Remember that Lapland is in the Arctic Circle, a place well known for being cold. In deep winter temperatures could drop to around -40°C in the day, and for us locals life goes on as normal, because we wear the right things. At the same time temperatures here can change rapidly. It’s common for the temperature to swing as much as 20 degrees in just an hour or two, so layering is very important.
With many winters of living in the Arctic under our belts, we have tried numerous clothing solutions to stay warm and dry. We are now at a place where we have great kit set ups that we know we can rely on. Let's take a look at our deep winter extreme cold weather clothing kit. This keeps us warm and dry on the coldest days when the mercury drops below -30°C or even -40°C. No matter the weather Gooseberry still needs his daily walkies! When the temperatures are not super cold we obviously wear different things. But this gives you an idea of what we wear to survive when the winter is at its absolute coldest.
This is what we usually wear in winter when temperatures are lover than -10°C:
✅ Base layer thermal top
Merino wool is our top choice because it effectively retains heat within its fibres, providing more warmth compared to synthetic base layers. Additionally, it is lightweight and dries very quickly.
✅ Thermal base layer pants - ideally merino wool
✅ Mid layer
Opt for fleece or wool materials, preferably with a zip for easy adjustment when going to shops or restaurants. Wearing multiple mid layers allows you to easily regulate your body temperature during winter activities such as snowshoeing. Simply remove a layer if you start feeling too warm.
✅ Outer Layer
We recommend down or ski jacket.
When going on most organized trips to Lapland, you will typically be given warm overalls to wear over your winter jacket or mid layers, depending on the temperature.
✅ Outer layer pants - shell trousers or ski pants
✅ Liner gloves
This is important for coldest months, especially when you are like Aggie and always taking pictures and videos. Touch screen compatibility will allow you to operate your phone without having to take off your gloves to take pictures. This is a game changer, trust us.
✅ Gloves
With our extensive selection of gloves and mittens, along with our years of experience, we know what works best in cold conditions. For the chilliest months, we highly recommend dawn mittens, especially when paired with liner gloves underneath. In our Lapland guide we show you all our gloves and mittens and explain which pair works best for what weather conditions.
✅ Hat
Woollen or cotton hats will work well. At our shop you can buy hand-knitted in Lapland beautiful woollen hats, mittens, headbands and more
✅ Neck tube
Neck tubes work much better than a scarf. It will stop warm air escaping your jacket and you can cover you face if it is really cold. A neck tube also allows you to close your jacket properly (this is really important when is very cold. At our shop you can buy Foxfires own neck tube
✅ Socks - Merino wool or hiking thick socks
✅ Boots
The warmest winter boots you can find (trust us, that will make all the difference). Winter specific boots are great as the soles have rubber compounds that grip the snow and ice better than summer hiking boots. This type of boot is also good if you suffer with cold toes.
✅ Face protection
Remember to protect your skin. Apply moisturiser to your face at least half an hour before going outside. Do not use water based or oil-free or gel-like products on your skin when you are going outside in freezing conditions as the water can freeze on your skin causing skin damage and frostbite. An oil based barrier cream for your face will add a little protection in very cold conditions + a neck tube if it's super cold. On bright sunny days (starting from March) it's essential to protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen as the sun's rays radiate up from the snow.
✅ Sunglasses
If your eyes are as sensitive as Aggie's, make sure you pack your sunglasses if you travel to Lapland in March-May. The sun gets very strong and sun's rays radiate up from the snow
Remember layers, layers, layers - that what will keep you warm.
On our Instagram page (@levifoxfires) under highlighted stories called "What to wear", you can watch videos where we are showing you what we wear for the cold.
Pro Tip - hand and toe warmers are widely available in Lapland and work really well. They start working as soon as you open the packet. Minerals inside the packs react with the air and start to heat up. The heat will last for around 8-10 hours. The toe warmers have a sticky back so you can stick them to the top of your sock. Please remember, dispose of them properly in a waste bin when they have cooled down.
Our other pro tips on how to stay warm in Lapland and also a list of our winter clothing that we wear and work well, you will find in "Our winter guide to Levi Lapland".
Happy reading
Aggie, Paul & Gooseberry