Backpack, whats in it for Day & Night adventures on da Playa

[Rabbette]

I've searched the boards several times for a list of what people carry IN their backpack (or bag, pod belt or what ever you use to carry the necessities you need for adventures during the Day vs Night on the Playa.

I will be listing what I would take for a LONG Day or Night adventure. Please add/correct anything you would carry with you. Remember this list will be for a long journey (because most of the time short adventures turn into long ones anyway)

In general:
water, snacks/food, pocket knife/utility knife, electrolyte tablets, eating utensil, lidded cup, goggles, lip balm, dust mask/bandanna, gum, map, disposable camera, eye drops, earplugs, spray bottle, notepad, sharpie, ziploc trash bag, condoms, nail clippers (for hang nails), safety pins, tag on my backpack with name playa & home address, playa gifts (I'll have a couple of home made earrings)
**tolite bag: 1 ply TP, pee funnel, tampons, wet wipes (baggies to put used wet wipes or tampons), **
**Small first aid kit: band-aids, isopropyl alcohol pads, hand sanitizer, ointment, finger condoms (for cuts on the finger althought could be for kinky safety precautions)**

add to Day pack:
sunscreen, sunglasses, parasol/shade hat

add to Night pack:
led light or glow something ( to put on person OR the backpack)
lotion, LED headlamp , warm clothes


Thanks in advance for any corrections or ideas

[junglesmacks]

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=33138

[swampdog]

I'd cut way down. My first year I had this humongous backpack that I carried around everywhere. It got in the way.

I'd eliminate:
snacks/food - maybe an energy bar. There's food everywhere that people really want to share.
pocket knife/utility knife - don't really need it except in camp
eating utensil - optional
map - it's not hard to navigate the essentials, and everything else is, well, not essential
spray bottle - optional, I wouldn't carry it in my pack. Maybe in a bike basket
nail clippers (for hang nails) - leave it in camp
playa gifts (I'll have a couple of home made earrings) - go light here, only carry a few
**Small first aid kit: band-aids, isopropyl alcohol pads, hand sanitizer, ointment, finger condoms (for cuts on the finger althought could be for kinky safety precautions)** - I really don't get first aid kits. I don't think this is just me trying to be macho. Anything a bandaid can fix isn't worth bothering about. I plan to carry a small (2 ft or so) strip of gorilla tape rolled around on itself. THAT you can use for serious injury. Hand sanitizer, yes. The rest? Suck it up until you get to camp.
I personally don't carry sunscreen, but if I did I'd have a small carry bottle
re: warm night clothes - wear it or don't. I don't recommend carrying extra.

[theCryptofishist]

From our grandparents' time...

[Rabbette]

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=33138

Thanks junglesmacks - everytime I search "backpack" this topic does not show up. I get 44 results but none are this one.

From our grandparents' time...

"Diddy Bag" I would have thought that was something you "pay your dues" in - ha ha, thanks for this one too!

[CapSmashy]

One thing that would be good to do, load up your pack/bag with everything you plan on carrying out there, get loaded on your intoxicant of choice, sleep for a few hours and have a friend wake you up with a heat lamp and a couple of spotlights while yelling in a bullhorn so you wake up all groggy at the beginning of the hangover, eat your planned playa breakfast, put on your pack/sling your bag and go for a 5 mile walking tour of a local park while wearing your planned playa footwear.

To add to the training scenario, have someone cruise by randomly with a big ass fan on full blast while dumping baking powder into the air flow stream.

The fan trick will test your goggle and dust mask reflexes.

[MyDearFriend]

One thing that would be good to do, load up your pack/bag with everything you plan on carrying out there, get loaded on your intoxicant of choice, sleep for a few hours and have a friend wake you up with a heat lamp and a couple of spotlights while yelling in a bullhorn so you wake up all groggy at the beginning of the hangover, eat your planned playa breakfast, put on your pack/sling your bag and go for a 5 mile walking tour of a local park while wearing your planned playa footwear.

To add to the training scenario, have someone cruise by randomly with a big ass fan on full blast while dumping baking powder into the air flow stream.

The fan trick will test your goggle and dust mask reflexes.

Bwahahahahahaha, I actually did this, though, I cheated and used my toilet at home first. But my "walk in the park" was an urban hike to the Lincoln Memorial & back in 100 degree heat, dodging traffic...

[Rabbette]

One thing that would be good to do, load up your pack/bag with everything you plan on carrying out there, get loaded on your intoxicant of choice, sleep for a few hours and have a friend wake you up with a heat lamp and a couple of spotlights while yelling in a bullhorn so you wake up all groggy at the beginning of the hangover, eat your planned playa breakfast, put on your pack/sling your bag and go for a 5 mile walking tour of a local park while wearing your planned playa footwear.

To add to the training scenario, have someone cruise by randomly with a big ass fan on full blast while dumping baking powder into the air flow stream.

The fan trick will test your goggle and dust mask reflexes.

Bahahahahaha - this is good. Lesson is - - - keep goggles & dust mask super handy.

[Savannah]

I really don't get first aid kits. I don't think this is just me trying to be macho. Anything a bandaid can fix isn't worth bothering about.

I know what you mean. Though these are the reasons I carry a very small version of my larger kit (just neosporin, bandaids, liquid bandaid, gloves, small CPR mask, alcohol wipes):

Practical reasons: 1) cleaning and covering even a small, silly wound helps prevent infection and a trip to center camp for antibiotics.
2) bleeding on portapotty door handles is rude, and a biohazard.

Personal reasons: 3) some become faint/panicky at the sight of their own blood, even for a totally minor wound (my campmate one year did) and I like making that go away. 4) I like to protect myself with mask and gloves if someone stops breathing and I have to help. 5) I get really bummed out when I have a tiny little cut and can't climb without pain or keep aggravating it w/ ordinary movements.

[dragonpilot]

Water
Chapstick on a string
Dust mask/shemagh
Goggles
Energy bar
Cup
TP

Everything else is optional. If I get even a small scrape, I go to one of the Medical stations and get it treated by pros. They LOVE to take care of even the smallest injury! At night if yer not lit up, yer an idiot! Lighting is not something you put in a backpack. It's attached to you and/or your bike.

[Savannah]

My list of stuff is in the thread Junglesmacks linked.

Here's my favorite tip for not forgetting stuff in your pack:

Write all the minimum stuff you want to have with you on the inside of it, near the top, using a fine tip sharpie. Put asterisks next to stuff that is day or night specific (sunscreen, sunglasses, goggles--clear vs. dark, etc) so you can make the 6pm swap without having to wrack your brain.

Pre-packing your bag before the playa is a nice option when possible. I did that last year and I'm so glad, because when I arrived I had been awake and hard at work for more than a day, but had to get on my bike and go to an Orientation a mile away. It was really lovely to have to find only one thing: the pack.

[Rabbette]

Yeah the first aid is because, I get really dry skin when I do ceramics, for some reason working with clay dries me out. So with that in mind, I wanted to have a something ready to put on a cut. I also get hangnails like crazy - its really not normal and for me they get really sore quickly and are pretty aggravating, but if I can take care of them in a quick fashion then I'm ok - hence the nail clippers.

I'll definitely slim down what I do take, I was just being overly cautious - I know I won't want to carry that much stuff everywhere.