Tromso in March - anyone been? Clothing and footwear advise please

[Springersrock]

I know I’m overthinking, but it wouldn’t be a holiday for me if I didn't spend weeks stressing about shit like this before I go.

I’m going early March. Have various activities booked including reindeer sledding, snowshoe hike, snowmobiles and northern lights hunts as well as a couple of chill days for mooching around the city, museums, etc.

I have a ski-type jacket and padded trousers I bought from Mountain Warehouse a couple of years ago - I wore them in Iceland in January a couple of years ago with a padded body warmer under the jacket and was absolutely fine. Is it enough for Tromso in March? They were fairly cheap and cheerful so I’m concerned they’re not going to be enough.

Thermals? I was looking at Shein to be honest as they’re cheap but are they crap? We’ll be there a week and staying in a hotel with no laundry facilities so will need a few sets.

Footwear - I’ve got boots from when I went to Iceland, but I was looking at Yaktrax on Amazon. Are they robust enough for lots of walking - the reviews seem a bit mixed? Any recommendations for something better?

Thank you!

Layers! Mountain warehouse is always my go to but Lidl has them some weeks

I saw a TikTok that said wear waterproofs and those grip things on your shoes. It said because it’s coastal the snow is wet and it’s icy and if you get wet you will get cold .

Layers are your friend. I went in January last year so would be colder than you I imagine and mountain warehouse thin layer fleeces and thick fluffy lined legging thermals were our friend with thermal long sleeve top underneath. Then mountain warehouse ski jacket and trousers which generally could take off jacket whilst wondering around museums shops and hang it up somewhere/unzip so had fleece on top half which was fine inside and just kept trousers on for ease. I got most of my thermal tops for under fleeces from m&s just as I preferred the particular style (they were more the pointelle type) but mountain warehouse will have them. With your jacket/trousers and boots are they waterproof most importantly? Otherwise again, we got mountain warehouse snow boots and they were great. We used the grips below which were super easy to get on and off - you saw most people wearing them and benches inside etc to sit and take off and de layer. Also signs saying no grips inside so don’t damage flooring so make sure any are easy to take on and off.

https://amzn.eu/d/aG1qk1O

Above all - have a great time we loved it there (and only a teensy bit envious!) 😊

I’m from Tromsø! Enjoy my home. Layer, layer, and layer some more. Your stuff should be fine. Fleeces are your friend.

Thanks all!

I’m super excited about it, it’s been on my list for years. I had joined a group on Facebook and they were all talking about super expensive and technical outdoor wear so I’m now panicking about my cheapo (ish) Mountain Warehouse stuff

Coat and trousers are waterproof - as are my boots. I’ve just ordered those grips - thanks for the recommendation.

I’ll have another look for thermals.

I had planned on thermal top, some kind of fleece, my body warmer and then my coat. Then on the bottom - thermals (although I also have fleece lined tights) with some kind of trousers and my ski trousers over the top.

I’ve got loads of thermal and merino socks, gloves and hats.

Despite being desperate to go to very cold places, I really hate being cold 😂

The snowmobile, reindeer sledding and snowshoe hike also include outerwear so I should be fine there.

For those who have been - do you recommend dog sledding? I had read it was quite physical and you needed to be fairly fit - I’ve got frozen shoulder and am not fit so I had given it a swerve, but have now seen that it’s not the case at all so I’m in 2 minds about it given the cost.

Thanks!!

Following. Going end of Feb.

I feel you as to wanting to go but also hating the cold! 😂

We went dog sledding it was amazing but it was physical (core strength) if it’s like what we did as we were not contained in the sled on the side so you are relying on your core and arm strength. I don’t know if I would have wanted to if had any kind of physical pain / injury. Not gonna lie was a little nerve wracking initially as it is fast also. Safety wise as well they were clear is super important to keep your wits about you as once those dogs go they ain’t stopping until they’re stopping kind of thing 🐕 You could perhaps see if you are able to make contact with them to discuss further because would somewhat depend on what actual kind of sled/sleigh or whatever they are using which might make a difference. Oh also - for anyone doing dog sledding, oh my goodness, even with the suit or whatever they provide you with, layer up x 1000 - it was flipping freezing (although in Jan but the guy who was taking us out said he reckoned -20 ish and god we felt it). And lots of face and eye protection as the spray back can be bitter.

Hope that helps! (It was great I promise just be prepared!)

@couldthisbe2501 sorry to hijack the thread, but we are visiting Tromso in February and wondered if you could recommend a Northern Lights tour company? There seem to be so many to choose from! We are probably looking for one of the cheaper companies, unless it really is worth paying more. Thank you!

I’m not that poster, but we’ve used Get Your Guide to book a couple of mini bus tours - I think the smaller tours have a bit more flexibility to chase the lights/clear skies than the bigger bus tours - we’ve been warned we may end up in Finland or Sweden

There’s a helpful group on Facebook called The Tromso Travel Forum with loads of recommendations - I’ve screenshot their cover photo.

There’s also a couple of places you can walk/get the public bus to that are a bit further out of the lights in main city which are good for northern lights - Telgraphbukta Beach and Prestvannet Lake

@rainbowsparkle28

Thank you!

We’ve decided against the huskies. We’re going on a snowshoe hike with them anyway. Decided to stick with the snowmobiles - probably not any better for my shoulder, but DH can drive it and it’s meant to be quite slow and steady as it’s more about seeing the nature and scenery than zooming about.

ETA - the screenshot on my previous post hasn’t seemed to have loaded but it’s called The Tromso Travel Forum and the cover photo has someone in a pink hat standing in front of the northern lights.

@Springersrock Thank you! I hope you have an amazing trip, it sounds fantastic.

Definitely worth a smaller, more expensive company!

We went with one of those "a guy in a mini van" outfits and he followed the weather tracker in th van from fjord to fjord until we saw an amazing display of aurora. We had to take our passports in case we needed to driv into Finland for clear skies.

Our friends went with the cheaper company that goes to two regular spots and didn't see anything. My aunt went with a company that took you to a viewing place and saw nothing either.

Basically, it's luck with the cloud cover a lot of the time. If they can't be nimble and drive to a clear sky, you won't see anything on a cloudy night with the cheaper companies.

I decided it was well worth the extra money to be almost guaranteed Northern Lights when we'd spent so much to fly their and all the food and hotel costs than to save a couple hundred quid and risk seeing nothing.

I was there last March. There was a huge blizzard in the afternoon after quite a nice spring morning. I needed my spikes.

ETA I was only there a day as I was on the Hurtigruten Signature Voyage. We had every sort of weather.

@HeadyLamarr Thanks, that's great advice and sounds well worth spending a bit more - as you say, it's not a cheap trip anyway! Do you remember the name of the company you went with? Also, I have snowboits but not spikes - am I likely the spend the weekend falling on my butt?!

@Worriedwithquestions you too! You’re going before me so come back and update me.

I’ve ordered the boot things recommended up thread, I’ve also seen Yaktraks recommended on that travel forum, but I now wonder if I’ll need proper spikes. From what I’ve seen, there are plenty of shops selling them in Tromso anyway.

@Worriedwithquestions - I can't find the name, I've had a good rummage but I just can't see it. But there are loads that do that sort of thing.

They usually take some excellent photos with their decent cameras and email them to you the next day. The colours are much brighter in photos than to the naked eye because of longer exposures.

They are not full blown crampons. I forgot our Yaktrax and bought some spikes locally. They are rubber with small spikes. As good as Yaktrax.

Who do you fly to Tromso with please ? Want to go from Dublin but Aer Lingus have a very limited service. . Thank you !

Much like Finland, it is about layering rather than thickness.

• Base layer (thermals)
• mid layer (thin fleece and fleece lined leggings)
• Outer layer you’ve mentioned
• Mittens rather than gloves - the air flow between your hands will keep them warm. Mine are cheap ones from Lidl and have done me 4 trips so far)
• Snow boots (I usually buy second hand)
• One thin pair of socks (I have merino) and one thicker pair (woolly)
• Hat and snood

If you are snowshoeing you just need study hiking boots, ideally good ankle support not those half height ones. I’ve snowshoed a lot and in the same boots used for non snowy hiking. Don’t wear any boots your feet can slip out of eg cheap snow boots. You have grips on order but other than that just buy thermal underwear, really doesn’t need to be super technical gear, just the sane stuff as for skiing etc

I have proper crampons as well but you need a more technical boot to fit them.

Enjoy your trip, OP! I was in Tromso in March 2022 and the cold wasn't a big problem. Don't miss the cathedral if you like that sort of thing. (Here's a pic of it, conspicuously lacking in snow.)

Plus IME the Scandiwegians are really good at building stuff with triple glazing and marvellous thick walls and great heating. Helps.

Plus are you watching Lorraine Kelly's Norwegian Odyssey on Channel 4? There's a nice section on Tromso.

We had an amazing time! Saw the Northern Lights twice - once on an organised tour and once from our apartment window, overlooking the docks. You do need a fairly good camera/phone to be able to see the colours well. The hot dog and crepe stalls at the top of the main square on Storgata are worth queuing for, as is the cable car - the views from the top are stunning. We had a lovely meal at Tapas, again on the square on Storgata, and the Vervet bakery down by the docks is really lovely. I only used my yaktrax a couple of times (when I remembered how slippy my old walking boots are) and was fine in snowboots the rest of the time - most of the pavements were cleared of snow, although there were a few icy patches. It's really easy to get around on foot and the bus from/to the airport is super easy and pretty cheap. We were there during the Sami Festival week / for the Sami National Day, so got to see a lasso competition and reindeer racing, and lots of people wearing their Sami national dress. The university museum has a really interesting exhibition on Sami history (as well as a pretty good geology display) - a long walk but worth it.

The cathedral, posted above, is not in Tromso - I think it is Trondheim? The cathedral in Tromso is much smaller but also worth a visit, as is the Artic Cathedral across the bridge

Following this with interest. We're doing a hurtigruten cruise to Svalbard in June. One of the places we'll visit is tromso. I'm very excited. I've read daytime temps in June are around 4deg and down to minus nos at night