Iceland packing list
Pack for wind and rain, not for the thermometer. All year you need a hooded jacket that stops wind and rain, a wool sweater or fleece, quick-drying trousers, waterproof boots with grip and a swimsuit. From November to March add ice cleats, an insulated jacket, a warm hat and mittens; from May to July, a sleep mask for nights that never get dark.
What to pack for Iceland in October
Pick your month. Every item is graded on that month's numbers for Reykjavík, with the reason it's there.
Clothes
- Wind averages 4.4 m/s (10 mph) and rain or snow falls on 13 days. A hood beats an umbrella.
- An average day feels like 1 °C (34 °F) in the wind. Wool stays warm when damp.
- Rain or snow on 13 days a month. Wet jeans stay cold for hours.
- Synthetic trousers dry in an hour; denim takes all day.
- With a feels-like of 1 °C (34 °F), the layer next to your skin matters most.
- Under the shell for standing still: aurora nights, whale-watching boats.
- At 1 °C (34 °F) in the wind you'll want it every day.
- Mittens over thin liner gloves: warm, and you can still use the camera.
- Pull it over your face when the wind picks up. A scarf just flaps.
Feet
- Snow or sleet falls on 4 days. Waterproof, with real grip, not trainers.
- Wool stays warm when damp but dries slowly, so bring spares.
- Nights still freeze in Mývatn at -1.2 °C (30 °F) and Þingvellir at -0.4 °C (31 °F), and paths at viewpoints ice over.
Also in the bag
- Nearly every town has a geothermal pool, open all year, with hot tubs at 38 °C (100 °F) or more.
- At noon the sun is only 17° up: low, and straight in your eyes on the road.
- 10 h 45 min of dark sky a night: a red light keeps your eyes ready for the aurora.
- Icelandic tap water is excellent and free; bottled water is a waste.
- Iceland uses European two-pin plugs (type C and F) at 230 V.
The year-round core
Essential in every month, whatever the season.
- Waterproof and windproof jacket with a hoodThe one thing Icelanders never leave home without. It has to stop wind as well as rain — 'water-resistant' isn't enough — and the hood does the umbrella's job.
- Wool sweater or fleeceA lopapeysa (Icelandic wool sweater) or a fleece. Wool keeps you warm even when damp, which in Iceland it will be.
- Quick-drying hiking trousersSynthetic hiking trousers dry in an hour. Jeans soaked by waterfall spray stay cold for the rest of the day.
- Waterproof boots with a grippy soleBlack-sand beaches, wet lava, muddy trails and icy car parks. Waterproof with a grippy sole; trainers won't do.
- Wool socks (several pairs)Wool, and spares: they keep you warm when damp but dry slowly.
- SwimsuitHot pools are how Iceland relaxes. Nearly every town has one, open all year, rain or snow.
- Plug adapter for type C/F socketsEuropean two-pin plugs (type C and F), 230 V.
Leave at home
- An umbrella
Reykjavík has gale-force wind on about 9 days a year and Vestmannaeyjar averages 10.7 m/s (24 mph). Rain comes sideways; an umbrella flips at the first gust.
- Jeans as your only trousers
Fine for a dry evening in town. Soaked through on a waterfall path, they stay cold and heavy for the rest of the day.
- A cotton hoodie as your warm layer
Cotton soaks up rain and sweat and stops insulating. Wool or fleece keeps working when damp.
- Trainers or sandals as your only shoes
Black-sand beaches, wet lava trails and icy car parks need a waterproof sole with grip.
- Dressy outfits
Iceland is casual: outdoor gear is normal in Reykjavík's restaurants and bars. Pack layers, not looks.
What each season adds
On top of the core. Typical temperatures and daylight in Reykjavík.
Winter
- Temperature
- -2° – 5°
- Daylight
- 4 h 12 min – 11 h 44 min
- Waterproof over-trousers
- Thermal base layer (top and leggings)
- Insulated jacket (synthetic or down)
- Warm hat
- Gloves or mittens
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Ice cleats (microspikes)
- Sunglasses
- Head torch
- Refillable water bottle
Spring and autumn
- Temperature
- 1° – 11°
- Daylight
- 9 h 48 min – 18 h 26 min
- Waterproof over-trousers
- Warm hat
- Thermal base layer (top and leggings)
- Insulated jacket (synthetic or down)
- Gloves or mittens
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Ice cleats (microspikes)
- Sunglasses
- Sleep mask
- Head torch
- Refillable water bottle
Summer
- Temperature
- 7° – 15°
- Daylight
- 16 h 23 min – 21 h 3 min
- Sleep mask
- Waterproof over-trousers
- Thermal base layer (top and leggings)
- Warm hat
- Gloves or mittens
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
Month by month
Reykjavík, Icelandic Met Office 1991–2020 averages. Daylight on the 1st and the last day.
| Month | Low – high | Feels like | Wet days | Daylight | Add to the core |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2° – 3° | -4° | 15 | 4 h 25 min → 7 h 3 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Insulated jacket (synthetic or down), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter, Ice cleats (microspikes), Sunglasses, Head torch |
| February | -2° – 3° | -5° | 15 | 7 h 9 min → 10 h 6 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Insulated jacket (synthetic or down), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter, Ice cleats (microspikes), Sunglasses |
| March | -1° – 4° | -3° | 14 | 10 h 12 min → 13 h 28 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Insulated jacket (synthetic or down), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter, Ice cleats (microspikes) |
| April | 1° – 7° | 0° | 12 | 13 h 35 min → 16 h 47 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter |
| May | 4° – 10° | 4° | 11 | 16 h 53 min → 20 h 4 min | Warm hat, Sleep mask |
| June | 7° – 13° | 8° | 9 | 20 h 9 min → 20 h 53 min | Sleep mask |
| July | 9° – 15° | 12° | 10 | 20 h 50 min → 18 h 2 min | Sleep mask |
| August | 9° – 14° | 11° | 12 | 17 h 55 min → 14 h 38 min | — |
| September | 6° – 11° | 6° | 15 | 14 h 32 min → 11 h 25 min | Waterproof over-trousers |
| October | 3° – 8° | 1° | 13 | 11 h 19 min → 8 h 5 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Sunglasses |
| November | 0° – 5° | -2° | 14 | 7 h 58 min → 5 h 5 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Insulated jacket (synthetic or down), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter, Ice cleats (microspikes), Sunglasses, Head torch |
| December | -2° – 3° | -4° | 15 | 5 h → 4 h 21 min | Waterproof over-trousers, Thermal base layer (top and leggings), Insulated jacket (synthetic or down), Warm hat, Gloves or mittens, Buff or neck gaiter, Ice cleats (microspikes), Sunglasses, Head torch |
For what you're doing
The weather decides most of the list. What you'll be doing decides the rest.
Hot pools and lagoons
Every town's geothermal pool is open in all weathers. Icelandic pools require you to shower without your swimsuit before you get in; it's the rule and attendants enforce it. At the Blue Lagoon the silica dries out hair, so condition it first or keep it out of the water.
- Swimsuit
- Quick-dry towel (or rent one)
- Flip-flops
- Hair conditioner
Northern lights nights
You'll stand still in the dark for an hour or more, often in frost, so pack for colder than the day. Cold drains phone and camera batteries fast: keep a spare in an inside pocket.
- Insulated jacket
- Insulated boots or two pairs of wool socks
- Mittens and a warm hat
- Head torch with a red light
- Spare battery
- Small tripod
Glacier hikes and ice caves
Tours provide the crampons, helmet and harness. Your part is boots stiff enough to take crampons (most tours rent them) and clothes that keep the wind and wet out. The ice glares even under cloud.
- Stiff waterproof hiking boots
- Waterproof trousers
- Gloves
- Sunglasses
Road trips
The weather closes roads more often than you'd expect, and gusts are the usual reason. Check umferdin.is and the forecast every morning. In winter the sun sits low all day and dazzles at the wheel.
- Sunglasses
- Phone mount and car charger
- Offline maps (signal drops in the fjords and highlands)
- Snacks and water for long empty stretches
Hiking
Mountain weather turns fast, and the highlands can see snow even in summer. Dress in layers you can peel off and add back, and leave a travel plan at safetravel.is.
- Boots with ankle support
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm hat and gloves, even in July
- Map, food and water
Cruise shore days
A day ashore means hours at open viewpoints, on tender boats and on deck, where the wind adds a chill the thermometer doesn't show. Wear a waterproof, windproof jacket over a fleece and leave the parka on board.
- Waterproof, windproof jacket
- Fleece or wool sweater
- Hat and thin gloves
- Waterproof shoes with grip
| May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | 4°–10° | 7°–13° | 9°–15° | 9°–14° | 6°–11° |
| Akureyri | 3°–10° | 7°–14° | 9°–15° | 8°–15° | 5°–12° |
| Ísafjörður | 2°–8° | 5°–12° | 7°–13° | 7°–13° | 4°–10° |
Questions people ask
Short answers, each with the numbers behind it.
- Can you wear jeans in Iceland?
- Do you need crampons or microspikes in Iceland?
- Do you need hiking boots in Iceland?
- Do you need rain pants in Iceland?
- Should you bring an umbrella to Iceland?
- What should you wear to the Blue Lagoon?
- Is Iceland cold in summer?
- How many hours of daylight does Iceland get?
- Can you see the northern lights in Iceland in summer?
Questions visitors ask
What should I pack for Iceland?
Pack for wind and rain, not for the thermometer. All year you need a hooded jacket that stops wind and rain, a wool sweater or fleece, quick-drying trousers, waterproof boots with grip and a swimsuit. From November to March add ice cleats, an insulated jacket, a warm hat and mittens; from May to July, a sleep mask for nights that never get dark.
What should I wear in Iceland in winter?
Layers under a windproof shell. From November to March Reykjavík typically runs -2 to 5 °C (29 to 40 °F), and in January the average day feels like -4 °C (25 °F) in the wind. Wear a thermal base layer, a wool sweater or fleece, an insulated jacket under a hooded waterproof shell, waterproof trousers, a hat, mittens and waterproof boots with ice cleats (Icelandic Met Office, 1991–2020).
What should I wear in Iceland in summer?
Cool-weather layers, not summer clothes. From June to August Reykjavík typically runs 7 to 15 °C (45 to 59 °F); a July day peaks around 15 °C (59 °F) and feels like 12 °C (53 °F) in the wind. Bring a wool sweater or fleece, a waterproof, windproof jacket, quick-drying trousers, waterproof boots, a light hat and gloves, and a sleep mask for the bright nights.
How many layers do I need in Iceland?
Three: a base layer next to the skin (wool or synthetic, never cotton), a warm middle layer (a wool sweater or fleece, plus an insulated jacket in winter), and a waterproof, windproof shell with a hood on top. Swap the middle layer for the day instead of packing more coats.
Should I bring an umbrella to Iceland?
No. Reykjavík has gale-force wind on about 9 days a year and Vestmannaeyjar averages 10.7 m/s (24 mph). Rain comes sideways; an umbrella flips at the first gust. Use the hood of a waterproof jacket instead.
Do I need hiking boots for Iceland?
You need waterproof boots with a grippy sole — light hiking boots are ideal. Paths to waterfalls are wet, beaches are loose black sand and car parks ice over in winter. Stiff mountaineering boots are only for long treks and glacier hikes, where tours can rent them to you.
Can I wear jeans in Iceland?
In Reykjavík on a dry evening, yes — plenty of Icelanders do. Not as your only trousers: once soaked by rain or waterfall spray, denim stays cold and heavy all day. Pack quick-drying hiking trousers and waterproof over-trousers for days outdoors.
Do I need crampons in Iceland?
Not crampons — glacier tours provide them. Slip-on ice cleats (microspikes) are worth packing from November to March, when Reykjavík's nights average around or below freezing and pavements and paths to waterfalls often ice over.
These are the usual conditions, not a forecast. Before you set off, check the latest forecast and warnings on Iceland Weather or vedur.is, the roads on umferdin.is and travel alerts on safetravel.is. In an emergency, call 112.