Coats for Iceland?

[Fairislesweater]

We’re heading to Iceland for new year and all probably need better coats. DD and I are petite while DS and DH are tall. Anyone care to recommend any brands they’ve used that worked? Were there for a week and likely to be out in the night northern light hunting etc. TIA

Didrikson.

I did it early Jan, and honestly being outside is like something you wouldn’t imagine, was minus14 when I was there, you need heavy warm footwear, a hat and gloves, and I’d go for a goose down coat or similar. Beware though everything inside is roasting hot.

@Thebigonesgetaway yes thermals, socks, hats etc all on the list as well! None of our current coats are going to cut it. I’m looking at landsend currently

@Holluschickie might work for the menfolk but they are way too long for DD and me 😕

Recommend the Nimbus by Sweaty Betty - super warm and waterproof too. It comes in several lengths - given you’re not tall, I’d go for the midi.

Go for downfilled, if you can, plus waterproof and windproof. We were there in February last year and the wind on the final day we were there was something else. We'd had snow, rain and sun in the days previous. DH, DD and I all had Landsend down coats, DS was in Superdry.

LandsEnd down coats are super warm and often on sale.

Land’s End waterproof down parka comes in petite sizes too. They’ve got a 40% off code at the moment too, KL4A.

Another rec for Lands End down filled ones. Kept me warm through two Iceland trips and 3 winters in Russia.

I don’t have experience of Iceland, when we went Northern lights hunting in Tromso Norway there was actually a store you could hire all clothing items from so might be worth looking at that. We had fjallraven coats and just a huge number of layers. Ojbro vantfabrik gloves and hats are v good too

I was planning on seeing the Northern Lights in Norway in 2020 and got a Mountain Warehouse Isla 2 coat for the trip. It is an ideal length for me at 5.2. It’s that good I have a second one as well that I wear over the winter.

North face, raab… look at snow + rock.

I was planning on going to Tromso in 2020. How did you find it? How long did you stay for?

We loved it! It was 3 nights/4 days and we did see the lights, it was so good my parents did the same package at the same time 2 years later. We went the week before Christmas.

This was the package http://www.nordicexperience.co.uk/norway/winter/northern-lights-experience

We stayed at Clarion Collection Hotel With as they included breakfast and an evening meal (and you could make your own waffles in the afternoon so we didn’t need to buy lunch).

we booked a whale watching trip while out there and also a northern lights trip. We didn’t book excursions with the holiday company, for the boat we looked at what would be most comfy (I had my son with me so needed to be able to get warm and have a toilet) and then the northern lights you really want a local with a minibus as they will literally chase the lights for you. We ended up in Finland to see them, others (when I read the review) he had actually taken to his own house as that was the best place to view them. I’d done quite a lot of research on him before we went
https://guidegunnar.no/ac/northern-lights-arctic-excursions/northern-lights

and you can hire all the clothing and boots you need from a shop across the road from the hotel but I’m not sure whether they are still there

As you’re petite, look at children’s ranges. Age 14 is in general the equivalent of a petite size 8.

I have a kids Bosideng long down jacket that is the warmest thing I’ve ever worn.

Icelandic brand 60 degrees North. Expensive but also great for home.

Thanks everyone, I think we’re going with landsend all round. Hiring stuff is an option but I just know it wouldn’t fit DD or I so I’d rather invest. @TheGirlattheBack i wish children’s sizes were an option!! I’m petite in height (under five ft) but not in width 😂😂

Lots of layers is better than a big coat. Big thermal underwear/base layers. Don't firget your legs and feet - lots of people make the mistake of only thinking of keeping their torso and arms warm. Lightweight under-trousers. Double up socks. Double up gloves - a thin inner pair and a thicker outer pair. However if you are going in and out of buildings make sure you can easily shed what you don't need. Warm hat too.

@Kayjay2018 thank you, I was looking at a similar length of trip so good to hear you saw the lights. Might have to plan a trip for December 26!

Sheepskin (actual sheepskin, not polyester) insoles. Wool rich socks. Merino wool or silk base layers (top
and bottom). Woolly hat.

I went to Iceland in winter and during a storm with horizontal snow, rain and wind. Didrickson was perfect and I'm short too. You will need a hooded waterproof coat that is at least knee length. I had waterproof Salmon hiking boots with ice traction device. A layering tip is to start with a pair of tights, then add thermal leggings, and skiing socks, then warm trousers. Waterproof gloves/mittens with hand warming sachets.

New challenge: to find one for Dd that is not, and I quote ‘disgusting’ 😂😂😂 clearly she needs style and substance

Thanks - I’m a knitter so am on the merino hats for sure!

I went to Iceland in December a few years ago, with my shiny new North Face Arctic Parka. It was warmer than home (SE England) and foggy. I was baking in my over-specced coat.

Same happened when I went to Tromso the week before Christmas. Chucked it down for the three days we were there and all the snow melted 🙄. Husky mushing cancelled, and reindeer feeding involved wading through a muddy bog. It’s a lovely city though.

To be fair last time we went in was September and unseasonably warm, we were walking round Reykjavik in just jumpers. So I’m trying to go with outermost layer as wind/waterproof and not massively bulky

I've worn Landsend Expedition Parka in Norway, January in a blizzard. It was so cold that my eyelashes froze, but I was toasty in my coat. It was around -15° and the sea was frozen. You need cuffs on sleeves, a double zip, stormflap, down/feather insulation and waterproof membrane. Landsend have 40% off coats at the moment so it's a good time to buy.