Packing for Iceland in April

Updated on October 20th, 2020

Every time I would tell someone that we were going to Iceland in April they would say the same thing: “But isn’t it really cold?!?” Clearly, an Iceland Ring Road Trip was not a dream destination for most of my coworkers. Yes, Iceland in April is “cold”. It is cold, rainy, and windy. However, we are from New England, and our idea of uncomfortably cold is not 40°F, so we decided that the “shoulder” season was a great idea.

Since we were flying WowAir we decided on only one checked bag and two small backpacks as our personal items. We saved about $280 in fees by opting out of a second bag or carry-ons. Under normal circumstances, I can pack us for eight days in one bag, however, due to the bulk of the clothes for this trip it took a little extra planning.

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Packing Planning

This was the first time I had used the Stylebook app to put together a packing list and I loved it! I created outfits and then added them to my Iceland packing list. Stylebook puts together a visual packing list! So easy!

After putting together a general idea of what Andy would need, I did a practice pack to make sure it would all fit. I know this is probably crazy, but it’s something I’ve been doing for years. During a practice pack, I’m looking to figure out the following:

How much do the bags weigh?
Do I have enough space and weight for things we might buy while there?
Is there anything missing that I need to buy or pull out of storage?
Could I pack lighter?

The answer to the last question is almost always yes and I am way more likely to make adjustments two weeks out than I am the night before we leave!

Not bad for a first attempt! I decided I wasn’t going to mess with it because it rarely works out that well the first time.

My “Must Pack” List for Iceland in April

Packable Down Jacket–This Amazon essentials puffer jacket is my go-to jacket for temps above 0F.
Hat–I love this version with a ponytail hole!
Gloves–Fingerless gloves are the best! Gives you the ability to take photos of all the beautiful Iceland sights!
Adventure Bands–Double as neck warmers, head bands, camera gear padding and so much more!
Waterproof Hiking Boots
Wool Socks
Fleece Lined Pants–These Eddie Bauer ones are my favorite pants!

Hindsight is 20/20

Here are the adjustments I would make if I was going to do it again:

Fewer Jeans. I only wore jeans one day and I froze. I would have swapped one pair of jeans for another pair of running leggings or fleece-lined pants. Andy also would have swapped a pair of jeans for another pair of hiking pants and another pair of long underwear.
A neck warmer. The wind in Iceland is brutal. I packed a shawl thinking it could double as a scarf but it was too bulky so I didn’t end up using it. A neck warmer would have been a great no hassle fix.
Swimsuits. I totally dropped the ball and forgot swimsuits. We ended up renting at Blue Lagoon but it would have been nice to have stopped at some smaller options along the way. Renting at Blue Lagoon wasn’t bad! They have way more sizes than their website said. Women’s from 0-22 and Mens from XS-5XL. The suit was clean and surprisingly flattering!
A couple of hand towels. We ended up using t-shirts to dry ourselves off after rain or snow. Packing a hand towel or two would not have been wasted space and Turkish hand towels take up practically no room at all!
Travel tissues and a set of camping utensils. The cold and wind made my eyes and nose water and tissues would have been really helpful. Restaurant food is expensive in Iceland but we found grocery store prices, especially at Bonus, to be reasonable. We loaded up with a whole bunch of food including the makings of PB&J sandwiches but had no knife! We ended up using a hotel coffee stirrer to get peanut butter out of the jar.

In terms of fashion in Iceland, warmth and comfort are the name of the game. Stick to the 3 W’s, Wool, Waterproof, and Wind Resistant and don’t worry about the rest. My last piece of advice is to pack your favorite raincoat because that is what you will see in every picture of yourself.