Date of visit: July 19-27, 2021

Packing for an entirely new climate is always a struggle, and going to the subarctics in the height of summer was definitely a new one for me. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, weather in Iceland is a beast. I recommend not even looking at the daily weather forecast before you go because it will radically change every five minutes, but if you must try to predict the future, use a local page (like the Icelandic Meteorological Office) because they’re generally more accurate than popular global weather apps. A slightly more practical method is to focus on the average temperatures for the month of your visit and plan accordingly. For us, in July, average temperatures were in the 7-15°C / 45-60°F range. Then, assume it will rain every single day. In other words: bring lots of layers, expect rain and wind, and you’ll never be disappointed!

IcelandAir wanted to charge me 80 Euro for a checked bag and I like an extra challenge anyways, so I decided to travel with only a carry-on that had to weigh under 10 kg (22 lbs). They did weigh the bag and check its dimensions when I checked in at Frankfurt Main airport but did not when I left Reykjavik. All told, my bag weighed 9 kg, although I put the heavy fragile things like my DSLR camera into my under-seat daypack, which they didn’t weigh, and I wore both my hiking boots and bulkiest upper layer onto the plane. 

Below is my tested packing list for a 9-day road trip, including notes about what I will definitely take again upon my inevitable return to Iceland and additionals I’d recommend if you have the bag space. I’m a cold-tolerant woman and am not a snappy dresser, so your mileage may vary. Icelanders are pretty casual and we never came across a dress code anywhere, although we didn’t go to any fancy restaurants. 

Finally, Iceland is a country to be experienced outdoors. Above all, choose clothes you’re comfortable in. I sometimes hike in jeans, but wool or synthetic fabrics are best for wet and cold places like Iceland since they remain warm even if they get soaked.

Dyrhólaey from one day to the next. Never know what you’re gonna get in Iceland, so pack for everything!

~ The List ~

Wore on the plane:

• Broken-in and waterproofed hiking boots
• Jeans
• a short-sleeve t-shirt
• My heaviest outerlayer – a fleece-lined hooded sweater

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In the carry-on rollerbag (Away brand, Regular Carry-on*):

*Their Bigger Carry-on is too big for IcelandAir and many other European carriers and they will force you to check it at your own expense.

Bottoms: 

• 1 pair jeans
• 1 pair zipoff hiking pants (yes, nerd, I know)
• 1 pair outerlayer rainpants

Shoes: 

• 1 pair sneakers. Make sure they have good tread if you’re using them on any trails, though, because Icelandic terrain is a magical combination of rocky, loose, and wet.
• I went to Blue Lagoon and another hot-spring pool and just went in barefoot, but plenty of people wore flipflops. Hot spring rivers are generally rocky as well.

Tops: 

• 3 short-sleeve tees.
• 2 long-sleeve base-layers that could be combined with the short-sleeves if necessary. I’m a fan of Smartwool’s 250 (merino wool) and Patagonia Capilene midweight (synthetic) so I took one of each.
• 1 mid-weight layer.
• 1 rain jacket. Make sure it has really good waterproofing and possibly windproofing. Bright yellow is an excellent color for photographs!

Skivvies: 

• 1 set of underthings per day (laundry facilities are readily available in most towns)
• 2 pairs of wool hiking socks.
• 1 set of pajamas.
• Swimsuit, but no towel, don’t tell Douglas Adams. Pools and hostels usually have towels for rent but hot spring rivers will not.

Other:

• A winter hat, which I wore EVERY DAY in July!
• Thin winter gloves
• I took a baseball cap, but it was so windy that I never used it
• Sunglasses, since the high-latitude light can be extremely bright

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In the under-seat daypack (Osprey, Talon 22)

• DSLR camera and two lenses (35 mm and 70-300 mm)
• binoculars for puffins!!
• toiletries bag, for easy access at airport security
• reusable water bottle, since Iceland has delicious glacier-origin tap water
• rechargeable battery pack for cell phones
• Kindle
• Plug adapters, normal EU-shape

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Other notes:

• Hiking poles can be useful in the loose soil but these have to be in checked luggage
• Layers. Layers, layers, layers. I could have done with another heavy outerlayer. I was lucky and mine never got wet, but it could have easily gone the other way.
• If you’re traveling by car, rolling luggage is fine. You might still need to carry your bags occasionally since parking lots are often gravel and there can be weird things like cottage boardwalks to contend with.
• Don’t bring an umbrella. It’s usually very windy and I watched many of them die quick and painful deaths.
• For navigation, cell phone coverage is actually pretty good across Iceland and I just used Google Maps. You can download an offline map over WiFi and navigate that way if you don’t have cell service. If your phone is eSIM-compatible and not carrier locked, I use Airalo almost exclusively now to get cheap data coverage in foreign countries without needing to buy a physical SIM card. Of course if you’re coming from mainland Europe and/or have an EU SIM, your data will work as usual.