Any suggestions for things to barter or items to bring to Burning Man? for Questionland Seattle

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Any suggestions for things to barter or items to bring to Burning Man?

This is my first time going to Burning Man and I'm a little overwhelmed with preparing. Generally, what are the best items to bring? Any tips, etc?

oShea asked in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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Barter? Aww! It's not a barter-town... the main exchange activity is giving gifts to people, with no expectation of return. Go with that spirit, and plenty of costumes, and you will be fine. Don't forget electrolytes.

treacle answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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I would suggest thinking outside the box - random acts of kindness, creating a brigade of MOOP cleaners or FUN, writing/reciting poetry to the line of people outside the Johnny on the Spot, etc.
Trading/barter for trinkets has sort of been abandoned, it created too much MOOP because people were just bringing cheesy/trashy items to trade. Necklaces are still ok because they are not as easy to loose.
If you want an item to trade, hand make, so it has some value.

Rachel Bury answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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People here are on the right track. Tchotchkey junk like rubber band balls or decorated bottle caps are forgettable, and often wind up as litter that the clean up crew has to deal with. My most successful gifts were survival items, like bandanas, hats, socks and sunscreen, that people had somehow arrived without. Other fun gifts are participatory activities, like couch-cushion sumo wrestling or henna tattoos.

Tremodian answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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Water!

Some people also barter the four S's:
Sex. Sunscreen. Smokables. Shade.

Though it's been a while, honestly. Maybe nowadays it's all bridge tourneys and bingo nights ;)

Rev.Enant answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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your dignity.

darling ash answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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this year we'll be bringing oreo cookies ( or newman's own oreo styled cookies ) and ice cold rice milk..
what you'd like to get is what's best to give and i think treacle is right..much much better to give than to barter

Riz Rollins answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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If you are at all crafty, putting together small kits so that the people you run into can stay a while and have something to do would be cool.

Sphinx answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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Any food items that you can keep cold are welcome. Use dry ice to create a deep freeze and put in a supply of freezer pops or frozen fruit like grapes or plums. Cocktails are also welcome - if you ran a margarita machine off a small generator, you would be the pope of chilli town.

(Keep the dry ice from coming into contact with real ice/water, as that releases smoke-like gas that could attract attention - I don't know that dry ice is allowed on the Playa.)

Luckier answered in Trips & Travel about 1 year ago | Report

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