What to wear at night?

[Raven9940]

So this will be my first year and I don't have enough room/time/money for any special costumes. I wanted to know about how cold does it get at night so I have some idea of what to pack in case it gets cold. What do guys typically wear that works for them at night?

[FaeTora]

from my understanding it can get down to freezing tempatures at night. Bring a big coat. you know the kind you wear up north where you almost can't put your arms down. and bring wool or cashmere socks and gloves. think winter with snow (though in sept. there won't be snow but it will be wuite cold).

I used to live in upstate new york and found that if you put on cashmere socks then wool and then your shoes, ever toe would be warm even in the snow.

hope that helps.

OH and hats! warm wool hat!

[teardropper]

I don't costume much. At night it can get into the 40Ëš's. I wear a T or long sleeve T and take along in my pack a fleece and that usually works. I do take a rain parka for that just-in-case time. It's another layer in case I want to lay down out by the fence for a couple of hours. I have a couple of floppy desert hats but also take a watch cap. I'm not real cold blooded but sometimes I just want to sit for a while.

[Shambala]

Think of a Halloween night in Brooklyn. It can get very chilly, but not quite freezing. If you're used to a northern climate, just dress for late fall.
Here is a link that you can check for the local weather prior to you heading out to BRC.
http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USNV0033

[theCryptofishist]

Go with Coco's advice and get a little black cocktail dress.

[dr.placebo]

This gets asked a lot, but it's worth mentioning again.

Night temperature varies. It can be as high as 60 F, as low as 30 F (rare). A "typical" midnight temperature might be about 50 F, but do not take "typical" as "guaranteed"! Wind speed varies from 0 mph to 50+ mph, so wind chill can be an issue.

Faux fur is common, but the best answer is that the temperature and wind can change a lot during the night, so use layers. Your activity and fatigue level also count. You can feel perfectly warm at (say) 55 F when dancing, and then get chilled when you sit for a while.

A lot of people use a thick long coat as the outer layer, with other layers underneath. Some people have fancy night costumes, but going for practical warmth is more common and more sensible. Some kind of hat helps, and being prepared for dust storms (goggles, scarf, whatever) is advised.

After warmth, though, the most important feature is light. Staying lit up (blinkies, EL wire, whatever) reduces your chances of being run over by careless folks (yes, there are some out there). A flashlight (or two) is a good idea.

Try not to bring anything of great value. It can wander off or just get trashed by the conditions.

[Boijoy]

pajamas & combat boots. course, thats what I wear at home as well.

[FaeTora]

what kind of action are you getting at home that requires combat boots?

[teardropper]

I often take my bike out at night and it has rear blinkies and EL wire. I put a blinky on my pack. I use a powerful LED head-as in on your head-light. Yes, be seen.

[Bling]

LIGHTS, definitely! You can buy cheap blinkies at Windy City Novelties, or go to the dollar store and get tons of glow-junk (I hate that this stuff ends up in the landfill, but it beats getting hit by a bicycle or an art car because you're a darkwad.)

[Token]

No matter how cold you get a night, it's easy to find a raging fire going on somewhere to warm up with.

[Savannah]

I always bring a sparkly sweater or hoodie (or other light wrap) in addition to a proper coat, 'cause I am constantly either walking or dancing at night, and most of the time, a heavy jacket is too much for me. I always bring a heavy jacket to the playa, mind you, but when it's 50F or warmer I like to just jam a sweater in my backpack and go.

[TomServo]

Bright colored footie pajamas

[jella]

layers. I had the best luck with mutiple layers. Depending on your normal climate a winter coat I'm a so cal gal so I freeeeeeze haha. I wear a big fluffy coat and light layers underneath.
The dance places get toasty with all the body heat.
and surpisingly fishnets are quite warm.

[Ugly Dougly]

It's never seemed to dip below 50 F for me. But the contrast if you've been dealing with the heat all day, can make it seem that way.

[Jackass]

A bottle of jack and a HUGE smile...maybe some shoes too

[CLARKcon]

Have used a 1 piece zip-up jumper/coverall all the years out, they're awsome good !!! keeps heat in, as well, good protection from night windstorms, constant art car hoppin' and climbing structures--(big spaceous zippered pockets, too) next step: DESIGN/DECORATE the shit out of it . If ya get too hot, just unzip & drop the top half around waist and tie the long sleeves around like a bow

[Savannah]

It's never seemed to dip below 50 F for me. But the contrast if you've been dealing with the heat all day, can make it seem that way.

I've missed a few Burns, so only once have I been there when it dropped memorably below 50F (for certain, anyway) . . . Burn Night, year 2000. I had to layer a military coat over a hoodie. It drizzled while I was away from camp, if I remember correctly, and my bedding got a bit damp, so I dozed off sitting on a Coleman cooler huddled by a burn barrel, and woke up with a start having fallen onto my butt.

My first year, of course.

[junglesmacks]

[quote="CLARKcon"]Have used a 1 piece zip-up jumper/coverall all the years out, they're awsome good :D !!! keeps heat in, as well, good protection from night windstorms, constant art car hoppin' and climbing structures--(big spaceous zippered pockets, too) next step: [b]DESIGN/DECORATE[/b] the shit out of it :lol: . If ya get too hot, just unzip & drop the top half around waist and tie the long sleeves around like a bow :wink:
[img]http://www.bootbarn.com/details/product_images/Q__Product_Images_Pictures_Walls_Z15505BK.jpg[/img][/quote]


OoooOOOOOoooo.. absolute CHAMPION idea, my friend. I'm Ebay hunting as we speak. I think I can land a black pair my size for under $30.. Add in some EL wire, and you have a winner.

[EmilyD]

layers. I had the best luck with mutiple layers. Depending on your normal climate a winter coat I'm a so cal gal so I freeeeeeze haha. I wear a big fluffy coat and light layers underneath.
The dance places get toasty with all the body heat.
and surpisingly fishnets are quite warm.

So what does one do with the layers being peeled? I don't want anyone to walk off with my coat after all the work I'm putting into it. Should I lock it to my bike?

[FIGJAM]

Im putting a basket upside down on my regular bike basket so I can lock it like a small trunk.

[dr.placebo]

Sadly, there are thieves, and there are the borderline incoherent. Either can walk off with something. The incoherent are more numerous but more easily frustrated.

You certainly can lock up your coat, if you think it necessary. Use a cable lock and thread it through a sleeve. Even just tying it up with a rope can be a deterrent, because it takes time and draws attention to untie it.

Alternatively, put it somewhere that is out of the traffic but where you can keep an eye on it. This works for me, but I stay pretty sober and I've not had an outer garment that anyone especially coveted. The downside is that you have to remember where you put it.

If you are traveling in a pack, you can put coats in a pile and rotate lookout duty. This lets you forget about your coat and concentrate on the boogie, but it requires a certain amount of mutual trust and awareness.

[some seeing eye]

The eternal playa challenge, fashion vs function/survival. A warm hat in cold can regulate temperature more than you might think. Gloves and warm socks can regulate apparent warmth. I get a backpack that can hold whatever worst case upper and lower warm clothes bulk. It's easy for rubes like me who don't sew to get a bunch of fake fur, cut it to size and safety pin it to cover completely the backpack. That way you can stow the outer layers for dancing or for when the sun comes up and you are far from camp. If you are seriously having a problem with hypothermia (or hypothermia, heat stroke) at any time, ask for help from the people around you.

The Black Rock Boutique is a great on-playa resource for costumes, not necessarily warm ones though.

[Playa Foot]

Wear whatever you want but be sure you can be seen by others, carry a flashlight, wear a glow stick, set yourself on fire and you will have a smaller chance of being run over by a raver in an art car.

[gyre]

Khaki and wingtips, and depending on your surroundings, a flak jacket.
A really good down vest is essential.
I have a lot of layers of fleece, vests and jackets.
Recently got a 300 fleece, us military, very good and vented.
Best single thing I ever bought.

And I've been freezing right next to a fire out there.
It gets cold.

Some nights I'm using every piece of clothing and blankets and still freezing.
Tends to get really cold just before dawn, but it can be all night.

And no chemical glowsticks.
Home depot has red, green and blue LED with replaceable batteries.
They need longer lanyards.
Get one of each.
And there are white ones.
And better ones.
Set them to blink.

Some headlamps have a blink feature.
The aurora is on sale at cabela's for $15 with two blink rates.
Tiny.

[lambert13]

I think the night time temps are where us Northeners would have an advantage. I live in Upstate NY and start wearing shorts in April. You should see us here on the first few days over 40 degrees in the spring. Windows down in the car, tshirts and smiles everywhere.

In temps between 40-60F I am good with shorts, long sleeve tee, hat of some sort and boots or sneakers with socks. If I suspect it will dip lower than that I bring a windbreaker or hoodie in case I get cold.

[mrsmoo]

My first year on playa (2004) it got down to the 30's at night... brrrr! So I always go over-prepared for cold. My hubby and I both take plenty of thermal tops and long-sleeve T's for layering, a big coat, and warm scarves/hats. He often rocks the coverall look, while I wear layers of tights or leggings and thigh-high socks. I'd rather carry some extra clothes around or take stuff back to camp then EVER be as cold as I was my first year!!

[EmilyD]

Im putting a basket upside down on my regular bike basket so I can lock it like a small trunk.

That's a GREAT idea!!!

[geekster]

There won't be much moonlight this year. The full moon is Monday of the week before the event and will be waning during the event. New moon is Wednesday post event. This means the moon will be rising later each night of the event and will be rising at midnight by Wednesday.

In years with a lot of moonlight you can just get by wearing white. If you are going out on the playa you should be visible but we aren't like a bunch of little kids at Halloween. Putting all your illumination in your pocket and just standing someplace where there is a lot of foot traffic will allow you to fish for control freaks. Those are the ones who will notice your lack of illumination, then start calling you names and stuff. If you pull out a pencil and notepad and start asking them questions they generally go away, though.

My advice is to wear layers if it is cold. Something comfy and warm close to your skin that wicks moisture, then maybe an insulating middle layer and then something on the outside to block the wind. It often stays tolerably warm till about midnight or so but can get really cold by dawn.

[gyre]

The problem is that it's like the glare in any city.
If everything else is lit up, the unlit disappear.

I kept running against unlit groups spread out blocking the entire road, invisible until I was a few feet away.
When I swerved to avoid one moron, there was another one under the wheel.
They were usually offended that someone else was using the road, and I suppose, lacked infrared vision.

Same thing happens in the real city.
"I can see me, so the car 400 feet away will too"
but at 40 mph against six lanes of headlights and other lighting, a jaywalking imbecile in black clothes is virtually invisible.

This happens routinely at a club right on this busy street.
As I drove by at crazy hour one night, there was a body stretched out on the street with the cops casually waiting for the ambulance.
As the light changed, morons in black, ignoring the body, rushed in front of my car on a green light.
I nearly flattened some of them, right next to an accident scene.
Some people really are that stupid.

And we don't even have that incredibly stupid fiction of safety, pedestrian right of way, to encourage moronity.
We do have many people that will tell you we do.

Laws of physics still have an opinion, even in rhode island.

Second most common last words here -
"I have the right of way."

Still baffles me, every time.
I don't want to walk in front of a car and trust them to stop for me.
Why would anyone?

On the playa, well, bikes hurt too.
Does every idiot on the coast, with a brown jacket and no light, gravitate to the burn by friday night, like self destructive moths?