How do Icelanders dress in the winter?
This is a popular question we get here at IcelandCover.
Many tourists that come to Iceland aren’t quite sure what they really need.
Some have bought expensive winter coats and clothing and when they arrive it’s around 10°C without any rain or snow.
It’s needless to say that it is not a good investment if they aren’t going to use the clothes often in their home country.
The locals in Reykjavík always own their own jackets and usually a good winter coat or a parka for the coldest months.
Good boots are also essential for every person here. Not everyone here has their own outdoor pants, but they are still good to own.
If you are planning on traveling a lot I recommend you have a pair of outdoor pants, and if you are wondering if you should go for a jacket or a parka,
I definitely would go for the parka.
Why?
The reason is that you can always check the weather forecast in Iceland, it’s just not as accurate as in most countries.
The weather shifts in a blink of an eye and it can start to snow, even if the forecast said it would be clear skies. It’s just a safer option to go with a jacket, whether it’s a rain jacket or just a simple windbreaker.
And if it’s warm outside, it’s easy to just zip down the zipper and/or take off your layers beneath.
I mentioned the boots earlier.
In the wintertime, it often snows here in Iceland (Captain Obvious, I know).
If the snow starts to melt, which is very common, your sneakers will soak in a matter of seconds. Most people don’t like that so we all have our good winter boots on standby during the winter season.
If the snow doesn’t melt, your feet will get very cold in the sneakers.
Bottom line; we all have our boots in our closet, ready to take them out when it starts to snow!
A popular question people ask me is if they should go for the raincoat or if a windbreaker is enough. Usually, it’s safer to go with a raincoat, as they are isolated and can withstand the wind as easily as the windbreakers.
The windbreaker can be a better option during the summer when it’s too hot for an isolated rain jacket.
Ergo: If you want to be sure that you will not get cold and/or wet, go with the rain jacket.
If you are feeling confident the weather will be mild, go for the windbreaker!
If you’re still wondering what clothes you should bring/buy/rent for your trip to Iceland, shoot me a mail at icelandcover@icelandcover.com and I’ll get back to you in minutes!
Stay warm!
