The Field Manual

Garb: The Basics

Required reading · No exceptions at the gate

Wasteland Weekend requires everyone to dress like an extra on the set of a Mad Max film. The general aesthetic is a mix of 1970s–80s biker wear, punk rock, military, athletic, and BDSM gear — distressed and well weathered. You can take inspiration from other post-apocalyptic media (Fallout, Borderlands, The Last of Us, Walking Dead) as long as your costume isn't a direct reference to a known character or to sci-fi/fantasy: no zombies, mutants, laser weapons, aliens, or Brotherhood of Steel.

Whatever you choose, it must look like it survived something. Clean clothes are the only thing that breaks the spell.

Distressing Your Garb

Salvage technique · Box cutter recommended

Distressing is what makes your kit fit the setting. Cut small holes. Take a box cutter or wire brush to the fabric. Stitch up large holes with contrasting thread, or patch over them with fabrics of clashing color. Think about the places that take the most friction — knees and elbows — and make those look especially worn. A little tan paint along the edges sells the dust.

There's an excellent video walkthrough of the whole process worth watching before you take a blade to anything you like.

Tribe Colors

Optional · Commonly seen on members and banners

Dress your own way, as long as it fits the wastes — but the tribe has colors, and they make building a kit much easier. Not required. Just recognized.

Character & Name

The most important part of the kit

Character creation starts with something you like — a symbol or a theme your outfit builds off. It often leads straight to your name: many of our members got theirs from their outfits, or built their outfits around the names they were given. Sweet Tooth has teeth in the kit. Champ Chicharrón wears chicken symbology. It works.

A name is usually given to you out in the wastes by strangers. You have the final say — only accept one you like, and change it at your discretion — but the most fun is taking the name you're handed. It becomes the introduction story you tell everyone you meet, and meeting people is half the event. For reference, here's a board of other wastelanders' kits to calibrate against.

Weapons

For games and quests · Daylight only

You'll want at least one weapon for games and quests during the day. Firearms must be prop only — nerf, airsoft, or real steel made to look weathered and realistic. Melee weapons with sharp edges must be filed flat, no sharp bits or spurs, and points rounded off so they can't puncture skin. No sci-fi weapons.

No weapons of any kind on your person after sunset. If you carry one for daytime quests, get it back to camp before dark.

Barter & Bottlecaps

Trade economy · Get creative

A few vendors take cash — mostly the food stalls. Everyone else trades barter: things you carry, swapped for goods and services out in the wastes. Haggle. Upsell. Your trash is someone else's treasure. Small trinkets, bones, antiques, and weapons all trade well, but there's no limit on what counts as good trade.

Bottlecaps are a different thing: not currency, but a calling card — a remember-me-by token with your personal mark on it, given to people you meet. Most wastelanders carry their own design. You can make yours easily at Bottlemark.

Camping in the Wastes

Logistics · The desert is trying to kill you, politely

Bring water, sunscreen, a hydration pack, and something to cover your mouth and eyes. Drinking? Bring your own booze, snacks, and a cup. The event provides portable toilets and sinks only — no real bathrooms, no showers. Pack a toilet paper roll, soap, baby wipes, and at least a gallon of water for self-use in case the portables run dry.

If you bring a tent, get drill-in stakes or something equally serious — Wasteland is notorious for wind that comes out of nowhere and sends tents airborne. Even if you think yours is heavy enough, it isn't. If you're camping out of a car or RV, tell Brisket ahead of time so you're allocated the right space and set up in the right place. Bringing a portable shower or anything else worth sharing? Talk to an Elder before the event.

The tribe runs a dedicated meal plan through our Mess Boss, Champ Chicharrón, for each day of the event. It's a buy-in option — do your own meals if you'd rather — and if you're in, tell us your dietary restrictions so the kitchen can accommodate.

Additional Resources

Before the event · Make friends early

The Wastelander Central Facebook group is a great way to meet other wastelanders and start building relations before the event even starts. New wastelanders are encouraged to introduce themselves and get as involved as they'd like.