HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: MEDIVAC INSURANCE
- It is HIGHLY recommended that you buy the medivac protection so that you are covered financially in the case of an emergency.
- In the unlikely case you are injured on Playa and need to be evacuated by helicopter to Reno, this insurance will save you $47k (the cost out of pocket for evac last year)
- BURNING MAN PACKAGE: $20
Medical help on Playa
- Medical stations at 3:00+C and 9:00+C. Look for the large red crosses.
- The main Emergency Services Department (ESD) station and the Rampart Emergency Care Center are co-located at the 5:15 and Esplanade site.
- What should I be sure to bring?
- List compiled by Burning Man:
- Do I need to bring food?
- Yes! You will want to bring some food to eat outside of the one meal per day provided by KK
Mental Health
- The Zendo Project is a place where you can receive support with challenging experiences, drug-related or otherwise, from trained volunteers who offer specialized peer-to-peer counseling.
- Zendo locations are at 3:00 and 9:00 between C and D, next to Rangers and Medical. Zendo is open around the clock from Monday 8/26 through Monday 9/2.
Eye health
- Goggles for day and night are highly recommended
- For those who need corrective lenses some prefer daily contacts
- You can also get prescription sunglasses and goggles
- Eye drops and saline are recommended
Nose/Throat health
- Buy the baby wipes with saline on them for wiping ur nose and face cleaning
- Essential oils in masks (just a light spray) can help- peppermint really cleans out the nasal passages
- Bring cough drops
Skin + Hair
- Tips for healthier skin and hair on the playa: Healthy skin and hair on the playa
- It has been recommended to either have hair professionally braided before BM or tightly braided every single morning on the playa to avoid matting
- Cover the scalp with scarves and hats
- Rinse with water and vinegar throughout BM without removing the braids, and spray a protein treatment after showering
Foot care on Playa
- Wearing good shoes that cover your entire foot is the best if you have sensitive feet including boots or sneakers
- Bring high quality socks for everyday and chance regularly
- If you opt to wear sandals be sure to wash your feet regularly with vinegar/water or lemon/water
- Regularly moisturize your feet
- Some like to moisturize and wear socks to sleep
- Having a good foot solution is ESSENTIAL to having a good burn. As mentioned before - the dust is alkaline and on its own is mostly just dry but if mixed with wet/damp conditions for an extended time on your skin, you'll get chemical burns. On top of this, the playa is hot, and you will be walking A LOT. So what do you do? Here is what you do:
- 2 Pairs of closed shoes (different types, i.e. not 2x the same boot)
- We recommend bringing 2 options for closed toe shoes. That way when one boot gives you blisters, you can switched to the others for immediate relief as it was no longer rubbing that same area. This could also save your burn if your boot falls apart due to the harsh conditions.
- Some recommended brands. You are not hiking here, the playa is flat so super intensely ankle supported shoes are not imperative. Comfort and water-proof (to resist dust ingress) is important. High ankles are also nice but not super important. typically the "trail runner" style of boot is a good mix of comfort and structure.
- Saloman - https://www.salomon.com/en-us check out their hiking boot and trail runner section. These are prime burner boots and are tough as hell.
- Altra - https://www.altrarunning.com/homepage.html Personally recommeding these - I have the "women's lone peak all-wthr mid 2" trail runner boots and they kick ass. Wore them at loveburn, fully water resistant and comfy as hell. They're not super rugged though and got a rip in them from doing frontage building
- Palladium - https://palladiumboots.com/ a popular burner boot choice, several folks had these last year and they seemed to do well. They're more "street" hiking boots in a sense. worth checking out.