What to wear in Lapland during winter

What to wear for your Lapland trip during winter? Here we have gathered a few tips on how to dress up for the colder winter months.

How to dress up during the colder winter months

Most of our winters are cold and snowy. The temperatures are ranging from a few plus Celsius degrees all the way to -35 Celsius – which is quite rare but can happen. We Finns have a saying: “there isn’t bad weather, it only depends on how you dress up”. Though, there is a difference between the ones that are used to the cold weather and the ones that aren’t. This should be taken into consideration when packing for your winter wonderland trip. Either way, we recommend dressing up always at least two layers when being outside during our winter.

Here we introduce you to the four main layers that you can alter for your needs during your winter trip.

The first layer – base layer, which is in contact with your skin

The reason for this layer is to be the “ac” for your body. It is important that this layer breathe, meaning that it moves the sweat out from your body to the outer layers. Recommendable materials for the base layer are merino wool or other synthetic thermal long base layer. We don’t recommend cotton materials because it keeps moist themselves which means that you start to feel cold very easily. We have been using Helly Hansen base layers.

The second layer – mid-layer

This layer is going to retain body heat. We recommend breathable and warm materials so that the sweat can travel through this layer and keep you warm. Thick, synthetic materials or wool are recommendable.

The third layer – insulator layer

This layer is giving you extra insulation, especially when staying still outside. It can be a lightweight down or synthetic jacket that you can easily put on and take out. The plus is that it can go for a small size to put in your backpack when you are moving. For the lower body, this layer isn’t always needed, but if you’d like you can use a second pair of long johns or insulated down pants.

We recommend taking this layer with you for longer trips or hikes.

The fourth layer – outer layer

This layer is going to protect you from the wind and rain. An insulated jacket and pants are good. They should be wind and waterproof. A hood and a high collar are recommended features.

Dress up accordingly for the activity

The number of layers should be adjusted according to your activity. This means that if you are planning to just stay still outside, you should have more layers on than when doing something active.

If you are unsure what to put on, we always recommend dressing up a bit more than too little. It is easier to take clothes off than add on when you don’t have anything to add on.

Protect the critical parts!

Your head is releasing a lot of heat. Thus, it is very important to cover it. Most days a good beanie is enough. If the temperature is very low, then a balaclava is recommendable.

Feet and hands are vulnerable to get frost bites. Thus, winter boots and gloves with insulation and water resistance are a must! For feet, we recommend at least two layers of socks; first normal socks and on top warmer, preferably wool socks. As your feet are now bigger, the winter boots should be one or two sizes up than your normal shoes. The air between your socks and the boots will give extra insulation for your feet. For hands, we recommend getting warm gloves so that your fingers are together. In addition, if needed you can put small mittens inside the gloves.

What we offer you when booking a stay or activity with us

Now you know what to wear in Lapland Finland during winter but you might wonder if you have to go and buy a lot of new clothes for you to just visit us. Don’t worry, that is not necessary. We do offer the most critical winter clothing for everyone who stays with us. Also, if you have just booked our activity, we offer you the needed top layers.

When staying with us we do offer you the following winter clothes

Thermal overall
Winter boots
Gloves (we still recommend taking your own if you have them)
Balaclava, for snowmobiling and the coldest days
Wool socks
Tube bandana

We want to remind you that as we are located in arctic weather conditions, we need to respect these conditions and dress up accordingly in order to have comfortable and safe experiences. Thus, our team is trained to give you recommendations on how to dress up.