The Ultimate Iceland Summer Packing Guide

If you're reading this you probably just bought your ticket to iceland and are thinking to yourself...what do I even pack. Is it cold? Is it hot? Will it rain the whole time? Will I get blown away?

Don't worry I literally thought all the same things and after tons of research, packing, unpacking and repacking I boarded my flight to the land of fire and ice. Y'all it was absolutely amazing and there was honestly nothing I wished I had brought! So I figured I'd share what I packed with me for our five day road trip around the Ring Road of Iceland!

Okay first things first, if you haven't researched the weather in Iceland here's a quick lesson.

IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME

No seriously, one minute it can be beautiful sunny weather and the next your car door is being blown off and then two minutes later its back to beautiful. I don't say this to scare you but definitely prepare yourself for some unpredictable weather. Being from Texas I'm used to the bipolar weather, you know the kind where its 80 on Christmas Eve and then below freezing and snowing on Christmas Day haha.

That said layers are going to be your best friend when packing. The weather in the summer is fortunately a little more predictable than the spring with temperatures ranging between 50-59 F (10-15 C) and wind speeds around 8 mph (this number can vary dramatically depending on the day though). For those from the states it was very similar to Colorado summers.

There's no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing...

IT CHANGES ALL THE TIME

Pack layers that are easy to put on and take off

The key to packing for any trip honestly is layers but this is especially important when visiting the northern countries as it will be cool in the morning and really nice during the day. But like I mentioned earlier the weather can change in a instant.

I am really cold natured so I ended up bringing three jackets that way I was never too cold or hot. I opted for a light 1/4 zip pullover for daily wear, I mainly wore a short sleeved shirt under this as this was the same thickness as a shirt but just something to cover my arms. This is actually a staple travel jacket for me since it's not too warm.

For a thicker jacket I brought my fan favorite Columbia Omni Heat puffer, this is the same jacket I brought when we went to the Matterhorn Glacier in Switzerland a few years ago. The cool thing about their Omni Heat jackets is that you it warms you with a reflective thermal lining on the inside so you can also wear this jacket with a short sleeved shirt and you'll still be warm.

This Columbia Lite Powder Jacket is also a good alternative with more color options and a little less expensive.

I am a bit of a rain coat hoarder and have well a lot...don't ask me why someone who lives in Texas has so many rain jackets but I do so I was left with quite a few options when deciding which one to take. My deciding point wasn't necessarily which was the cutest but which one allowed me to layer all of my other clothes under it and also covered my butt.

The jacket I ended up bringing was a Costco exclusive that they unfortunately no longer sell however, Ill list below a few other great options! One thing I like to keep in mind when picking a rain coat is that its not made to keep me warm just to keep the wind and rain off. I like to keep them small and packable that way you can stuff it in your day bag and it doesn't take up much room!

• Eddie Bauer Packable Rainfoil Jacket

• Bloggerlove Rain Jacket

• Eddie Bauer Charly Jacket

• The North Face Venture Hooded Rain Jacket

You may have already noticed that in some of my pictures were wearing thick looking pants. I spent many long hours trying to find the best "rain pants" for this trip. There are a lot of waterfalls in iceland that you can get super close to and even walk behind but you WILL get wet, like you will be soaking wet if you are dressed properly. We ended up choosing these rain pants as they were light enough that we wouldn't be hot but they also offered a lite fleece lining that would keep us warm if we ever chose to wear them on a different vacation. These were completely waterproof and also had lots of pockets. They do fit a little large but we wore them over leggings and they fit perfect!

Lastly, an essential top layer is always a hat! I not super picky when it comes to hats but I do like when they have a fleece lining that way when the wind blows it does cut through the stitching and make your ears cold!

Base Layers

Okay as I've mentioned many times I'm from Texas so were not all about the best fabric or material because its just hot here lol. That is not to say there isn't a preferred, type I'm just sharing what I brought and what worked for me. Listed below are the base layers I brought, most of these are pretty basic. When I travel I don't usually meticulously pick out each outfit for the insta pictures I pick what dries fast, packs small and is comfortable.

• Dry fit Shorts

• Jean Shorts

• Dry fit short sleeve shirt

• Dry fit long sleeve shirt

• Merino Wool Socks

• Leggings with pockets

• Lululemon Leggings

• My favorite sports bra

• Fleece lined leggings - didn't need them on this trip but they are sooo nice

Waterproof hiking boots and comfortable shoes

I don't enjoy hiking boots, they're not cute and I just don't think they're comfortable however, I do love my Columbia Hiking Boots. You've probably seen a lot of people wearing this very boot and that's because they really are that good. I worn mine for five days straight and my feet never hurt. Save yourself the time and research and just buy these I promise they won't disappoint!

As for comfortable shoes I am very bias to my ON Clouds however, I recently discover Vessi Footwear and oh my god they are just as good PLUS they're fully waterproof.

My two cents on buying shoes its to definitely not cheap out. I will always pay more for the shoes I want rather than save money on a cheaper pair. Of all the things I've listed if you had to choose where to spend most of your money it would be on shoes. They are the one thing you're wearing day after day and can also ruin your day if they're wet or uncomfortable.

Bathing Suit and Sandals

Iceland is known for their hot springs some of the more popular ones near Reykjavik are Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon and Hvammsvik Hot Springs. I highly recommend checking at least one of them out when you visit! As for packing I chose a two piece bathing suit as it was easier to change in and out of plus it was a bit easier to pack because you could separate out the pieces.

It's also very important not to forget to bring sandals as most of hot springs offer lockers for your belongings and you don't want to have to wear your hiking boots around the hotsprings or go barefoot. Chacos have been my go to travel sandal for years because they're just so durable and you can strap them in so they won't fall off when walking in the water.

If you've read this far, thank you, it really does mean a lot. Below I've linked everything into one amazon list so that its easier to look through and find things! I hope this list was helpful but, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out!