Every team must have access to at least the following:
1) One LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Kit {RCX, NXT or EV3]
2) One field setup kit for the challenge year (which is a custom collection of LEGO elements plus the challenge mat): Exactly 1 can be ordered for each registered eam
3) A computer (laptop preferred) and A place to work (including a challenge table or equivalent).
For the LEGO Mindstorms robotics kit, there are different “bundles” of the education kit including the “FLL Bundle” described here. None of the prices below includes tax/shipping.
This will be updated to handle EV3 once things are clearer (retail version just released 9/1/2013)
http://robotsquare.com/2012/02/18/understanding-nxt-versions/
There are 2 primary types of Mindstorms NXT kits: the Retail Kit and the Education Kit. The retail kit is purchased at a “normal” store like Target, Fry’s or even lego.com and generally comes in a blue “paper” box. The Education kit can only be purchased through LEGO Education (aka Pitsco) and comes in a plastic box.
The primary difference between the retail version and the education version is in the software tutorial section. The retail version is oriented to a parent/child working over a weekend(s) in long sections and the education version is oriented to the classroom setting with many, small (~40min) sections.
The only time you have to worry about software is when you only order #W979797 Base Education Kit: through LEGO Education – the software must be ordered separately. This makes sense when you recognize that most schools that order this kit already have the site license (see below) and don’t need to pay for additional software license(s).
If you already have the retail kit version, at a minimum, I would recommend at least adding the DC rechargeable battery (and charger) to your retail kit. Then, adding a few sensors/motors/parts (if/as needed) either from LEGO Education or bricklink or possibly ebay, etc. Watch to make sure that you are purchasing correct sensors – they must be specific type and function.
If you don’t have either kit, I would recommend the FLL Bundle kit that you can buy when you register. The reason is mostly because it includes “easier-to-digest” education-version tutorials, has 1200+ pieces and includes the DC rechargeable battery and charger.
Here are the break downs (and 2011 pricing) for each version:
LEGO NXT Education Version (legoeducation.us) of the “FLL Bundle”:
#W979797 Base Education Kit: $279.95 437 pieces (peeron list of included pieces) (includes DC Rechargeable battery pack)
#W979695 Education Resource Set: $99.95 817 pieces (bricklink inventory)
#W900080 Mindstorms NXT-G 2.1 Software (Team license): $ 79.95 (single computer license) OR
$339.95 (site/school license to serve multiple teams)
$459.85 total for a single computer license
The FLL Team Bundle price that includes 1254 pieces with team NXT-G software license for $420, a slight savings compared to purchasing each individually. This bundle can be ordered when you register for a FLL Team at gofll.usfirst.org.
LEGO NXT Retail Version (many sources) #8547 [NXT1.0 version is 8527]:
Retail NXT2.0 includes 619 pieces (peeron list of included pieces) for $279.99 (6-AA battery pack only) and includes retail version of software for a single computer use
Strongly Recommended: Add from LEGO Education DC Rechargeable battery pack & DC charger is $54.99 + $24.99 = $79.98
$359.97 total
If you added the education resource kit, you will get more parts [817+619=1436] than the FLL Bundle, for $459.92 (vs $420).