What to Pack for Finnish Lapland: Essential Gear for Your Arctic Journey
Winter in Finnish Lapland is an astounding experience, but the weather can be unforgiving if you aren’t prepared for the freezing cold. During our trip, we had several moments where our eyelashes froze the second we stepped outside and we experienced temperatures that dipped as low as -29°C (-20.2°F). In this blog we will talk about the layers you’ll need and everything that we packed to stay comfortable on our trip to Finnish Lapland.
If you need a complete travel guide for Lapland, read this post!
KEY CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE PACKING
Weather: Arctic winter can bring in temperatures dropping as low as -30°C / -22°F, with the wind chill making things just a bit colder! Here you can find a chart that reflects the mean temperatures by month.
Daylight: Winter in Lapland also comes with limited daylight hours. So, the sun won’t be out quite as long to warm you up!
CLOTHING ESSENTIALS
Base Layer: Moisture-wicking thermal underwear. Merino wool is a great material for this layer.
Mid Layer: Fleece or wool sweaters are a great option for warmth! But any of your thickest sweaters will do.
Outer Layer: Insulated, waterproof winter jacket (think parka) and pants.
Accessories: Warm gloves, beanies, scarves, and neck gaiters / a polar scarf.
Footwear: Insulated, waterproof boots and thermal socks.
Other Essentials: Sunglasses (to protect from snow glare), lip balm, sunscreen, a GOOD facial moisturizer, hand warmers and toe warmers
TIP: Layering is essential. So, we recommend making sure your outer layer is spacious enough to fit a few layers beneath it.
WHAT WE PACKED
Below we have provided a list of the specific gear and supplies we used during our adventure for your reference. Some of the items may differ in color or may be linked to a newer version.
Disclaimer: The linked products below may include affiliate links. If you click on these links and make a purchase, Kyle and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our blog! <3
Men’s Winter Gear:
Women’s Winter Gear:
Additional Warmth
We took the Ignik brand of hand warmers, but we prefer Hothands for warmth.
WHAT TO PACK FOR ACTIVITIES: REINDEER SLEIGH RIDES, HUSKY SAFARIS, AURORA CHASING
Northern Lights Viewing: We booked our tour on a particularly cold night (-29°C). Items that we wore included: Base layers, a thick sweater, mid layer fleece, insulated parka, face protection (polar scarf), beanie, gloves, hand warmers, toe warmers, and the thermal snowsuit provided by the tour company.
Husky Safari: Be prepared for a bit of a wind chill! We wore: Base layers, a thick sweater, mid layer fleece, face protection (polar scarf), beanie, gloves, hand warmers, toe warmers, and the thermal snowsuit provided by the tour company.
Reindeer Sledding: We did this activity in the middle of the day, when the temperatures were a bit warmer. Additionally, the reindeer sledding tour is much slower-paced compared to the husky safari; therefore, there’s less wind exposure/wind chill. We wore: Base layers, a thick sweater, mid layer fleece, insulated parka, scarf, beanie, gloves, hand warmers and toe warmers.
Snowshoeing: We wore: Base layers, a thick sweater, mid layer fleece, insulated parka, face protection (polar scarf), beanie, gloves, hand warmers and toe warmers.
READY FOR YOUR ARCTIC ADVENTURE?
We hope you found the information in this post helpful and are now a little more prepared for your journey to Finnish Lapland! :)
