash for iceMUST ($4/bag or block) or Coffee -- Ice is a must have -- coffee can heal your soul at the right moment, great to have cash on hand just in case you end up at Center Camp. They also sell Emergen-C and non-coffee drinks.
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Keep in Backpack
Keep it with you at ALL TIMES - you never know when SQUIRREL will happen and you get lured away from home!
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Toilet paperMUSTCheapest I've found is at MediSimpleShoppe.com
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Swiss army knifeNICEYou never know when you might need it
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LighterNICEEven if you don't smoke... might come in handy
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Small flashlightMUSTYour "oh shit my headlamp batteries are dead, and my replacement batteries are dead… and it's dark and the portos are scaaary…!" light
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Goggles - dayMUSTI have yellow lens goggles, work for both day and night
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Goggles - nightNICE
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Pen and paperNICEYou never know when you'll want to take note of a playa address, or contact info for a new friend you meet along the way
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Trading cardsNICESomething you can give people so they can find you either later on-playa or back in the default world… something with your email on it is enough to keep the convo going without giving the world your cell #...
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Safety pinsNICEYou never know…
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HeadlampMUSTI have at least 3, one carabianered to my pod belt/backpack, one to the little net at the top of my tent, and an extra *just in case* cuz no-hands-free light SUCKS.
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Baby wipesNICECan't go in the portos, ever! Unscented = better.
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Ziplock bagNICEFor used baby wipes, or trash you find on the ground, or tampons, etc.
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UtensilsNICESomeone might feed you! A combo fork/spoon/knife will do the trick
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Medical bagMUSTA small oh-shit-kit with bandaids, ibuprofen, gas/diarrhea medicine, moleskin blister covers, neosporin, etc.
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SunscreenMUSTSpray sunscreen = easier to apply solo, but it's super fun to find someone new to apply it otherwise… so choose your own adventure!
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Eye dropsNICEPlaya dust in the eyes is inevitable
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Nail clippersNICEBroken nails are also inevitable, also useful for many things in a pinch
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Ear plugsNICEThe sound camps are LOUD, have ear plugs if you want to get up close
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Brush or comb & mirrorNICEIt may be days between stops at home, nice to have these on hand
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Tent Stuff
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TentMUSTTry to get one with zipper covers over the mesh areas because mesh + dust = dusty tent. If you can afford it, get one you can stand up/change clothes easily in, you'll thank me later...

Another idea: Have a small but tall costume tent, and a small sleeping tent that just fits your matress and a 3 to 4 drawer plastic bin (use as bedside table)
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Unique/bright fabric coverNICEI clamp plaid fabric over my tent for easy identifying, by your friends and yourself when you're lost!
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ClipsNICETo hold fabric to tent
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TarpMUSTUnder tent in case it rains
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StakesMUSTBIG ONES the one that come with your tent are useless… except maybe to stake down a little rug if you want to have an entry-way mat
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Foam bed roll/matress
(AIR MATRESSES SUCK)		MUSTAIR MATTRESSES SUCK DONKEY BALLS!! NOT WORTH IT!! Sorry about the all-caps, but I've woken up with my ass on the (hard!) ground one too many times to ever buy another air mattress… foam is your friend… Google "self-inflating foam air mattress" to see what I use, air + foam, was wonderful for a few years until the playa dust ate through the air mattress part, so now it's just a "cover" for my foam (still awesome!)
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Sleeping bagNICEI put one under me (barrier to the cold of the playa) and then a sheet then use a sheet and down comforter for my bedding… YMMV… but at least bring a sheet, bc most sleeping bags are made of plastic-y materials, sticky and stinky if you're inside them when the sun comes out!
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Tent lightMUSTOne for the little ceiling net in your tent. Having a light that lives in the same place in your tent ALWAYS will save you much much time hunting in the dark for your headlamp/flashlight.
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Notepad and pen for tentNICESo peeps can leave you tent-mail - I treasure the (often totally illegable inhebriated) notes my friends leave me. Also great for leaving notes with your wearabouts for your peeps to find you. The notes I've gotten over the years are priceless, and sort of a time capsule for each year...
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Cover SheetNICEI use a sheet to cover everything in my tent before I leave, that way when I come back to a dust-covered tent interior, I can carefully take that cover outside and shake it off and wala! (Not even close but closer to a) dust-freer tent!
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Sleeping SheetMUSTSee "Sleeping Bag" above
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BlanketMUSTI much prefer blankets/sheets to sleeping bags because you can regulate your temperature easier by shedding layers of covers... in a sleeping bag it's all or nothing, torturous when hot-30 comes...
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PillowMUSTYou may think you can handle a week without one, but it's really really nice to have one…
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RugNICEStake down at the entrance to your tent -- a nice dustier-frier transition spot for putting shoes on/off etc.
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JournalNICEMuch contemplation happens at BM, nice to write down your thoughts…
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Big mirrorNICEA bigger one to put on makeup/get ready… I get a jumbo hand mirror and I hang it from the net thingy at the top of my tent for ease of use, then take it down before leaving (in case wind storm). Big Lots sells full length plexiglass mirrors for under $10... ps. Broken glass sucks, avoid big actual glass mirrors, you'll be sorry if it breaks and you have to spend hours scraping up broken glass.
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Water spray bottleNICEFor a quick spray "shower" … I bring 2, one for just water, one for water w/ a little vinegar or lemon juice in it, helps cut the alkaline of the playa dust (burns if you don't let your skin take a break from being dusty every once in a while).
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HardwareDon't bring your good stuff… Think: I might never see this again/it won't ever be the same again… IKEA set of tools = perfect!
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Zip tiesMostly the stuff in this section comes in handy for projects/randomness that you get yourself involved in… not really required, but you'll want to be able to MacGyver your tent if the poles break, etc…
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Hammer
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MallotHammers suck for tent stakes… but I have *always* been able to borrow one, seems like a lot to haul around for 10 minutes of use every year….
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Screwdriver (2)Both kinds, country AND western!
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Pliers
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Wire Cutters
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Vice Grips
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Rope
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TwineGreat for replacement tent pole elastic if yours breaks!
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Screws/NailsLike, 10 of each… I have a little tupperware with a bunch of random fasteners/nails/safety pins in it
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Super GlueSuper glue = exact same as Liquid Bandage if you need it, BTW… a 4 or 6 pack of the little single-use tubes from the $1 store will do just fine
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Utility ScissorsBoxes… plastic packaging… you never know…
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Box cutter
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Work gloves
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Bungee cordsMUSTUseful for more than you know - at least to hold ice to your bike rack or basket <-- you need a bike rack or basket for ice!! An IKEA blue bag will work in a pinch….
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Extension Cord
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Splitter
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Tape Measure
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WD-40Tent zippers + playa dust = hard to open zippers + WD-40 = not ripping the zipper off of your tent trying to open and close it when it gets stuck!
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Sewing Kit
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Safety pins
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Small tent broom/dustpan$1 store version = perfect