I was immensely lucky this year to be able to travel to Europe and visit ethereal Iceland, along with a couple of other destinations. I had no idea what to expect from Iceland but I knew I had to have the right gear to have the best experience. I did loads of research before my trip, read lots of essentials lists, and planned accordingly. After returning, I found that some of the items and tips worked, some didn't, and some failed miserably. I wanted to share some of these lessons learned and hope that you too can have a wonderful time in that magical country.
First off, I was visiting in late October. So I knew it would be cold. Coming from the desert southwest meant that I had to get a lot of cold-weather gear pretty quickly. Luckily, summer is a good time to buy the previous year's discounted winter wear! I also had to be really cost-conscious since getting to Europe isn't cheap and buying an entire winter wardrobe for the trip wouldn't be quite feasible. So I did a lot of deal hunting online.
Here is a list of my top essentials for fall travel to Iceland:
#1 — Merino Wool.
Merino wool everything. Merino wool is magical! Not only is it superior in warmth to a lot of the synthetic fabrics available, but it is also naturally breathable, moisture wicking, warm-even-when-wet AND odor-resistant. That came in handy when I was on my third straight day of wearing
my favorite merino wool baselayer tights by Icebreaker.
Ok, fine, fourth!
These Icebreaker tights were amazing. They are super thin, smooth (not itchy at all!) and crazy warm without being too hot. With just a thin pair of water-resistant hiking pants over these, I hiked through windy and rainy valleys, stood at the base of roaring icy waterfalls and stared in awe at the shore of an iceberg lagoon — always toasty warm. I loved these so much that I wished I had more pairs. I had also purchased some synthetic tights by Hot Chillys, that were supposed to keep as warm but they had nothing on the merino wool pair. The only time I wore the synthetic tights in Reykjavik my legs were cold and I could feel the wind through them and kept wishing I had opted to wear my Icebreakers for an extra day.
I also ordered 5 pairs of wool socks since I was planning on doing a lot of hiking. I got a mix of lightweight socks and thicker mid-weight hiking socks, which I saved for the coldest days. These were a real lifesaver and I've switched to hiking in only wool socks, even in the desert at home. There are a lot of great brands for wool hiking socks. I ended up with a few Woolrichs and some by
Smartwool. They are a little pricey, even when they are discounted, but they are worth it. My latest favorite pair is by Keen. I got them for about $6 but they have a lifetime warranty.
Similar versions can be found online.
#2 — Yes, You Should Bring Waterproof Pants
I had a hard time finding waterproof pants that looked good and didn't cost a fortune. You should just get the cheapest pair of overpants waterproofs you can find. Something like these
White Sierra waterproof pants
would work great! I had this exact pair and it did the trick.
These have snaps at the bottom to tighten up around your ankle so water doesn't come into your shoes and they unsnap so you can more easily fit your hiking boot through when you are pulling them up over your clothing when you are faced with a sudden rain shower.
These worked pretty well when I was able to change in the car on my way to see a waterfall, but made for some difficult balancing when I had to put them on during a hike. If you anticipate a lot of hiking, I would recommend pants that have a zipper that goes higher up so they are easier to take on and off on the trail. Balancing in the mud to get these suckers on can be tricky.
#3 — Waterproof Cell Phone Pouch
You definitely should get a
waterproof pouch
to keep your phone safe from water.
This is something that I wanted to get but never got around to ordering in time and I totally regretted it! Iceland is the land of waterfalls and hot springs. Every time I pulled my phone out when I was standing in the spray of a waterfall, or floating in a hot pool, I just hoped I wouldn't accidentally destroy it. Not to mention, I only got one photo at the Blue Lagoon because I didn't want to risk my phone or camera, which was too bad because that was one of the coolest looking places I visited.
#4 — Comfortable Hiking Pants
I think technical hiking gear is the way to go when traveling, even if you aren't hiking very much, because the clothing always has great features that are useful when you are on the road: moisture wicking, breathable, odor-resistant, wrinkle-free. I brought the thin water-resistant Columbia hiking pants that are my go-to for hiking in the desert. I was worried these wouldn't be warm enough but when paired with merino wool tights, they were perfect. They also made for a good option on long drives because they are so lightweight and comfortable.
#4 — If You Rent a Car, Opt for the MiFi
Access to the internet for maps, dining options, sightseeing ideas and of course, sharing photos on social media was pretty essential when traveling across the remote stretches of the country. It was nice to have a lifeline to the outside world when I was driving through long stretches of countryside with nothing in sight for miles but the black sand and distant glaciers.
