What to pack forBlack Hat USA 2026
The real-world guide to surviving August in Vegas.
Every packing guide for a Vegas conference says the same two things: it’s hot outside, it’s cold inside, bring layers. True-ish.
What those guides leave out is the third climate: a Business Hall full of 20,000 people under expo lights. You can be too hot and too cold in the same hour, repeatedly, for a week.
Dress for all three.
It can be 108°F outside, cold enough for a layer in the session rooms, and warm in the Business Hall by mid-afternoon. Wear something that can handle all three without taking over your day.
The heat is real
You may only be outside for a rideshare pickup, a pool event, or a walk that looked shorter on the map. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen anyway.
Bring one easy layer
Session rooms can be genuinely cold. Pick something you can take off, tie to your bag, and put back on without thinking.
Dress for the crowd
By mid-afternoon, the show floor is packed and warm. Dark, breathable shirts hold up better than a heavy company hoodie.
Wear the shoes you already trust
Mandalay Bay is enormous, and many “quick” indoor walks take 20 minutes.
The actual packing list.
Tap each item as you pack. The list stays on this device, with no account or email gate.
The desert still gets you indoors.
You can spend the whole week in air conditioning and still feel the desert. The air has about the same humidity as a sealed evidence bag.
Dehydration often feels like a headache before it feels like thirst.
Have water before the evening events start, not after.
A few packets take almost no space and are useful by day three.
Decide at home what you are bringing.
A clean travel laptop, just your phone, or your everyday laptop can all be reasonable choices. Pick the setup that matches your risk, secure it at home, and avoid second-guessing it all week.
Clean travel laptop
A fresh setup with only the files and accounts you need for the week.
Just your phone
Enough for your schedule, messages, and email if you do not need to work.
Everyday laptop
Fine if it is patched, encrypted, and cleared of anything you do not need.
Bring your own connection
The official network is professionally run and closely monitored. The NOC regularly discusses what it sees. A hotspot or eSIM lets you make your own choice and move on.
Bring enough battery for it
If your phone is also your hotspot, it will drain quickly. A reliable power bank is worth the extra weight.
Arrive half-empty.
Vendors bring a lot of giveaways, and some of them are genuinely useful. Leave room for what you want to take home. We will have a few things waiting at Booth 5300, too.
The stuff that actually compounds.
Hallway conversations are one of the best parts of Black Hat. A little preparation makes it much easier to remember who you met and follow through when you get home.
Free tool
LinkedIn Phone Background Generator
Put your LinkedIn QR code on your phone lock screen. When a conversation gets good, ask them to scan you. No fumbling.
Record the 30-second debrief
After a good conversation, record the person’s name, company, what you discussed, and anything you promised. By Wednesday, you will be glad you did. Use the flight home to turn those notes into follow-ups.
Book before you land
The spontaneous meetings are part of the fun, but the people you most want to see may already have full calendars. Book the important conversations before conference week.
See our Black Hat scheduleVegas distances are deceptive.
Mandalay Bay is at the far south end of the Strip, and the complex itself is enormous. Plan around where you are staying and give every meeting more travel time than you think it needs.
Mandalay Bay · Delano · Four Seasons
All three connect directly to the convention center, so you can do the whole week without stepping outside. Staying elsewhere usually means rideshares in August traffic.
Mandalay Bay → Luxor → Excalibur
The tram is an easy, air-conditioned way to head north without walking outside or paying a surge price.
Give yourself 20 minutes
A room-to-room walk inside the same complex can take 15–20 minutes. If the meeting matters, leave earlier than feels necessary.
About four miles north
DEF CON is at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Take the tram to Excalibur and the Monorail from MGM Grand, or allow 20–30 minutes for a rideshare.
Mandalay Bay Beach
The pool is genuinely good in August, and plenty of evening events end up there during conference week.
Fine is not why you flew here.
Mandalay Bay’s restaurants are fine, but some of the city’s best food is 10–15 minutes off-Strip. Start with one dinner you can sort out before you arrive.
Dinner with our CTO
We are hosting a small dinner each conference night with a dozen or so security leaders, good food, and an honest conversation. We share the location after confirming your seat.
Lotus of Siam
Regularly called the best Thai restaurant in the country, and it is not really an exaggeration. Get the khao soi and something from the Northern Thai menu. Book ahead; this location is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Raku
Japanese charcoal grill where Strip chefs eat after their own kitchens close. Open until 1 AM, which at this conference is a feature.
Tacos El Gordo
Tijuana-style adobada, gloriously chaotic, and open until 2 AM most nights.
Esther's Kitchen
Handmade pasta worth leaving the Strip bubble for entirely.
Peppermill
Enormous breakfasts under the same neon since 1972, with a James Beard America’s Classics award to prove it is not just nostalgia. Open around the clock most of the week.
Find us at
Booth 5300.
We will be in the Business Hall both days with live demos, the people who build the product, and a few things worth leaving suitcase space for.
Pack the layer. Skip the hotel buffet. Drink the water before you think you need it.