Clothing advice for Lapland

32 degrees below zero. It can get that cold in Lapland. That is about 65 degrees colder than on a warm summer day in July. But how cold is that really? Minus 32? Can you still go outside and won't your ears freeze off? In this blog we tell about our own experiences with the wonderful temperatures there, and how to deal with it and how to dress.

If you are outside with -32 degrees, it is not too bad at first. It's only when you're outside for a little longer that you notice that it's a bit chilly. How can you best arm yourself against this? Well you do by putting on layers of clothing for the layering system. That's the most important tip.

Layer 1 | Base layer

Closest to your body, a set of synthetic or wool (blend) thermal underwear is perfect. Synthetic fabrics absorb and transport moisture away. Wool absorbs the moisture but has the ability to keep you warm even when damp. Avoid cotton, as it absorbs moisture, which can make you feel cold sooner. Long johns and a long-sleeved shirt and socks. Not very sexy, but very important!

Layer 2 | Middle layer

The next layer can be wool or fleece. This layer serves to keep you warm and to transport moisture away from your body. Wool or fleece pants, turtleneck or fleece sweater; woolen socks.

Layer 3 | Outer layer

The outer layer protects you against wind and moisture from the outside. Water and windproof winter jacket with hood and padded ski pants. Water-resistant or water-resistant winter boots slightly larger than normal and with a good profile. Warm hat, mittens or gloves and a scarf. A pair of warm snow boots are nice for your feet.

Layer 4 | Reinforcement layer

If the weather gets really cold, or if you're taking a break, it's good to have extra warm clothes to put on top or under a piece of clothing. Think of a down jacket, cardigan, thick sweater or cardigan (wool or fleece)

This way you stay nice and warm in the cold Lapland

During the tours

If you join us on a snowmobile safari or dog sled tour, where you sit still, you will receive a thermal overall as low 4. This is already included in the price of this tour. For the other days you can rent it on the spot. And otherwise, just for playing outside, a warm winter coat or a ski jacket will suffice.

Rental

It is also possible to rent clothes. The prices for the 2024/2025 season are

Snow boots: €15,- per day, entire stay €30,-

Towel: €3,- per day, entire stay €8,-

Snow overal: €25,- per day, entire stay €40,-

Gloves: €15,- per day, entire stay €30,-

Warm hat: €10,- per day, entire stay: €20,-

Other tips

Two pairs of socks, and nice snow boots for the feet. And the most important thing is to keep your head warm. A thin buff as an under layer, with a warm wool hat that can go over your ears, or with those flaps. None of this is very fashionista, but that's the beauty, nobody cares about that at all. It is much more important to have good warm underpants, like nice tights that color nicely with your eyes.

You can rub your face with Vaseline. That sounds a bit greasy and gross, and it actually is. But nice for your skin not to dry out. Only the inside of your nose can feel a bit weird when you're outside for a while. Like there are pieces in it. This is because the cold dry air you breathe in through your nose causes your nose to produce more mucus.

Because there is usually hardly any wind in the wonderful white Lappish world, the cold feels less cold than in the Netherlands. And the beautiful surroundings also help. When you look outside in your own house, and it has snowed, and you actually have to go to work that morning on your bike, it feels very different from waking up in Lapland, with a view from your window of snowy forests, reindeer who eat moss from the trunks of the trees, a steaming cup of coffee or tea in your hand, and don't have to do anything that day.

If the wind blows a bit, or if it is more extreme cold than expected, you may still get very cold. How nice is it to warm up again in the wood-fired sauna or in the Sami fire hut. Warm up the fire, hot drink in hand, and slowly drive the cold out of the bones. I'm already homesick just thinking about it!

If you already have an outfit yourself, this is of course already great. If not, you can also look at a thrift store for ski pants, for example. Another option is, for example, at the Decathlon (sports store) in Rotterdam for an affordable outfit. You can also find a good outer layer at Bever and other outdoor shops. In addition to clothing, it is nice to bring good sunglasses with good UV protection. The snow reflects the sunlight very much. The normal glasses can be worn under ski goggles. In the house there is heating in every room and it is wonderfully warm.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us.

Greetings

Kim and Jan

Check out the five day holiday in Lapland