It’s that time. You know: the 2 days to seven hours before you make your big Vegas trip back to EDC. Be it the drug store down the corner or the giant convenience store in the middle of nowhere in Vegas, you need to make some kind of big trip to get all the gear you need for EDC this year, and this is what we would recommend you put on your shopping list. In this survival guide, we’ve also included tips for navigating your schedule and making sure you know how to get back to your friends.

24/7 Hydration: THIS. IS. KEY.

We strongly recommend taking advantage of the water stations that you’re going to hit on your treks from stage to stage under the electric sky. Having a hydration pack with you is a huge must, so grab a couple for your group when smack dab in the middle of a crowd! Not only will your friends be set, but a thirsty soul to your left may thank you. Of course when we talk about stocking up, we don’t just mean inside the festival; having plenty of Gatorade or Pedialyte in your room is essential; for the mornings afterward, too.

Get a DIY Breeze Going with a Hand Fan

Last year, many may have learned this the hard way; we highly suggest buying a hand fan to cool yourself off. Though you’ve heard it a million times, it bears repeating: Las Vegas gets hot. Like 100 degrees at 4AM hot. A dollar store fan(three to be safe, even), or a cheap Amazon fan goes a long way and can score you some high fives and hugs from those you inevitably give a few gusts of wind.

SOLIDIFY a Meetup Spot

Splits are inevitable, but with all of the unique art around the speedway, it is very easy to find a distinct spot to reunite. At the beginning of the festival when you first get in, take everyone to a specific spot. It can be a smaller but distinct stage like the Smirnoff House or Jagermeister’s Haus56, a specific ride, or some of the installations that lights the sky. Once there, declare it as your meet up spot. Whenever you want to split up you can choose specific times to go back to meet up with your friends there!

Comfy Shoes: Style is Important but Bouncing Around is More Important

EDC can be compared to a really fun cardio session: for this tip, we emphasize the word “cardio.” If you haven’t worn a pair of shoes before or aren’t sure how they’re going to hold up, this is not the time to give them a shot. While we’re all trying to look fly AF, having comfortable walking shoes is going to save you from a ton of blisters and being miserable. Wear some shoes you know you are willing to stand/dance/walk in for 8 hours: this is the key to a good time. You can also buy some shoe insoles at your local Walmart or even Amazon for a cheap price.

Be a Hero, Bring a Portable Battery Pack

The little black book of rave rules says we aren’t supposed to be on our phones at the stage…but let’s not pretend like we aren’t taking a ton of pictures and videos and texting friends to meet up. EDC is in full force from 7pm to 5:30am. Ten and a half hours is too long to rely on one battery charge. When considering a voyage to a giant gathering, you should strive to be the type of person to pack all of the “what if” items…and a charger solves one of the most difficult of those “what ifs.” That being said, if you also follow our advice to bring a hydration pack, put said charger in a plastic bag…to separate it from the bag with the water in it. Because nobody likes fireworks coming out of your backpack.

Get There Before the Sun Goes Down. Yes, YOU

We realize some of you might be hungover or just trying to avoid the heat as much as possible, but going early at least one of the three days is worth it. One of the driving factors of this experience is the Dusk ‘till Dawn timeframe. Seeing the dun depart AND show up again to frame your party time is pretty sweet. Showing up early also means you can beat the rush and try out things you probably wouldn’t otherwise. It’s perfect to check out all of the stages, buy some merch, take group pictures in the sunset, and even go on the rides without waiting in line!

Lots of Cash for Food/Drinks/Merch: Easy Enough, Right?

This probably seems like an obvious pro tip, but we always recommend bringing more money (in cash) than you’d think you’d need and keeping it in a safe spot. You never know what you might want to buy from merch or if you really need to get a Gatorade to hydrate up. I suggest bringing enough for at least two meals, something to hydrate, some of that one of a kind EDC lemonade, and a little extra for misc. stuff.

FireChat – Because Waving Your Phone in the Air is so 2005

This app doesn’t get the credit it deserves for resolving the struggle of texting your friends at festivals. A lot of people suggest sending the time you’re sending your text at along with your message but this app makes it all a breeze. It allows you to message your friends who also have the app even when you don’t have service!

Stock Up on Kleenex and Baby Wipes

Alright, hear us out here. You ever get to the portapotties and you can’t find toilet paper left in any of them? Kleenex. Buy a packet of Kleenex and thank us later. Bring some sealed baby wipes, too, for when there’s no more water and soap either. We firmly believe that clean hygiene is the bees knees, guys.

Don’t Be Afraid to Split From the Group to See Your Favorite Artists

This is one of the biggest factors that will make or break your weekend! If your friends want to see a different artist than you, split up and go enjoy yourself. Do not miss out on an experience. We pinky promise you will make friends at whatever stage you are going to and you can meet back up with your friends later(this is when that meet up spot comes in handy). Everything in moderation: music festivals are there for you to make memories with your friends, and you should…you’re bound to. However, we also firmly believe(from experience) that the biggest regret you can have after a festival is seeing amazing videos of an artist either debuting a brand new set of tracks or just blowing a full crowd away with their currently released catalog…and knowing you missed them at their best.

Above all, make sure you have the EDC app to keep updated with sudden set time changes, get location-based alerts for the essential things, and lookout for positive messages to keep you going all night for round 21 of Vegas’s biggest 3-day affair.

Thank you to our contributors Melissa (Follow her on Twitter & Instagram) and GDE’s own John Carr for this amazing EDC guide!

Have any other EDC pro tips? Comment below or Tweet us some @GlobalDanceElec.

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