Visit Iceland’s packing article starts from the weather, not from a product list. Conditions change quickly, and the seasons blur. The advice it gives for every month is layers, windproof and waterproof outer clothes, and boots that can take water. The coat in the side column is an Amazon listing. It is not this packing list, and it is not a test.
The all-year list
The article’s basics, for hiking or for a car trip, in summer or winter, are: a wind- and waterproof jacket; a wool or fleece sweater; a thin wool or synthetic base layer; a hat or headband and gloves, including in summer; warm waterproof hiking boots; waterproof pants; and warm wool or synthetic socks. It says to leave cotton and jeans out of a winter bag because wind and sideways rain or snow soak them.
Summer and winter, in that article’s numbers
For May through August it says Iceland can have warm days with an average around 11°C, and temperatures up to 20°C, plus midnight sun. It suggests a rain jacket and rain pants, and a sleep mask. For October through April it calls the climate sub-arctic, with long cold winters. It says the Gulf Stream keeps winter temperatures around a medium of −3°C, while wind and precipitation can still be harsh. A separate summer article gives different monthly ranges for June, July, and August, including 7–14°C in June and 8–15°C in July. Both are Visit Iceland. They are not combined here into one “normal high.” The seasons page keeps them apart.
Winter extras on the packing page, beyond the shared list, are the clothes that stay warm when wet. The article’s point is the system of layers, not a brand. A hooded windproof layer matches the weather the article describes. Whether a particular coat is the right size, or is cut for women only, is what its own listing says. The Outdoor Ventures listing in the side column is titled as a women’s coat and also calls itself a windbreaker. Read that card. Do not treat it as the official kit.
What the airport will argue with in your bag
Security at KEF limits liquids in the cabin to 100 ml containers in one one-litre bag, with exceptions for baby food and for liquid medicine you need on the flight. E-cigarettes stay in the cabin and, the airport says, must not be charged in flight. Lithium batteries stay in hand luggage. Those rules are on the leaving page. A raincoat is not a liquid. A bottle of waterproofing spray is.
For the highlands or a winter drive, clothing is not a substitute for a road that is closed. The packing article tells winter and highland travelers, and anyone self-driving, to keep reading SafeTravel and the driving guidance. An extra sweater does not open an F-road.
Sources
- Visit Iceland, What to wear in Iceland
- Visit Iceland, Summer
- Visit Iceland, Weather and climate
- Keflavík Airport, Security check