One big question I have been asked regularly after travelling to Iceland is What to wear in Iceland during winter?
The weather in Iceland is quite unpredictable and you might get to experience all seasons in one day. This means one should be well prepared and wear several layers of clothing at all times. Here’s a breakup of what I wore during my winter trip and even though I looked like a penguin, I was warm & comfortable throughout.
Also Read: All things Iceland: Important tips for your first Iceland trip
Head
A warm woolen cap is an absolute essential and to make it more photogenic try some colorful beanie or a pom pom hat.
A lot of people don’t mention it but neck warmer is a life saver guys! It will shield your neck and face, the most exposed parts of your body, from the bone-chilling winds. Trust me, I had missed this and had to purchase it from Iceland which made my life so much better.
Upper Body
Four layers of warm clothing is good enough to get you through the Icelandic winters. These layers will trap the warmth generated by the body, shielding it from the cold winds outside.
#1 Thermal Baselayer: Go for breathable thermal inner wear that manages moisture and keeps you dry from inside. I recommend going for Merino wool as it is warm and odour-less so I didn’t have to worry about washing them for the entire duration of my trip
#2 T-shirt: A regular full-sleeve T-shirt
#3 Woolen sweater: Two woolen sweaters are good enough for a week-long trip
#4 Waterproof & Windproof outer jacket: will be your BFF in the harsh winter. If you are buying from Decathalon, you can simply select a 3-in-1 winter jacket that has been tested for upto -10 degree Celsius
#5 Windproof gloves: will protect your hands from the wind chill. Water resistance is nice to have especially if you’ve planned for any outdoor adventure activity. Here’s the link of mine from Decathalon India
Lower Body:
#1 Thermal Base: preferably Merino wool
#2 Waterproof & Windproof Hiking pants: I purchased mine from Decathalon India
#4 Waterproof snow hiking boots: sturdy waterproof shoes are a must-have as you’ll be walking across snow & slushy ice and the last thing you would want is to trip or get your feet wet. I recommend the women hiking snow boots from Decathalon or something on similar lines.
Here’s the cost breakup of all of the above items that I purchased:
| Jacket (with an outer windproof shell and inner warm jacket) | $88 |
| Snow hiking boot | $48 |
| Thermal Base layer | $40 |
| Windproof gloves | $17 |
| Hiking pants | $40 |
| Woolen socks (2 pairs) | $13.5 |
| Beanie hat | $6.5 |
| Total Cost | $253 |
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Iceland has long been on my list – this is super helpful info! I wouldn’t have thought about the neck warmer!
Hi there – thanks for putting this list together. We hope to visit Iceland (from the US) someday. Your photos are beautiful. Can’t wait to read Driving in Iceland – Key Tips for your Road Trip next!
I’m hoping to visit Iceland in August 2021 – hopefully international travel is possible again by then! In the meantime I’m having fun planning an Iceland trip. Thanks for this great packing guide, will definitely be investing in some of these items to wear.
Great post! I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland! I will definitely have to come back to this post before packing!
Ohh nice! Iceland has always been on my travel bucket list! Winter in Iceland must have been super cold – I can’t begin to imagine it! Haha I get cold easily so I’ll definitely take note of bringing a neck warmer! 🙂
I wish I had read this before I went. My pants and jacket were the worst and so were my boots! Waterproof would have been so much better for our winter hiking.
Thanks for the tips. Iceland is on my bucket list of places to go and see. I am so cold natured that I am not sure any amount of clothing could keep me warm. 🙂
This is a perfect list of what to wear in Iceland in the winter. It’s on my bucket list so definitely pinning so I can reference when I go.
Can’t wait to visit Iceland! I’d definitely say windproof hiking pants are a must. I live in Canada and go hiking in -20 weather in just regular leggings and my legs are frozen haha. I need to get some of these too. Great tips – I’ll be sure to refer to these when we go!
What a great blog. Super informative!
This is so good to know!! Iceland is high on my bucket list when we can travel again!
I want to go to Iceland this year actually! Thank you for posting this. I want to be prepared if I ever do end up buying my ticket.
Thanks for all the information! I am always cold in winter haha
Good tips! Materials and layers make all the difference. I had to teach a Brazilian friend to wear merino wool layer underneath in winter, but she wasn’t freezing after that.
I visited Iceland in 2018 and would love to go again! Thanks for sharing this helpful list
This is such a handy guide! I was supposed to be visiting Iceland in November last year for our honeymoon but unfortunately the wedding was cancelled due to Covid. We’re hoping for a 2022 wedding instead and a November 2022 honeymoon in Iceland so I’ll definitely be keeping the guide handy…last time I visited in March and I remember how cold it was! Thanks for the great guide!
Thank you so much for the tips! We visited in May so just missed out on the winter weather, but hope to go back in the winter at some point.
I went to Iceland in summer and it was still chilly. But wow I’m glad for the tips for winter!