Iceland Packing List: Winter/Early Spring

Let’s face it. Traveling to a cold climate can present many challenges when it comes to packing. Never fear, my fellow wanderluster! I’m here to help you know exactly what you should pack for your Iceland adventure to ensure you not only stay warm but have everything you need for a fabulous trip! My free, thorough, and downloadable Iceland packing list is available at the end of this post for your printing convenience.

Iceland Packing: General Dressing Advice

The key to staying warm and comfortable in Iceland’s temperamental weather is to dress in layers. If you will be exploring Iceland’s natural attractions, you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors; it is very important that your clothing is weather appropriate. I want to look cute and stylish as much as the next person when I travel but Iceland is going to require you to layer warmer items beneath all those trendy clothes. And ditch the idea of wearing your fanciest shoes; they will be ruined at your first stop. Mud is a very real situation in Iceland!

Throughout the remainder of this post, I’ll give you my top suggestions for staying warm and looking cute for all the photos you’ll be sharing to social media. I have linked my suggestions for easy shopping, should you decide to purchase the same items I packed. Don’t forget to download my complete Iceland packing list at the end of this post.

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Layer 1: The Base Layer

Prior to visiting Iceland, I had never owned a pair of long johns in my life; not even while growing up in the snow belt of Northeastern Ohio did I own (nor wear) long johns. However, if there is ever a time to purchase them, it would be for a trip to Iceland and so I did (and you should too!). Essentially, you need a base layer that is going to trap your body heat and keep you nice and toasty for those outdoor excursions and sightseeing opportunities. I opted for close-to-the-body items that were designed for the sole purpose of warmth.

Leggings

I packed these fleece-lined leggings and a pair of “Cuddl Duds” leggings and wore them every day. They fit nicely under jeans and sweatpants while exploring Iceland’s outdoor attractions. I wore them solo while riding in the car or on the plane. The Cuddl Duds were by far the warmest but also the most difficult to get over jeans due to their outward fleecy material. If you need extended sizes, here is a similar pair of fleece-lined leggings and here is a plus sized options for the Cuddl Duds leggings.

Undershirts

I packed two long-sleeved undershirts and wore them under every shirt I brought. The first undershirt was made by Cuddl Duds and fit really nicely under my clothes because it was fairly thin and smooth. The second undershirt was thicker and quite a deal warmer. Because the interior was fleecy, it was a bit bulkier under clothes but not uncomfortably so. There are so many options out there, but both of these worked very well for me. Plus sized Cuddl Duds undershirts are available via the Cuddl Duds website and at Amazon.

Merino Wool is a popular fabric for base layers. I have not personally used merino wool but I’ve read a lot about how effective they are for regulating body temperatures and for being odor resistant (super important for a base layer!).

Socks

Wool and thermal socks play a huge role in keeping those tootsies warm on hikes or even just when walking from the car to an attraction. I purchased several pairs of Columbia thermal socks and found them to be very effective at keeping my feet warm and dry. My favorite socks were the T-Max Heat; they were just the right thickness and did a good job of keeping my feet from freezing.

Layer 2: The Middle Layer

The second/middle layer you wear can easily be the clothes you already own. (Although no judgment from me of you just have to purchase a few more pieces for the trip! That’s pretty much how I roll every time I take a trip!)

Pants

I packed a couple of pairs of jeans (one would have been enough) and two pairs of jogger-style sweatpants. Here and here are some cute styles that are similar to what I wore. Here is a plus-sized option as well. I always choose to pack black pants as they tend to hide stains and wrinkles. Black tends to be easier to dress up if necessary. Since your jeans or sweatpants will go on top of leggings, you’ll want to be sure you pack options that are loose enough to get over the leggings/long johns. Skinny jeans are not your friend in this situation, sadly.

Shirts

I packed two pull-over “hoodies,” a flannel button down shirt, two black turtlenecks, and a crew-neck sweater. The most important note here is to be sure each shirt is loose enough to wear over your base layer yet thin enough to fit under a coat or parka. If you cannot zip your coat because your sweatshirt is too puffy, you’re in a bad spot. Full zipping is a necessity!

Layer 3: The Outer Layer

Coats and Parkas

If you do a little research on coats and parkas, you’ll see there are a ton of options out there and at a variety of costs. You want to pack/wear something that is designed for cold weather and something that is waterproof or water resistant. (Getting misted by a waterfall is inevitable). You also need something that is going to break the wind. As you begin your search for the perfect coat, I would highly encourage you to look for options with down-alternative. If you absolutely must have a down coat, please choose a manufacturer that follows the Responsible Down Standards.

I purchased a Columbia parka with interchange features, allowing me (in theory) to wear the coat in three different ways (although I only used it in its heaviest option.) This coat was warm, functional, and pretty cute! I also purchased a Columbia hooded vest that fit nicely underneath the coat for days when it was really cold. I used the vest in the car while in restaurants. If you need extended sizes, take a peak at this coat and vest.

Wind Pants (Must Pack!)

My Canadian husband first told me about the value of wind pants. And if anyone knows something about dressing for the cold, it’s a Canadian. Not including the coat, these were, by far, the most valuable item I packed. If you haven’t heard, Iceland is one of the windiest places in the world. That winter wind will whip through you like…well…I don’t know what. But I do know that you need to be prepared for some crazy wind! Because you have two layers on underneath them, they don’t get stinky or gross (but they are easy to wash and dry if necessary!). I bought a pair of Columbia wind pants and wore them every single day. These pants look to be a great option for plus sizes.

Hats

Hats are one of the best things you can wear to stay warm. Look, I get it…having hat hair is not great, particularly if you have curly hair like me. But you’ll be wearing that hat everywhere so just roll with it and find hats that are warm, cute, and trendy. There are so many cute options for warm hats. This Columbia hat and this hat are similar options to what I wore.

Scarves

Scarves are a nice thing to throw on top of your coat when the wind is really howling. I used a warm blanket scarf (similar here) and a super thick infinity scarf (similar here) when it got really cold or particularly windy.

Boots and Shoes

Okay, so here’s the thing. If you plan to do any type of hiking (or really getting out of the car at all), you need a good pair of waterproof hiking boots. I find hiking boots to be pretty bulky and not really all that attractive so I also wanted to have a pair of boots that were weather proof (and easy to clean) and that were cute. I found that duck boots were the answer for lighter hiking and walking days. If you’re not in the market to buy both kinds of boots, go with the hiking boots.

There are a lot of hiking boot options out there but you definitely need waterproof and thick-treaded boots. (You need something that will keep you from slipping on the ice and snow as well as something that can be rinsed off after trudging through mud.) Of course there are cute options and trendy boots out there but I can’t vouch for the traction you’ll get from them.

I also took a pair of tennis shoes/sneakers with me to wear on the plane and occasionally in the car.

Gloves

I ended up taking five or six pairs of gloves with me, including Columbia Omni Heat gloves, several pairs of smart-phone friendly gloves (similar here), and even some faux fur mittens (similar here) I had lying around the house. In full disclosure, none of these fully kept my fingers warm. I recommend taking several pairs with you; you may need to dry a pair out in the car or you may drop a glove somewhere on a glacier. You don’t want to be without hand protection!

Iceland Packing: Putting It All Together

It’s easy to over-pack when you travel to colder climates. The dilemma of how you’re going to get all those bulky items into one suitcase is enough to induce anxiety in even the most seasoned traveler. I found that I did not sweat unless I was on a vigorous hike or while ice climbing so wearing the same sweatshirt or leggings a couple of times in a row was not really an issue. Plus, in almost every single picture, I’m wearing my coat and wind pants. No one would ever even know what I was wearing underneath those items so I didn’t need to stress about having something cute or different for each day.

Wear your heavy winter coat onto the plane and consider wearing your hiking boots on the plane as well. That will leave you with more space in your luggage.

Check out my full Iceland packing list at the link below (downloadable and printer-friendly) to ensure you have all the essentials you need to make your trip the best ever. This extended Iceland packing list includes easy to forget items like a swimsuit (for geothermal pools/spas), snacks for the car (because you’ll spend a lot of time in the car), electrical outlet converters (Iceland uses the Euro-plug socket with two round prongs so you’ll need either “C” or “F” type adapter/Northern European adapter), and so much more.

Happy packing!

Downloadable Iceland Packing List

Iceland Packing List PDF (124 downloads )