Scandinavia in Winter

[Drpepper]

Doing a quick 4 night trip through Norway in the next month.
Definitely not a minimalist by nature but would like to try.
Any packing advice for very cold weather?
Thanks!

[Skirata44]

Depending on where you go, be prepared for a ton of snow. I went to Tromso in October a few years ago and there was already about 2 feet of snow on the ground. Norway in January is gonna be SNOWY. We get a decent amount of snow here in Buffalo, but Norway is just a whole other thing.

[G42]

I go for thin, breathable, insulating layers. If you have a Uniqlo nearby, they make a line of thin insulating stuff under the HeatTech name.
For natural fibers, try merino wool and silk.

If I wear a layer or two over an inner thermal layer, I don't wash the outer layer(s) as frequently, since they're not getting particularly dirty/sweaty, etc (unless I'm being particularly klutzy).

4 nights is a pretty short trip, so you shouldn't need a big bag, especially if you can keep your heavy coat/gloves/etc. outside of the bag.

[Skirata44]

I agree with G42, layers are definitely going to be the way to go. Try getting a merino Buff as well, I recently got one and they're surprisingly warm around my neck.

[ClicketySnap]

You can't go wrong with a pair of versatile boots. Thin enough to wear a pair of thick socks with but not feel too warm indoors, and insulating/sturdy enough for walking outside with.
Layers are definitely important. Think long-sleeved, high-necked, thin layering shirt to go under a down puffy jacket with maybe a windbreaker jacket over top. Wearing a buff or scarf around your neck will do a lot to keep you warm, and you can always pull it up over your face and ears if the wind is brisk. Keeping the wind from going down the back of your neck and in your cuffs will do a surprising amount of insulating and keep you quite warm.
Having a thin pair of gloves or mitts that you can shove in your pockets or daybag will help keep you warm with less bulk.

I definitely agree with G42 about washing your inner layers more often than your outer layers. If you're the kind of person who is always reaching for a sweater or blanket, you can't go wrong with investing in some long-sleeved Merino wool base layer shirts. They will keep you warm without too much bulk, and can hand-wash easily and dry quickly.

If I was going on this trip, I would pack as follows:

2 t-shirts
1 long-sleeved layer
2 pair of jeans
1 pair of yoga pants (to go under the jeans when necessary)
3 pair of Merino wool socks, varying thicknesses
1 set of sleepwear
4 underwear, 2 bras
1 down puffy jacket
1 rain jacket/windbreaker
1 pair of leather boots (which I would wear while in transit)
1 pair of canvas shoes
1 buff
1 toque
1 pair of thin gloves
1 pair of thick mittens
toiletries bag, electronics, etc.

[GoStanford]

Was in Sweden a couple of years ago in December, not too far north, and I carried a long down coat and my scarf and gloves on the plane with me. You will see many others doing the same, bringing their warmest outer layer on board so that they can put it on as soon as they disembark or as soon as they get to baggage claim/the exit. I remember enjoying some outdoor walks but ducking into stores/cafes periodically to warm up and get a hot drink from time to time. There were people doing a Christmas Santa fun run in downtown Stockholm, but it may have been warmer than usual.

Several of the Bihn bags, such as the Aeronaut 30 and the Yeoman Duffel, are handy for holding these large layers. On our last cold-weather trip, I used the A30 to hold the outer layers and had other luggage for things I felt I could check in.

Uniqlo is a great recommendation above. Have fun!

[imperator]

It is really going to depend on what you are doing: work with colleagues, vacation with family, solo mountain camping adventure...

I'd second the Uniqlo underlayers for ease of washing, and minimizing the number of outer layers you need. They also have nicely priced packable down jackets.

For the cold: I usually travel wearing a zip-up fleece, and have a very light down jacket in my bag to add on when necessary. If I'm going somewhere really cold, I will bring a second, heavier packable down jacket with a hood. I also have Fjallraven beanie cap with a balaclava. I went night skiing in Jackson Hole last year with those three layers (and a base layer) with temperatures hovering around 0 F on the mountain. If it is more snowy/rainy than cold, I'll swap the second puffer jacket for a hooded rain jacket.

I also like to layer gloves; I keep runners' gloves in the pockets of my fleece while travelling, and another pair, either light snow gloves or leather gloves (depending on what kind of travel I'm doing) in the bag. Still having gloves on after you take your gloves off is especially handy in the smartphone era.

For the snow: I think people tend to overpack for the snow. In my experience, heavy snow makes everyone stay indoors, so unless you're going hiking or traveling solo, you probably don't need beaucoup layers of snow pants and arctic boots. For moderate snow and urban wandering, topping off your smartwool layers with some waterproof socks will work perfectly fine if you don't own boots. In that case, faster drying mesh shoes are better than fatter, insulating ones.

For an Oslo urban wanderer one-bag trip, my list would be:

2x underwear (daily wash)
2x undershirts, or t-shirts (daily wash)
2x wool footie socks (daily wash)
1X base layer top & bottom (additional tops if no t-shirts)
1X mesh sneakers
1x wool socks
1x waterproof socks
1X travel jeans
1x gloves
1X balaclava hat


And on the plane:
Jeans
Leather boots or mesh shoes
Wool socks
Fleece
runner gloves

[Drpepper]

It is really going to depend on what you are doing: work with colleagues, vacation with family, solo mountain camping adventure...

Such great and much appreciated advice from everyone. Just a sightseeing tour....”norway in a nutshell”!

Was able to get to Uniqlo today. So many choices between heattech extrawarm and ultrawarm!

[ejvc]

Hi, we are having a very warm winter with temperatures well above normal. It’s chilly — around freezing — but we are snow free and will probably remain so. Check the weather before you leave — layers are probably a good idea but you won’t need tundra clothing in Oslo.

[GoStanford]

Such great and much appreciated advice from everyone. Just a sightseeing tour....”norway in a nutshell”!

Was able to get to Uniqlo today. So many choices between heattech extrawarm and ultrawarm!

Glad that Uniqlo gave you some options. I think you'll really enjoy Norway in a Nutshell. It would be great to slow down and get even more time along the way, but with that tour in its various iterations, you will get to see a combination of rail, bus, and ferry through some of the most beautiful countryside/fjords/mountains in the world. And the tour operators seem very experienced, plus it's a very international audience. We certainly enjoyed it, particularly the ferry and rail portions.

[Frank II]

Norway in a Nutshell is excellent. Are you spending the entire time on this tour? Where are you overnighting?

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[Drpepper]

Oslo for a couple of nights, one in Flam and one in Bergen. Will be a fast trip!
We’ll have our A45, A30, Ristretto and bunch of smaller TB items. As long as we have the shepherds wool we’ll be ok!
We will still need a big rolling suitcase though but for us...just bringing one is an improvement.
The Norway in a Nutshell will transport a bag between Oslo and Bergen hotels...we may do this for the big bag and be adventurous for a night