Hacker Summer Camp: Navigating Def Con, Black Hat, and BSides
These three events run back-to-back in Las Vegas each summer and draw overlapping crowds. You can treat them as one extended trip if you plan the logistics and daily rhythm in advance.
Lock in dates, flights, and rooms first
Black Hat runs the week before Def Con. BSides sits in between or overlaps slightly. Book the flight that lands mid-week so you reach the first Black Hat sessions without a red-eye scramble. Hotel rates jump once Def Con registration opens, so reserve early and pick a spot on the monorail line.
- Black Hat: Tuesday through Friday at the Mandalay Bay
- BSides Las Vegas: Usually the Saturday before Def Con
- Def Con: Thursday through Sunday at the Caesars properties
Black Hat briefings and training choices
Start here if your work covers tools or policy that vendors will pitch. The main briefing tracks move fast; pick two sessions per day instead of trying to hop rooms. Training classes run in the same venue and give you a badge that also works for the expo floor. Many attendees skip the vendor booths after the first day once they have the specific demos they need.
BSides as the low-pressure middle day
BSides fills the gap with single-track talks in a smaller hotel. Lines stay short and speakers stay after their slots. Use the afternoon to test tools you heard about at Black Hat or to meet people who will be at Def Con villages later. Bring cash for the occasional hardware badge add-on that appears at the registration table.
| Event | Best for | Typical crowd size |
|---|---|---|
| Black Hat | Vendor briefings and paid training | Medium, badge-checked |
| BSides | Community talks and quick networking | Smaller, open entry |
| Def Con | Hands-on villages and evening events | Largest, badge-optional after day one |
Def Con villages and daily flow
Pick two villages max. The lockpicking and hardware areas stay busy from opening until late afternoon; the wireless and car hacking rooms thin out after dinner. Carry a small power bank because outlets disappear once talks start. If you need a quieter reset, the pool at the Flamingo or Linq works better than the main conference areas during peak hours.