Pack for winter in Lapland

TRAVEL DATE : WINTER 2019/2020/2022

Going regularly to Finnish Lapland, I developed a few tricks to pack my suitcase with the right clothes to stay warm. Find here all my tips for packing your bags.

Depending if you are traveling with a travel agency or on your own, you may or may not have the bigger equipment landed to you at your arrival: the warm boots, overall and gloves. Note that this equipment is nice for long outdoor activities, but if you are just going for a walk in town, you might also want to have with you lighter outdoor clothing.

Outdoor clothing:

  • Overall or winter jacket and ski pants (I usually have with me my horse riding overall or ski overall)
  • Gloves (the mittens puffed with feather are the most likely to keep your fingers warm)
  • Snow boots, one size bigger than your usual shoe size (I tried the well-known Sorel last year but I was disappointed, the manufacturing has moved couple years ago from Canada to China, and the soles and rubber of the shoes are now far less insulating. I am still on the search for the perfect snow boots, I’ll keep you posted)
  • Neck warmer and benny (I also have this fluffy balaclava perfect for activities with speed)
  • And I always bring lighter ski pants and shoes.

Technical clothing:

  • Thermal leggings
  • Thermal long sleeves
  • At least 80% wool, merino or alpaca socks
  • Fleece and wool sweaters

They say you should respect the rules of the three to keep warm, but also avoid being too hot: one layer of technical clothing, one fleece or wool, one thick windproof. Clothing shouldnโ€™t be tight, to keep a layer of air in between. It is important to make sure you are not sweating, otherwise the water will freeze and youโ€™ll get even colder. Avoid cotton materials, keeping the moist and taking a while to dry. You can add some silk socks or silk gloves, but they sometimes have a counter effect making you sweat or making it too tight.

Indoor clothing:

  • Jeans
  • Sweaters
  • Sneakers
  • Underwear
  • Etc.

Useful items:

  • Heat pads (they always save me as, despite good clothing, sometimes you still get cold hand or feet)
  • Ski goggles or sunglasses for snowy or sunny days
  • Head lamp
  • Swimsuit
  • Isothermal water bottle (to keep your water from freezing)
  • Portable battery
  • Small backpack

Pharmacy:

  • Hydrating cream and cold cream lip balm
  • Your usual little saviours (for me: Tiger Balm for headaches, Propolis for sore throat, Cicalfate and Betadine for cuts, Antihistamine for allergies, Charcoal capsules for stomach pain, mouth antiseptic for gums and canker sores)
  • Sticky plasters

Hoping your suitcase is now ready and wishing you the best time up north!

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Adventure by Emily – 2022 ยฉ