How to prepare for Winter Holidays in Swedish Lapland
In Swedish Lapland they say that there is no such thing as bad weather, there is only bad clothing. Dressing in the right way with the right clothes will help ensure you stay warm even in our arctic winter temperatures which can be anything from 0 to -35
As you will see in the video and the info grafic below the secret to staying warm is having layers of clothing starting with wooden underwear and finishing with winter overalls, boots, gloves and hat
Most of the hotels and activity providers that we recommend provide guests with the last layer being winter overalls, boots, gloves, hat/beanie and sometimes even socks.
You should bring with you warm wooden underwear (long johns) in one or two pieces as well as fleecy pants and shirt/jacket and several pairs of warm, preferably woollen socks.
The clothing layers
Base layer: Which Controls warmth and moisture
The base layer should be soft, comfortable – and breathable. It should wick away any perspiration, so your skin stays dry. If you ask anyone in Swedish Lapland, they’d probably say that (merino) wool is the way to go while cotton is a poor choice. A long sleeve top and long-johns along with a pair of thermal socks should do the trick. Add layers of socks to your liking and an extra pair is always good to have within reach in case your feet get wet.
Mid Layer: To keep in the heat
The mid layer is the insulating layer and should be designed to keep you warm, it’s optional and mostly for very cold conditions. A fleece jacket or a thick wool sweater are both good insulating layers. Thick warm pants of polyester or fleece will keep your lower body warm. The key is flexibility: adding or removing mid layers quickly, pulling up or down a zipper or unbuttoning a collar without a hassle will make your life easier.
Outer Layer: Which protects you from the elements
To stay dry in a snowy climate, your outer layer should be water- and windproof. In Swedish Lapland, we often refer to our outer layers as ”täckisar” which refers to clothes stuffed with down feathers, or just plain warm and puffy. Even though nowadays they are made by other insulating, synthetic materials, warm and durable winter clothing is what you want.
As you will see in the video and the info grafic below the secret to staying warm is having layers of clothing starting with wooden underwear and finishing with winter overalls, boots, gloves and hat
Most of the hotels and activity providers that we recommend provide guests with the last layer being winter overalls, boots, gloves, hat/beanie and sometimes even socks.
You should bring with you warm wooden underwear (long johns) in one or two pieces as well as fleecy pants and shirt/jacket and several pairs of warm, preferably woollen socks.
The clothing layers
Base layer: Which Controls warmth and moisture
The base layer should be soft, comfortable – and breathable. It should wick away any perspiration, so your skin stays dry. If you ask anyone in Swedish Lapland, they’d probably say that (merino) wool is the way to go while cotton is a poor choice. A long sleeve top and long-johns along with a pair of thermal socks should do the trick. Add layers of socks to your liking and an extra pair is always good to have within reach in case your feet get wet.
Mid Layer: To keep in the heat
The mid layer is the insulating layer and should be designed to keep you warm, it’s optional and mostly for very cold conditions. A fleece jacket or a thick wool sweater are both good insulating layers. Thick warm pants of polyester or fleece will keep your lower body warm. The key is flexibility: adding or removing mid layers quickly, pulling up or down a zipper or unbuttoning a collar without a hassle will make your life easier.
Outer Layer: Which protects you from the elements
To stay dry in a snowy climate, your outer layer should be water- and windproof. In Swedish Lapland, we often refer to our outer layers as ”täckisar” which refers to clothes stuffed with down feathers, or just plain warm and puffy. Even though nowadays they are made by other insulating, synthetic materials, warm and durable winter clothing is what you want.
What to pack varies from guest to guest and season to season but in addition to the travel needs it is too to have while in Swedish Lapland in winter:
- Clothing & Gear
These items will be useful for the times you are moving around the lodge or travelling and the full winter outer clothing provided by our suppliers is too much.
- - waterproof & insulated snow boots or hiking boots, warm wool socks
- - base layers of varying weights as described above
- - warm down/synthetic jacket, fleece or wool sweater that fits under waterproof outer jacket
- - waterproof (breathable) outer jacket (hooded) & pants to wear over warm base layers
- - wool or other warm gloves
- - warm wool/fleece hat
- - sun glasses and/or goggles
- - daypack (for water, snacks, extra clothing, etc.)
- - comfortable clothing & shoes for downtime & restaurants
- - swimsuit for the sauna
- - If you have any questions regarding what to bring in addition to the above please send us an email.