Thanks! Great video :) As a Canadian who has clothes for running outdoors all year (including winter), I realize I have pretty well everything I need for Iceland. My main concern is how to keep my wife from overpacking, but that needs a different video ...
Thanks Neil! Exactly, I guess that's really a big advantage for all of us coming from places with cold winters. For me being from Czech Republic, it also wasn't a rocket science, but I can imagine it isn't so straight forward for people from places with all year around summer temperatures. Haha, yeah overpacking that is whole different video. I was planning to do one about minimalist packing in the future. - If you are bored on the airport after your trip you can text me what you wish you had and what things you didn't use at all. I'd be curious to know and it would be really awesome for the video! Just if you have time :) (janiniceland@gmail.com)
Hi Jan, thanks for this video about the best clothes to bring when you visit. Having the proper clothes can make all the difference and help you enjoy your stay. Can definitely relate to your thoughts on wind and Umbrellas. Nothing worse than having a strong wind, invert your umbrella, and make it totally useless for future use. I lived in Downtown Chicago, IL for awhile and during a windy rain you would always see inverted Umbrellas in the trash cans along Michigan Avenue. The old saying of "Experience is the Best Teacher" is so true. So thanks for these helpful hints when planning what to bring and not overpack.
Thank you for sharing this Ben! Similar to your experience from Chicago, I often see broken umbrellas stuffed inside of trash can next to some of Iceland't most popular places. I think that many people mention this online, but some people will just never learn 😄
Extremely helpful and detailed video! Thank you! I've been binge-watching all your videos in the last couple of days and everything is incredibly thoughtful and well thought out. Really hyping me up for my upcoming trip around the end of October / First week of November. Thanks, Jan! X
That means a lot, thank you! Excited for you, fingers crossed for some good weather and clear sky in the evenings so you can also enjoy some proper northern light show :)
I am in Iceland now. I was not prepared for how cold the wind makes it. I live in a snowy mountain town but have never felt cold like here. Like face pain cold…feels like getting slapped and somehow, no matter which way you face, the wind is blowing right at you. Magic wind. My advice is not to bother even bringing a coat…buy one here…they sell the good stuff😀
That's true, it is the wind that will get you 😀 it can be around 0 degrees but the wind makes it feel like -20 C . There're some local brands that make some nice warm coats and down jackets, that's trues, but they can be also very expensive. Btw I hope that you'll still have some reasonable weather for rest of your trip! On the other hand, bad weather can be also a fun part of the whole experience - well at least sometimes 😀
Can you rent a coat? I live somewhere that’s how 9 months out of the year, our winters are about 50* f average I obviously have no need to buy a coat to wear for a few days.
@@ladypink3473I doubt you can, my advice would be to buy an offbrand coat or a brand coat at an outlet. Look for down jackets and especially a shell to put over it. If down jackets get wet they loose warming capabilities. Alternatively synthetic jackets are cheaper and can warm when wet but in my experience keep you less warm. If you can afford it, it’s a good option. Where I live you can find off brand jackets for ~100 bucks. If you don’t think you will ever need it again, look to spend no more than that. Prioritise the outer layer, the wind is way worse than the temperature. You can get by with a low quality jacket if you are properly layered and have a good outer shell jacket… When layering, don’t look for many layers, rather purpose thought ones: -base layer (synthetic rather than merino, stinks way more when you sweat but it’s way cheaper), it’s very important that it sticks to the skin, otherwise it’s useless -second base layer if you are prone to be cold, can be a turtle neck, no need to have it as tight -third layer can be a pile, any tipe of pile, like a north face pile fleece jacket style, can EASILY be off brand to save money. -down jacket or similar -outter shell Tbh you can do with a bit less than that: that combo would keep you warm in -30 celsius +windchill… Avoid being wet at all costs, wet + wind will have you suffering, remember you can also get wet from the inside by sweating, hence don’t exaggerate on the layers and especially have breathable and adherent base layers Hope this helps! Like I said, if you go off brand you can get dressed for under 200$ and seeing as you won’t use it often it can be enough. EDIT: I want to make clear: it’s not about “a coat”, you can be cold on a 700$ coat easily. Layering is more important than having an amazing coat, though sure, that helps
@@rubenbaehler Im going to Iceland 28 oct-4 nov, currently I got these layers: Thermal base Fleece mid Hardshell jacket Do you think this is enough or do I need a down jacket? Video's always talk about summer and winter, but never about spring or fall so I'm not sure what's best in this. If I could save a buck I'd rather not buy a down jacket, unless you think it's absolutely needed even in fall
Thanks for the very useful video, Jan. I was planning to bring an umbrella mostly to protect my wife's camera from rain but it has now been removed from the packing checklist! Cheers!
Hello John, thank you for your comment! If you have extra space and you intend to use it mainly to protect the camera, or maybe walk through Reykjavík streets, you can take it with you and as long as it's not too windy, it could work. But honestly, I've been photographing here for years and never had to use one. There's almost always some wind here and so it rarely rains ,,straight down'' and so as long as it's not pouring rain you can easily shelter the camera with you body from one side :)
@@janiniceland my pleasure, Jan. I enjoy watching your videos. I find them very interesting and informative. This year will be my second time in Iceland. I went last year and spend 12 days touring the Ring Road. There were many tourists at popular spots (diamond beach, sellandlafoss, skogafoss, dettifoss mainly) but the excitement of being there made up for it. I ran out of time to visit the north, so that's my plan this year. To visit snaefelsness peninsula (again) and the westfjords, then going back to the capital and pay a visit to Landmannalaugar and Porsmork. I know, it's a lot of driving. I have 2 weeks to make this itinerary happen. Any tips, advice is more than welcome 😉 👍🏻
@@HarryOsirian Thank you Harry! 2 weeks is plenty of time, totally doable, it sounds like an amazing trip already! I was hoping to do videos on North Iceland and Snæfellsnes so you can look out for those. Westfjords, I really hope I will be able to make it there before the summer. It is one of my favourite areas, but there're so many fjords, hikes, places to see there I feel like I could easily spend a whole month there 😀 do you already know when you're going to travel here?
@@janiniceland Hi Jan, appreciate your response. Yes sir: end of first week of June until end of 3rd week. Last year I travelled the Ring Road and went to Snaefelsness for 2 days. On day one there was a storm going on so sightseeing fell through. The next day the sun was out and I toured the peninsula from 8AM until 10Pm and was amazed at it's vastness and beauty. Arnastapi (Gattkletur) was absolutely amazing and I could have spent a couple days there just watching the cliffs and the magnificent views. So this year I made sure to allocate 3 days to Snaefelsness. Itinerary at the moment: Reykjavik on the first day, then going up to Snaefelsness for 3 days (☺). Then, up to the Westfjords going to Holmavik, Djupavik and arriving at Heyladur for 2 days. Moving on to Isafjordur and was hoping to hike Hornstrandir (Which reminds me : I got to practice hiking right now 🙃). 2 days in Isafjordur, then off to Dynjandi waterfall and stopping at Bildudalur. Then it's back on the road to the more gravelroad/pothole part of the Westfjords (I don't like these kind of roads by the way) : The Gardar Ship, The Latrabjarg cliffs and the Raudisandur beach, before heading back to the South. Of course there will be breaks along the way. Last leg of the itinerary will be going to the Selfoss area for 2 days, taking in a hike at Landmannalaugar and visiting Porsmork. Then heading back to the capital for some rest and heading back home. There you go :-) There's this complete community on Facebook called Iceland - Tips for travelers . You should definitely join. OVer 97 thousand members. We share tips and videos/pictures of our trips to iceland and everyone is really helpful and chill.
.. Lol.. Yeah.. I have to admit I didnt mentioned the costs for clothes I bought before my first Iceland travel in March ... That was more as expected but worth it for me personally since I plan to travel in colder areas more often. Good video.. I will definatly check out these brands. I do love my "Pinewood " Pants.. Summer and Winter ones..
Great video! But you should wear wool, such as a merino vest because it will wick away sweat, yet if get wet (rain storm for example), then wool will remain warm. Whereas synthetics such as thermals, once wet they are cold again the skin, so you risk hypothermia. I realise that wool garments can be costly, but they last a very long time. Best regards, Wendi UK 🌻🌻🌻
Hello Wendi! thank you for sharing this. That's true, wool will keep you warmer if you get wet and cool down. Honestly for me generally either one of those always worked well, but maybe I will have to put them through some hardcore back to back testing to decide which material is better in which situation. ,,Testing base layers in harsh Icelandic weather'' - maybe a future video 😃✌
Merino wool is awesome! You can wear it for days without odor and it dries so fast that you can rinse it in the sink and it will be dry by morning. Hideous price, but I haven't checked a bag since I got merino wool. I'm not happy with the few merino wool pants available. They have much more synthetic in the blend and I find them uncomfortable.
I went 4 times to Iceland in winter. I was wearing shorts 95% of the time. But the gloves are a problem. When it is -10C with a strong wind and you want to film the Strokkur, and it waits 10 minutes before erupting, you cannot wear gloves while holding the camera. And then your hands are frozen before the eruption starts.
Yeah im dealing with this painful problem all the time here. 😃I've cut of the tip of the thumb and index finger on one my gloves, which works, but you know how it is, often it is just more comfortable to not wear any gloves (and regret later haha)
I think that people here don't really care. There's also quite a rich hunting community in Iceland, so you might actually blend in quite well, no pun intended
@@janiniceland I haven't seen any photos of Iceland where American camo would work. Wouldn't I need something that looked like rocks? 😉 But if nobody cares I can save a lot of money on clothing. What game do they hunt in Iceland? Are there any tours?
@@TheRealJBMcMunn Hah true, moss and rocks. But we have a lot of blueberry fields, small bushes, grass lands and forests here and there, too. - I don't really have much of hunting experience but as far as I know it's reindeer and then birds like ptarmigan or goose - I think Iceland Outfitters do some personalised hunting tours, but I would do more research, google ,hunting guide in Iceland' or something like that
I'm hoping to go on my first retreat with a group from the US and im already overwhelmed lol. Right now the stress is coming from comparing flight prices on the decision of if I need a check in luggage or not. Trip is 7 days
@@life_with_emely it depends, if you’re traveling by car and not planning any long hikes and stuff I think you can travel with only hand luggage - what I often do is travel with 30l backpack even though it’s way bigger than allowed - then before boarding I literaly just put on all the clothes and stuff as many thinkgs into my pockets and leave the pack half full fold it and always managed to stuff it into their stupid luggage size control box. One you get through, you put everything back into the pack or strap on it. And if you need anything else while in Iceland, just you can always rent it or buy it or get on budget from places like red cross
@@janiniceland Thank you for these tips! I didn't even think about connecting with red cross when there in case I didn't pack warm enough. I've been watching a couple of your videos as well as others on TH-cam to see how everyone packs warm for the winter. So we will see if I can get away with a personal and carry on. I have time as its in February, but I definitely wanted to do more research before getting the tickets as not having a check in luggage could save me a lil over $100, maybe even $200. I appreciate your help again!
@@life_with_emely no I get it, it’s better to spend money on something more reasonable than luggage. I am actually planning to make a video on this topic not later than this fall so stay tuned :)
Great video….I have everything on your list but will buy some waterproof gloves❤ Some people say the thermal pools can damage the coatings on prescription glasses so I will be bring an old pair for the bath. Thank you 🤗😀
➡ My newest guide/map is out! Check-it out and start planning your trip right now : bit.ly/janiniceland-map
Thanks! Great video :) As a Canadian who has clothes for running outdoors all year (including winter), I realize I have pretty well everything I need for Iceland. My main concern is how to keep my wife from overpacking, but that needs a different video ...
Thanks Neil! Exactly, I guess that's really a big advantage for all of us coming from places with cold winters. For me being from Czech Republic, it also wasn't a rocket science, but I can imagine it isn't so straight forward for people from places with all year around summer temperatures.
Haha, yeah overpacking that is whole different video. I was planning to do one about minimalist packing in the future. - If you are bored on the airport after your trip you can text me what you wish you had and what things you didn't use at all. I'd be curious to know and it would be really awesome for the video! Just if you have time :) (janiniceland@gmail.com)
I'll be there soon. Thanks for the video. The umbrella video alone was worth it, LOL!
Enjoy your trip! Haha yeah he’s got some fun videos on his channel!
Hi Jan, thanks for this video about the best clothes to bring when you visit. Having the proper clothes can make all the difference and help you enjoy your stay.
Can definitely relate to your thoughts on wind and Umbrellas. Nothing worse than having a strong wind, invert your umbrella, and make it totally useless for future use. I lived in Downtown Chicago, IL for awhile and during a windy rain you would always see inverted Umbrellas in the trash cans along Michigan Avenue.
The old saying of "Experience is the Best Teacher" is so true. So thanks for these helpful hints when planning what to bring and not overpack.
Thank you for sharing this Ben! Similar to your experience from Chicago, I often see broken umbrellas stuffed inside of trash can next to some of Iceland't most popular places. I think that many people mention this online, but some people will just never learn 😄
Extremely helpful and detailed video! Thank you! I've been binge-watching all your videos in the last couple of days and everything is incredibly thoughtful and well thought out. Really hyping me up for my upcoming trip around the end of October / First week of November. Thanks, Jan! X
That means a lot, thank you! Excited for you, fingers crossed for some good weather and clear sky in the evenings so you can also enjoy some proper northern light show :)
I am in Iceland now. I was not prepared for how cold the wind makes it. I live in a snowy mountain town but have never felt cold like here. Like face pain cold…feels like getting slapped and somehow, no matter which way you face, the wind is blowing right at you. Magic wind. My advice is not to bother even bringing a coat…buy one here…they sell the good stuff😀
That's true, it is the wind that will get you 😀 it can be around 0 degrees but the wind makes it feel like -20 C . There're some local brands that make some nice warm coats and down jackets, that's trues, but they can be also very expensive. Btw I hope that you'll still have some reasonable weather for rest of your trip! On the other hand, bad weather can be also a fun part of the whole experience - well at least sometimes 😀
Can you rent a coat? I live somewhere that’s how 9 months out of the year, our winters are about 50* f average
I obviously have no need to buy a coat to wear for a few days.
@@ladypink3473I doubt you can, my advice would be to buy an offbrand coat or a brand coat at an outlet. Look for down jackets and especially a shell to put over it. If down jackets get wet they loose warming capabilities. Alternatively synthetic jackets are cheaper and can warm when wet but in my experience keep you less warm. If you can afford it, it’s a good option. Where I live you can find off brand jackets for ~100 bucks. If you don’t think you will ever need it again, look to spend no more than that. Prioritise the outer layer, the wind is way worse than the temperature. You can get by with a low quality jacket if you are properly layered and have a good outer shell jacket…
When layering, don’t look for many layers, rather purpose thought ones:
-base layer (synthetic rather than merino, stinks way more when you sweat but it’s way cheaper), it’s very important that it sticks to the skin, otherwise it’s useless
-second base layer if you are prone to be cold, can be a turtle neck, no need to have it as tight
-third layer can be a pile, any tipe of pile, like a north face pile fleece jacket style, can EASILY be off brand to save money.
-down jacket or similar
-outter shell
Tbh you can do with a bit less than that: that combo would keep you warm in -30 celsius +windchill…
Avoid being wet at all costs, wet + wind will have you suffering, remember you can also get wet from the inside by sweating, hence don’t exaggerate on the layers and especially have breathable and adherent base layers
Hope this helps! Like I said, if you go off brand you can get dressed for under 200$ and seeing as you won’t use it often it can be enough.
EDIT: I want to make clear: it’s not about “a coat”, you can be cold on a 700$ coat easily. Layering is more important than having an amazing coat, though sure, that helps
@@rubenbaehler Im going to Iceland 28 oct-4 nov, currently I got these layers:
Thermal base
Fleece mid
Hardshell jacket
Do you think this is enough or do I need a down jacket? Video's always talk about summer and winter, but never about spring or fall so I'm not sure what's best in this. If I could save a buck I'd rather not buy a down jacket, unless you think it's absolutely needed even in fall
I think Arctic Adventures offers coat, boot, and other items.
Thanks for the very useful video, Jan. I was planning to bring an umbrella mostly to protect my wife's camera from rain but it has now been removed from the packing checklist! Cheers!
Hello John, thank you for your comment! If you have extra space and you intend to use it mainly to protect the camera, or maybe walk through Reykjavík streets, you can take it with you and as long as it's not too windy, it could work. But honestly, I've been photographing here for years and never had to use one. There's almost always some wind here and so it rarely rains ,,straight down'' and so as long as it's not pouring rain you can easily shelter the camera with you body from one side :)
@@janiniceland Thanks, Jan!
I'd add quickdry towels for the many thermals around the country. PAck 2 and a quickdry bag
Hi Harry, towel is definitely a good idea, thanks for sharing!
@@janiniceland my pleasure, Jan. I enjoy watching your videos. I find them very interesting and informative. This year will be my second time in Iceland. I went last year and spend 12 days touring the Ring Road. There were many tourists at popular spots (diamond beach, sellandlafoss, skogafoss, dettifoss mainly) but the excitement of being there made up for it. I ran out of time to visit the north, so that's my plan this year. To visit snaefelsness peninsula (again) and the westfjords, then going back to the capital and pay a visit to Landmannalaugar and Porsmork. I know, it's a lot of driving. I have 2 weeks to make this itinerary happen. Any tips, advice is more than welcome 😉 👍🏻
@@HarryOsirian Thank you Harry! 2 weeks is plenty of time, totally doable, it sounds like an amazing trip already! I was hoping to do videos on North Iceland and Snæfellsnes so you can look out for those. Westfjords, I really hope I will be able to make it there before the summer. It is one of my favourite areas, but there're so many fjords, hikes, places to see there I feel like I could easily spend a whole month there 😀 do you already know when you're going to travel here?
@@janiniceland Hi Jan, appreciate your response. Yes sir: end of first week of June until end of 3rd week. Last year I travelled the Ring Road and went to Snaefelsness for 2 days. On day one there was a storm going on so sightseeing fell through. The next day the sun was out and I toured the peninsula from 8AM until 10Pm and was amazed at it's vastness and beauty. Arnastapi (Gattkletur) was absolutely amazing and I could have spent a couple days there just watching the cliffs and the magnificent views. So this year I made sure to allocate 3 days to Snaefelsness. Itinerary at the moment: Reykjavik on the first day, then going up to Snaefelsness for 3 days (☺). Then, up to the Westfjords going to Holmavik, Djupavik and arriving at Heyladur for 2 days. Moving on to Isafjordur and was hoping to hike Hornstrandir (Which reminds me : I got to practice hiking right now 🙃). 2 days in Isafjordur, then off to Dynjandi waterfall and stopping at Bildudalur. Then it's back on the road to the more gravelroad/pothole part of the Westfjords (I don't like these kind of roads by the way) : The Gardar Ship, The Latrabjarg cliffs and the Raudisandur beach, before heading back to the South. Of course there will be breaks along the way. Last leg of the itinerary will be going to the Selfoss area for 2 days, taking in a hike at Landmannalaugar and visiting Porsmork. Then heading back to the capital for some rest and heading back home. There you go :-) There's this complete community on Facebook called Iceland - Tips for travelers . You should definitely join. OVer 97 thousand members. We share tips and videos/pictures of our trips to iceland and everyone is really helpful and chill.
@@janiniceland I'm definitely looking forward to your videos
I’ll be there 28 October and I’m just so excited
excited for you! have a great stay in Iceland :)
@@janiniceland thank you 🥰
I'm going tomorrow 😊
@@tracylowe9994 Have a great trip Tracy! :)
@@tracylowe9994hi! I’m going in two weeks. How did you pack?
.. Lol.. Yeah.. I have to admit I didnt mentioned the costs for clothes I bought before my first Iceland travel in March ... That was more as expected but worth it for me personally since I plan to travel in colder areas more often. Good video.. I will definatly check out these brands. I do love my "Pinewood " Pants.. Summer and Winter ones..
These are excellent suggestions. Thank you 😊
Great advice, all waterproof & layers. I’m off to the travel agent to look at flights tomorrow 👍
Thank you Kate! If there's anything I could help with, feel free to ask :)
@@janiniceland that very kind of you 🙏🏼
Great video! But you should wear wool, such as a merino vest because it will wick away sweat, yet if get wet (rain storm for example), then wool will remain warm. Whereas synthetics such as thermals, once wet they are cold again the skin, so you risk hypothermia. I realise that wool garments can be costly, but they last a very long time. Best regards, Wendi UK 🌻🌻🌻
Hello Wendi! thank you for sharing this. That's true, wool will keep you warmer if you get wet and cool down. Honestly for me generally either one of those always worked well, but maybe I will have to put them through some hardcore back to back testing to decide which material is better in which situation. ,,Testing base layers in harsh Icelandic weather'' - maybe a future video 😃✌
Merino wool is awesome! You can wear it for days without odor and it dries so fast that you can rinse it in the sink and it will be dry by morning.
Hideous price, but I haven't checked a bag since I got merino wool. I'm not happy with the few merino wool pants available. They have much more synthetic in the blend and I find them uncomfortable.
I went 4 times to Iceland in winter. I was wearing shorts 95% of the time. But the gloves are a problem. When it is -10C with a strong wind and you want to film the Strokkur, and it waits 10 minutes before erupting, you cannot wear gloves while holding the camera. And then your hands are frozen before the eruption starts.
Yeah im dealing with this painful problem all the time here. 😃I've cut of the tip of the thumb and index finger on one my gloves, which works, but you know how it is, often it is just more comfortable to not wear any gloves (and regret later haha)
How do Icelanders view wearing hunting camo? That's the only cold weather gear I have.
I think that people here don't really care. There's also quite a rich hunting community in Iceland, so you might actually blend in quite well, no pun intended
@@janiniceland I haven't seen any photos of Iceland where American camo would work. Wouldn't I need something that looked like rocks? 😉
But if nobody cares I can save a lot of money on clothing.
What game do they hunt in Iceland? Are there any tours?
@@TheRealJBMcMunn Hah true, moss and rocks. But we have a lot of blueberry fields, small bushes, grass lands and forests here and there, too.
- I don't really have much of hunting experience but as far as I know it's reindeer and then birds like ptarmigan or goose
- I think Iceland Outfitters do some personalised hunting tours, but I would do more research, google ,hunting guide in Iceland' or something like that
Thanks for sharing .
I'm hoping to go on my first retreat with a group from the US and im already overwhelmed lol. Right now the stress is coming from comparing flight prices on the decision of if I need a check in luggage or not. Trip is 7 days
@@life_with_emely it depends, if you’re traveling by car and not planning any long hikes and stuff I think you can travel with only hand luggage - what I often do is travel with 30l backpack even though it’s way bigger than allowed - then before boarding I literaly just put on all the clothes and stuff as many thinkgs into my pockets and leave the pack half full fold it and always managed to stuff it into their stupid luggage size control box. One you get through, you put everything back into the pack or strap on it. And if you need anything else while in Iceland, just you can always rent it or buy it or get on budget from places like red cross
@@janiniceland Thank you for these tips! I didn't even think about connecting with red cross when there in case I didn't pack warm enough. I've been watching a couple of your videos as well as others on TH-cam to see how everyone packs warm for the winter. So we will see if I can get away with a personal and carry on.
I have time as its in February, but I definitely wanted to do more research before getting the tickets as not having a check in luggage could save me a lil over $100, maybe even $200. I appreciate your help again!
@@life_with_emely no I get it, it’s better to spend money on something more reasonable than luggage. I am actually planning to make a video on this topic not later than this fall so stay tuned :)
@@janiniceland I have the notification bell on and ready to go haha! Have a great one (:
Great video….I have everything on your list but will buy some waterproof gloves❤ Some people say the thermal pools can damage the coatings on prescription glasses so I will be bring an old pair for the bath. Thank you 🤗😀
Sir how much temperature falls in winter
It depends. It is usually around 0 to -10 celsius (occasionally it can drop down to -15) but the wind makes it feel like -20 or more 😄
thanks
How is the weather in April ?
can be still pretty cold, bring winter clothes :)
Can we wear leather jacket ?
if it keeps you warm and dry then go for it :)
This is very useful but man the chimes you used are giving me anxiety :D This is the sound of Google Chat notification :E
@@pdcichosz haha is it? I had no idea, my bad 😅
@@janiniceland yes, it's either identical or near identical. I'm using Chat at work so it's an instant trigger 😅
Excellent. Thanks.
Of course :) Glad it's helpful!
Why should baselayer not be cotton, is it just for it to not get wet easily or is it also not warm enough like merino wool?
So psyched. We have sun all week. Miracle. Iol
That is a miracle considering all the bad weather we've had this summer haha! Lucky you!