What to Wear in Iceland, Packing for Glacier Tours

The Layering System

Iceland packing is layering, not single thick garments. The system is three layers, each with a specific job, and the ability to add or remove layers as the weather changes. Icelandic weather is not cold in the absolute sense, it is variable in the practical sense. A morning that starts at 8 degrees with sun can be at 3 degrees with horizontal rain by lunchtime, and you want to be able to respond to that without going back to the hotel.

Base layer (against the skin)

Merino wool or synthetic. Long-sleeve top and long johns. The job of the base layer is to move sweat off your skin so you do not get cold from the inside when you stop walking. This is where most people get it wrong. Cotton does not do this. Cotton absorbs water, holds it against the skin, and continues to cool you down as it dries. The mountaineering rule is "cotton kills," and it applies to Iceland in March as much as it does to Everest in January. Do not wear a cotton t-shirt under your waterproof. Wear a merino or synthetic long-sleeve.

Brands that work: Icebreaker, Smartwool, Patagonia Capilene, Helly Hansen Lifa, Decathlon Forclaz. Avoid: anything 100% cotton, even if it is "thermal cotton" or "performance cotton." It is still cotton.

Mid layer (insulation)

Fleece or lightweight down. The job of the mid layer is to trap warm air. A 200-weight fleece pullover or a thin down jacket works. In summer you can sometimes skip this layer in the morning and add it by lunchtime when the wind picks up. In winter this is the layer that does the most work, and you want it to be substantial without being bulky.

Do not wear a thick ski jacket as your only mid layer. You will be too hot on the walk up the glacier and too cold at the top when you stop for photos. The system is supposed to let you adjust.

Outer shell (wind and rain)

Waterproof and windproof. Hard shell jacket with a hood, taped seams, and a proper storm flap. The outer shell is the layer that actually keeps you dry. It does not need to be warm. It needs to stop water and wind from getting in. A good Gore-Tex or equivalent jacket is the single most important piece of gear on the list, more important than the base layer or the mid layer. A cheap rain jacket will soak through in 30 minutes of Icelandic rain. A good one will keep you dry for 8 hours.

Match the outer shell pants to the jacket. Waterproof trousers with side zips so you can put them on over your hiking boots. You will put these on at the start of the glacier walk and not take them off until you are back at the car.

The Three Things That Are Not on a Standard List

1. Wool socks (not cotton, not synthetic alone)

You will be in your boots for 8 to 13 hours on a south coast day. Your feet will get wet, either from rain, from spray at a waterfall, or from a stream crossing. Wool socks stay warm when wet. Cotton socks do not. Synthetic socks dry faster but do not insulate when wet the way wool does. The best is a merino blend. Bring two pairs so you can rotate.

2. A buff or neck gaiter (not a scarf)

Icelandic wind will find the gap between your jacket collar and your neck. A buff or neck gaiter seals that gap and keeps the wind off your throat. A scarf comes undone. A buff does not. You can also pull it up over your nose and mouth when the wind is bringing horizontal rain, which it will.

3. Waterproof gloves, not just warm gloves

A standard wool or synthetic glove keeps your hands warm. A waterproof shell glove keeps them dry. You need both, and you need the waterproof layer to go over the warm layer, not under. Crampon fitting at the start of a glacier walk requires working with your hands in the cold. Wet gloves at that moment mean the next two hours are miserable.

Feet, the Most Common Mistake

You do not need mountaineering boots for a standard glacier walk. You need hiking boots. The difference is ankle support and a stiff sole. A running shoe will not work. A fashion boot will not work. A leather boot with a smooth sole will not work on wet rock. You want:

• Ankle-height boot with laces you can tighten.
• Vibram or similar lugged sole that grips wet rock and mud.
• Waterproof membrane (Gore-Tex or equivalent) so your feet stay dry during stream crossings and rain.
• Broken in. If the boots are new, walk them around the house or around Reykjavik for three days before the glacier walk. Blisters on a 13-hour day are not recoverable.

Rental boots are available in Reykjavik if you do not want to buy. Most operators include boots in the glacier walk package, so check before you buy. If you are doing the south coast as a self-drive day without a glacier walk, any comfortable waterproof hiking boot works.

Summer vs Winter, What Actually Changes

Less than you think. The layering system is the same. The thicknesses change.

Summer (June, July, August)

Mid layer can be a thin fleece or a light down. You will be too hot in a thick jacket on a sunny day. You will be glad of the same jacket when the wind picks up. Long johns under trousers are sometimes too warm. Trousers alone with a base layer underneath is enough for most people.

Winter (November, December, January, February, March)

Add a thicker mid layer. Insulated trousers under the waterproof shell for the glacier walk. Two pairs of socks. Insulated gloves with a waterproof shell. A thicker hat. The wind is colder and you will not get the same break in the afternoon sun. The system is the same. The thicknesses are doubled.

Shoulder months (April, May, September, October)

Variable. Bring every layer. You will wear all of them on the same day. This is when most visitors mis-pack, because the forecast in May looks like summer and the actual day is winter.

What to Leave at the Hotel

You do not need on a south coast day or a glacier walk:

• Jeans. Any pair of jeans. Even "thermal jeans." They will get wet, they will stay wet, they will make you cold for the rest of the day.
• A single thick down jacket as your only top. You will be too hot on the walk and too cold at the stop.
• Umbrella. Icelandic wind will turn an umbrella inside out within 30 seconds. The umbrella is the universal symbol of a tourist who did not read this list.
• Cotton anything. Socks, t-shirt, hoodie, long johns. All of it. None of it.
• Sandals. Anywhere outside Reykjavik. Even in July. Even in the city, only if you want cold feet.
• A heavy backpack. You will not need 10 kg of gear for a 12-hour day. A small daypack with a waterproof cover, your layers, water, and a snack.

The Three-Minute Packing List

If you do not read anything else, this is the list. It is the same for summer and winter, the thicknesses change but the items do not.

1. Merino or synthetic long-sleeve base layer (top and bottom).
2. 200-weight fleece or lightweight down jacket.
3. Waterproof and windproof hard shell jacket with hood.
4. Waterproof trousers with side zips.
5. Wool hiking socks, two pairs.
6. Waterproof hiking boots, broken in.
7. Waterproof shell gloves plus a thin liner glove.
8. Wool or synthetic beanie that covers your ears.
9. Buff or neck gaiter.
10. Small daypack with a waterproof cover.

That is the list. Ten items. You can fit them all in a 30-litre daypack with room for water, snacks, and a phone. The total weight is about 4 to 5 kg. You will not need anything else on a south coast day or a glacier walk in any season.