Packing for Iceland is not about packing for cold. Reykjavík rarely drops far below freezing and summer highs sit around 13°C — the numbers are unremarkable. What makes Iceland punishing is the combination of wind and water. A 5°C day with horizontal rain and a 20 m/s gust will beat you far more thoroughly than a still day at minus ten, and everything below follows from that.
The layering system
Three layers, each doing one job, is the whole strategy.
The base layer sits against your skin and moves moisture away from it. Merino wool is the standard because it insulates when damp and does not develop a smell over several days of wear; synthetic is a cheaper alternative. The rule that matters: no cotton. A cotton t-shirt or jeans hold water against you and stop insulating entirely, and wet cotton in Icelandic wind is the single most common route to a miserable day.
The mid layer traps warm air. A fleece is versatile and dries fast; a light down or synthetic puffy is warmer for the weight and packs smaller. In winter, bring both and wear them together.
The shell is where you should spend your money. It needs to be genuinely waterproof — a rating of 10,000mm or better, with taped seams — and windproof, with a hood that stays up in a gale. "Water-resistant" is not sufficient. Pair it with waterproof over-trousers, which visitors routinely skip and then regret: at Seljalandsfoss you walk behind a waterfall, at Skógafoss the spray reaches the car park, and rain in Iceland arrives sideways.
Footwear
Waterproof hiking boots with ankle support and aggressive grip, worn in before you arrive. Even non-hikers spend a lot of time on wet rock, loose gravel and mud. Bring wool socks, several pairs, and a second pair of shoes for evenings so you are never putting on wet boots.
From roughly November to March, add microspikes — the strap-on rubber-and-chain kind. Icelandic car parks, paths and pavements ice over completely, and the lower path at Gullfoss or the steps at Skógafoss become genuinely dangerous without them. They cost very little, weigh nothing and are sold in every outdoor shop in Reykjavík.
Small items that matter
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel. Every town has a geothermal pool, and you will use them more than you expect. Many pools rent towels, but at a price.
- A warm hat, waterproof gloves and a buff or neck gaiter. The buff is the highest-value item per gram in the entire bag.
- Sunglasses, in every season. The sun sits low year-round, and glare off snow, ice and wet roads is constant.
- A reusable water bottle. Icelandic tap water is excellent and free; bottled water here is a waste of money.
- A power bank and a Type F (European two-pin, 230V) adapter.
- An eye mask, essential from May to August when it simply does not get dark, and earplugs.
- Lip balm and moisturiser — wind burn is real, and geothermal water is drying.
- A dry bag or waterproof phone pouch for waterfalls and boat trips.
- A head torch, in winter. Daylight is short and rural Iceland has no street lighting.
- A small insect head net if you are visiting Mývatn in summer. The lake is literally named "midge lake", and the swarms are extraordinary.
Seasonal adjustments
For summer, you can drop the heaviest insulation but not the shell — the wind and rain do not take the season off. Add the eye mask, the midge net and sunscreen.
For winter, add thermal base layer bottoms, a genuinely warm insulated jacket to go under or over the shell, microspikes, the head torch and a second pair of gloves so you always have a dry pair. Thin liner gloves under the main pair let you operate a camera without exposing bare skin.
Money and practicalities
Iceland is close to cashless — cards work everywhere including buses and public toilets, and you can comfortably visit without withdrawing a single króna. One thing to check before you travel: self-service fuel pumps require a card with a PIN, and some readers reject cards that only work contactless or signature-only. Confirm your card has a PIN, and carry a backup from a different network.
What you can skip
Leave the umbrella. Icelandic wind destroys umbrellas, and locals will quietly enjoy watching it happen. Leave formal clothes — nowhere expects them, and Reykjavík restaurants are relaxed. Leave the hairdryer, since accommodation supplies one and pools have them.
And pack fewer clothes than you think. Almost all accommodation has laundry access, merino can be worn for days, and every kilogram you save is one you can spend on the shell jacket that will actually determine how much you enjoy the trip.
Written by
Erika Sand
Erika has spent the last decade driving, hiking, and hot-spring-hopping across Iceland in every season. She writes NRF.is’s itineraries, guides, and trip reports to help travelers see the country safely, affordably, and without the tourist-trap detours.