How To Dress In Winter In Lapland? – Ultimate Guide With Packing List

The layering guide

Base layer

A long sleeved thermal top worn directly on the skin and thermal leggings. You have a couple of options when it comes to the fabrics – synthetic or wool. The synthetic ones will be cheaper, but not as breathable as wool and might make you sweaty. Wool is more expensive, but can regulate the temperature better, and I personally find it more pleasant on the skin. Merino wool is the best one to go with, as it is super soft, you don’t feel like wearing wool at all, doesn’t take too much space in your luggage, but has ideal properties to keep the body warm. If you want, you can also buy thermal underpants as well, although to be perfectly frank, we managed well without them, too.

First mid-layer

Hoodie or a woollen sweater. These are breathable and give you extra warmth. You wear them directly over your base layer. For your lower body, you should go with windproof and insulated pants. If you ski, you can take your ski pants.

Second mid-layer

Softshell or fleece jacket. You can put on some sweatpants underneath your ski pants, although unless it’s very, very cold, this is a bit of an overkill. A second mid-layer is needed if the temperatures fall below -10 °C (14 °F). For us, we went out on the warmer days (between -10 and 0) without the second mid-layer and didn’t feel cold. This will be a personal preference, though, and the rule of thumb should be to have something extra on, that you can always take off if it gets too warm.

Outer layer

Hardshell, insulated jacket or 3-in-1 jacket. As a top layer this will protect you against the elements, so it must be water- and windproof. A good hat and waterproof gloves or mittens will complete your outfit.

Footwear

Here again, wool will be your best friend. You can buy synthetic thermal socks, but I find them very uncomfortable and they make my feet sweaty, and sweaty feet are cold feet. If old-fashioned sheep wool feels too itchy for you, you can try a wool blend – I have the most amazing, extremely soft woollen socks that are a blend of merino, alpaca and sheep wool. Alternatively, you can wear cotton socks on your skin and put the woollen ones on top. Generally, all wool socks will work, but Merino wool in particular is significantly warmer and gentler on the skin. It is naturally moisture wicking, absorbs condensation and keeps your feet dry. It also has the incredible ability to adjust to the external conditions, keeping you warm when it’s cold outside. But make sure you get 100% wool, since there are also many cheaper alternatives out of acrylic-wool mixture and the acrylic will make you sweat.

A different approach could be that you try insole foot warmers like these one. In this case, you shouldn’t wear woollen socks at all, as wool is a natural insulator and you won’t really feel the heat coming from the insoles.

You will also need a good pair of waterproof boots, preferably with a thicker sole, so that there’s more space between the frozen ground and your sole. Another thing to keep in mind is that woollen socks might be quite thick, and you might even want to wear two pairs, so choose boots that are wide enough. The last thing you want is being uncomfortable in your shoes.

Do you need a balaclava?

If you don’t know what a balaclava is, think about Formula 1 drivers or bikers, that’s what they have between their head and helmet. It is a close-fitting garment, covering the head and neck except your face/eyes. Although it is not a must, I highly recommend having one for your husky sleigh ride or snowmobile, for example. The higher the speed is, the colder you get and it can even hurt on the gentle skin of your face. When wearing a balaclava, the wind won’t hit your face directly and it makes the cold much more bearable. Again here, you can spend a little more to buy one made out of wool, or go with a cheaper synthetic option, if you’re trying to save money where you can. It is not as essential as the base layer.

Should you wear a scarf?

Wearing a woollen scarf sounds like a must, but I found it to be unpractical. The scarfs are mostly too bulky, making it harder for you to close your jacket. A neck warmer or balaclava are much more comfortable, compact, and they will even keep you warmer because they are worn tight on the skin. However, you can’t go wrong by having a scarf on top of your outer layer, but make sure it has some wool in it, otherwise it won’t help to keep you warm and will only take up space in your luggage.

What to pack? The complete packing list:

This is a list of the minimum clothes you’ll need, based on the assumption that you’ll spend about a week in Lapland and don’t want to do any washing up during your holiday.

Upper body

• 2 x thermal long sleeved shirts
• 2 x wool sweaters
• 1 x fleece jacket
• 1 x hardshell insulated jacket or 3-in-1 jacket

Lower body

• 1 x thermal long leggings (you can take a second pair, just in case, but it’s not essential)
• 1 x sweatpants or thin thermal pants
• 1 x waterproof or snow proof pants (ski pants)

Accessories

• (woollen) balaclava
• 2 x warm gloves or mittens (two pairs, in case one of them gets soaked)
• hat or a beanie (and maybe scarf)
• woollen socks

Extras

• insulated bottle – we have a bottle from chillis that kept our tea hot for as long as 6 hours in the freezing conditions. It’s a great thing to have at hand to stay hydrated and warm at the same time.
• insole foot warmers

Just one more thing:

Don’t forget your swimsuit for the sauna!

Everything you need to know about renting winter clothes in Lapland?

You can get rental clothes literally everywhere in Lapland – at almost every activity operator and even at some accommodations. It typically costs 15-20 EUR per person per day (it’s cheaper for kids), but warm outer clothes could sometimes be included in the price of your booked activities, so it is worth enquiring about that beforehand. The package usually includes a thermal overall, woollen socks, big winter boots and warm mittens. It can be a cheap and easy solution for children or people who don’t have any winter equipment and would need to buy many of the things mentioned. Moreover, good winter clothes, especially outerwear, tend to be very expensive. However, the one things you should really buy for your trip is the base layer, as companies are not renting out thermal underwear, and it’s probably the most crucial part of the whole outfit. Otherwise, if you already have most of the clothes on our packing list, don’t book gear rental in advance. I’d suggest you first see how you feel and what temperatures to expect during your stay. If you think it’ll be too cold, you can always rent the thermal overall on the spot.

Here is a list of companies offering winter gear rentals