What to Wear in Lapland in Winter: Exactly How We Stayed Warm at -15°C (5°F)
Updated: 2 days ago
We spent hours outdoors in -15°C without a single frozen toe. Here's exactly what to wear in Lapland in winter, including how to layer and what we'd pack again.
By lunchtime, half our tour group was huddled around a bonfire, desperately trying to thaw numb toes and dry soaking-wet socks.
Fashion boots had surrendered to the snow, jeans were soaked nearly to the knees and flimsy gloves weren't doing much to rescue frozen fingers.
We were on an all-day adventure around Kvaløya's spectacular fjords, where we'd battled icy winds, stood nearly knee-deep in snow on a frozen lake and discovered there was absolutely nowhere to escape the cold. Even lunch was served outside on a beach.
Meanwhile, we were still wonderfully warm, happily frolicking along the shoreline and taking approximately a billion photos.
The difference? We'd packed for an Arctic expedition, not a winter city break.
Before our trip, we'd spent weeks researching what to wear in Lapland in winter, investing in proper thermal layers, insulated boots and a few clever accessories. And that day (and every day of our trip), all our careful preparation paid off.
Here's exactly what we wore, what was worth the money and what we'd do differently, including how we managed 6 days in the Arctic with nothing but carry-on luggage.
In a Rush? Here's Our Quick Guide: What to Wear in Lapland in Winter
Body Area | What to Wear |
|---|---|
Upper body | Merino base layer (long-sleeve top) + heavy knit wool/cashmere sweater or thick fleece + water/wind-resistant winter coat |
Lower body | Merino base layer (leggings/tights) + thermal water/wind-resistant (or waterproof) trousers |
Feet | Sock liners + wool socks + insulated waterproof snow boots + toe warmers/insole warmers |
Hands | |
Head & neck | Warm hat + merino neck buff |
Extra protection | Waterproof outerwear |
Icy pavements |
Contents
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The Art of Staying Warm
The secret to staying warm in Lapland isn't wearing more clothes. It's wearing the right ones.
The golden rule? Warmth comes from trapped air, so piling on endless layers can actually make you colder if your clothing becomes too tight.
And leave the cotton at home. It absorbs moisture and dries slowly, which is the last thing you want in sub-zero temperatures.
Here's exactly what kept us toasty, even after hours outdoors in -15°C.
Merino Wool Base Layers
If you're going to invest in one thing, make it quality merino thermals. They regulate temperature, wick away sweat and resist odours, which is particularly handy when travelling with carry-on luggage.
Merino comes in different fabric weights, measured in gsm (grams per square metre):
150–200 gsm: Lightweight, ideal for milder weather or active days.
200–260 gsm: Our sweet spot for Arctic winter layering.
300+ gsm: Worth considering for extreme cold or extended periods standing still.
We both wore Icebreaker 260 Tech tops and Isobaa 260 Merino Active Tights. The latter contain 4% elastane, so they retained their shape beautifully instead of sagging around our knees. We've since discovered Merino.Tech base layers, which cost less, come with free wool socks and perform just as brilliantly.
Two sets of merino base layers lasted us 6 days. We alternated them, airing each overnight. Merino's natural odour resistance is a packing miracle.
Mid-Layers
This is where you trap the warmth. Heavy knit wool, cashmere or a very thick fleece provide excellent insulation. Don't even think about anything made of cotton!
I feel the cold more than James, so I wore 2-ply cashmere sweaters, occasionally adding a 2-ply cashmere cardigan. James was perfectly comfortable in a heavy-knit merino sweater.
Better still, our sweaters doubled as respectable restaurant outfits. No need to pack an entirely separate wardrobe for dinner.
Winter Coats
A beautiful coat is useless if you're shivering beneath the northern lights. Look for serious insulation, wind resistance and weather protection appropriate for your destination. Here's what we wore:
Shal: Mackage Adali, rated to -20°C. Stylish, flattering and wonderfully warm.
James: Mountain Equipment Tromso Jacket, built for proper winter conditions.
Both kept us comfortable for hours in -15°C.
I also packed a Mountain Warehouse waterproof shell, but the dry weather meant it never left my suitcase. If rain or wet snow is forecast, waterproof outerwear becomes much more important.
Insulated Trousers
Leave the jeans at home. Denim offers little insulation, absorbs moisture and becomes thoroughly miserable when wet. We saw the consequences firsthand.
Our winning combination was merino tights beneath insulated winter trousers.
Shal: ACAI MAX Stretch Thermal Skinny Trousers for daytime exploring, switching to Mountain Warehouse Moon II Ski Pants for long evenings outside.
James: Mountain Warehouse ski pants over merino tights.
My ACAI trousers were rated to -15°C and looked considerably more flattering than traditional ski trousers. I'd size up next time, though. A little breathing room helps preserve insulating warmth.
James tried fleece sweatpants beneath waterproof trousers, but the combo was bulky and ineffective. After one outing, they were relegated to the suitcase.
Snow Boots & Socks
Cold, wet feet can ruin an Arctic adventure faster than almost anything else. And those fashionable winter boots? They're not necessarily built for actual winter.
We wore:
Shal: Mountain Warehouse Snowflake Long Snow Boots, rated to -30°C.
We both wore sock liners beneath merino wool socks, with toe or insole warmers for extra warmth. When using warmers, we skipped the liners to avoid overcrowding our boots. Tight boots restrict circulation and make your feet colder, so if you plan to wear all three layers plus both types of warmers, you may need to size up by as much as 2 sizes. If you can't wiggle your toes, the boots are too tight.
Although the instructions say to place toe warmers beneath your toes, we found wearing them on top of our socks more comfortable, leaving room for insole warmers underneath.
Our tip: Air-activated warmers typically take 10–20 minutes to heat up. The Heat Company recommends activating them in a semi-enclosed space, such as a pocket, so we'd pop ours into a hat while getting dressed and put them on last.
Neither of us had cold feet, even after hours outside.
And pack removable micro cleats for icy pavements. After breaking a finger slipping on ice a month before our trip in London, we weren't taking any chances. We didn't slip once.
Gloves, Hats & Accessories
Your extremities are usually the first to complain, particularly when you're standing still waiting for the northern lights.
We found a layered glove system invaluable:
Shal: The Heat Company Merino Pro Liner Gloves beneath insulated leather mitten shells, was extremely warm and provided dexterity.
James: The Heat Company Heat 3 Smart Mittens, wonderfully warm but slightly fiddly for phone use and pulling on and off.
Both: Warm hats (even if your jacket has a hood!), merino neck buffs and The Heat Company XL hand warmers tucked inside our mittens.
Those XL hand warmers were a revelation. They made hours outdoors considerably more comfortable, outperforming the smaller versions we'd tried. Frankly, we found the smaller hand warmers pretty much useless.
Our biggest takeaway? Proper insulation, room for warm air to circulate and a few clever accessories made -15°C surprisingly comfortable. You don't need to look like a walking duvet to enjoy the Arctic.
Packing Lists (Hers & His)
We spent 6 days in Tromso with carry-on luggage, and remarkably, we wore almost everything we packed.
Here's exactly what made it into our suitcases.
Shal's Lapland Packing List
Base layers
2 Icebreaker merino 260 gsm crew neck long-sleeve tops (Merino.Tech 250 gsm is more affordable)
2 Isobaa merino 260 gsm active tights (Merino.Tech 250 gsm is more affordable)
1 merino sweater for Arctic floating
2 fleece-lined thermal leggings for travel and Arctic floating
Mid-layers
2 2-ply cashmere sweaters
1 2-ply cashmere cardigan
Outerwear
Mackage Adali winter coat
ACAI thermal outdoor trousers
Footwear and accessories
8 pairs of sock liners
8 pairs of wool socks
fur beanie
cashmere beanie
Ray-Ban polarised sunglasses
What I'd change: I'd size up in the ACAI trousers and leave the cashmere beanie at home. It simply wasn't warm enough. I'd bring fewer sock liners because I was warmer wearing wool socks + toe warmers + insole warmers. The waterproof shell went unused, although I'd still pack it if the forecast looked wet.
James' Lapland Packing List
Base layers
2 Icebreaker merino 260 gsm crew neck long-sleeve tops (Merino.Tech 250 gsm is more affordable)
2 Isobaa merino 260 gsm active tights (Merino.Tech 250 gsm is more affordable)
1 synthetic thermal top for Arctic floating
fleece sweatpants for travel and Arctic floating
Mid-layers
2 heavy-knit Paul James roll neck merino sweaters
Outerwear
Mountain Equipment Tromso Jacket
Pika waterproof trousers
Footwear and accessories
6 pairs of sock liners
8 pairs of wool socks
North Face beanie
Furry trapper hat
Ray-Ban polarised sunglasses
What I'd change: My trapper hat and buff were unnecessary (a roll-neck jumper + beanie did the job), while my fleece sweatpants were too bulky under waterproof trousers and bunched up horribly inside the Arctic floating suit. I lived in my insulated ski trousers, as the Pika waterproofs were too thin over a base layer alone. I'd pack spare merino leggings for floating, fewer sock liners (toe warmers worked better, since my boots weren't large enough for both) and swap my warm but fiddly Heat 3 Smart Mittens for Shal's more practical separate glove-and-mitten system.
We both wished we'd packed a separate fleece for Arctic floating. The survival suits weren't sanitised between uses, and water can seep in. We certainly didn't want our nice sweaters or base layers needed for the rest of the trip getting damp or dirty.
One last tip: Many Arctic tours provide thermal suits and boots, but we weren't keen on wearing gear potentially shared by hundreds of strangers. Thankfully, our own clothing kept us perfectly toasty without borrowing a thing.
Small Extras, Big Difference
Micro cleats: Easily our best purchase. Lapland's pavements can be treacherously icy, and these kept us confidently upright while other tourists slipped and slid around us in Tromso.
Hand, foot & body warmers: Invaluable during long nights chasing the northern lights. The Heat Company XL hand warmers were brilliant, but sticking a body warmer to our base layers between our shoulder blades was probably the secret to staying toasty in -15°C during northern lights chases.
Compact wireless power bank: Freezing temperatures drain batteries surprisingly quickly. Our TORRAS MiniMag 10,000mAh magnetic power bank kept our phones charged through endless photos, videos and navigation. Keep it in a warm inside pocket!
Phone Tripod: Essential for capturing sharp northern lights photographs, particularly with a camera or when using longer exposures. We're obsessed with this tripod and take it everywhere. Incredibly lightweight yet surprisingly sturdy, it even comes with a Bluetooth remote shutter for hands-free photos.
Reusable water bottle: Norwegian tap water is excellent, and our bottles were especially useful on excursions where drinking water wasn't always provided.
Water-resistant backpack: We shared an Away Active 26L backpack, which comfortably held our daily essentials and could be set down in the snow without worrying about the contents.
Knowing what to wear in Lapland in winter and investing in quality layers and the right gear made all the difference between shivering through our Arctic adventures and enjoying every freezing minute. But staying warm is only half the battle! Discover the surprises worth preparing for in our 8 Tips for Lapland.