What To Pack For Tromso In Winter

For me, deciding what to pack for Tromso in winter was a huge hassle. I have never been in extremely cold arctic and snowy climates before. Tromso can easily get below freezing and a lot of the best things to do in Tromso are outdoors and in nature. But after I arrived there it surprised me that it wasn’t as cold as other areas that far north. Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who lives in the Caribbean by the way. So when I pack, I’m packing to keep really really warm.

In this guide, I am going to talk about what I packed for winter time, for both men and women. Because my girlfriend Chloe and I both had to go through this together. I’m going to talk about what I think was really essential and what items you could do without.

There are many clothing stores in Tromso that sell everything you need to endure the cold. However, you should try your best to pack all the the clothing you need so you don’t have to waste money. Winter clothing in Norway can be expensive, which is why I recommend bringing everything you need from home if possible.

If you’d like a ready made Tromso itinerary full of adventure, northern lights and other fun winter activities, my guide is a good place to start.

What to pack for Tromso in Winter: My Experience

When walking from our Airbnb in Tromsdalen to Tromso city center, I vividly remember that the wind was the hardest thing to endure on the entire trip. It wasn’t the actual cold. But, when the wind hit me walking over the Tromso bridge, it was over for me. Windbreakers 100% you need to have.

Another interesting thing I noticed was that it shifted from really cold to very warm when I went from outside to inside. I would have to remove my outer jacket every time or else I’ll sweat.

That’s why layering became so important. I could remove one layer indoors and put it back on as soon as I stepped outside again.

Looking back, the items I was happiest I packed were my thermal base layers, waterproof boots, gloves, and a warm hat. The thing everyone in my group struggled with the most was keeping our hands and fingers warm. Despite wearing thick gloves, I’d constantly lose feeling in my hands and I would have to tuck them inside by jacket. I would definitely get better gloves next time.

Tromso Winter Climate

Tromso is a unique city inside the Arctic circle and the climate here is influenced by the Gulf Stream. Even though Tromso is so far north, the Gulf Stream keeps temps milder than other areas that far north. Like Siberia or Canada.

Average temperatures in Tromso during the winter months of December, January and February, range from -5°C to -1°C and nights can drop to -10°C. Tromso has a lot of wind because of how coastal it is. Wind always make everything feel much colder.

In Tromso, there is something called the polar night. From November to January the sun will not rise above the horizon and daytime will be dark. Since there is no sun, it will feel colder. There is also lot’s of snow, mostly hard solid snow lining streets and driveway. With these things being said, it’s important to know what to pack for Tromso in winter time.

Why Layering Your Clothing Matters

Laying is the most important thing when dressing for the winter. Layering is when you wear multiple pieces of clothing, each with a specific role and purpose. Instead of wearing regular clothing and just throwing a heavy jacket or coat on, you wear three layers that ultimately work way better.

• Base Layer – This is the first layer that goes directly onto your skin. This takes they sweat away from your skin to keep you warm. The base layer does on your upper and lower body. These are usually merino wool long johns.
• Middle Layer – The mid layer is like a big hug that goes around your base layer to trap the heat in. These are usually sweaters made of fleece. The middle layer just goes over your upper body, you don’t need it for your legs.
• Outer Layer – This layer protects against the wind, rain and snow. This is like an outer shell and is usually the biggest and most expensive piece of winter clothing.

In this system, you can adjust how warm you need to feel by simply removing clothing layer by layer.

What to pack for your base layer

Thermal tops and bottoms

If there is one item I would absolutely not skip for Tromso, it’s a proper thermal base layer. i know that you read everywhere they they need to be merino wool to keep warm. But that’s not true. You can use synthetic material as a base layer and be fine. Merino wool is better obviously, but it’s expensive. Only certain items I had were merino wool. Merino wool is the most comfortable option and doesn’t hold odors as easily.

I wore thermal tops and bottoms every day of my trip, especially during northern lights tours and evenings outside. Even when temperatures weren’t extremely low, the extra layer made a huge difference once I stopped moving around.

One time I thought that I could go out with no bottom base layer. That was a huge mistake, my legs died that day.

I’d recommend bringing at least three sets so you don’t have to wear the same ones repeatedly throughout your trip.

Thermal socks

Get wool socks that are not too thick. You don’t want your socks too thick where there isn’t any room inside your shoes. You need space for the warm air to circulate and do it’s job. The worst thing is for your socks to get wet. Sweat will make this happen, so bring about 5 pairs. Luckily socks don’t take up much space in your luggage especially if you just lie then flat rather than bundle them up into a ball.

If you don’t have a good base layer foundation, you’ll never feel warm no matter what jacket you wear.

What to pack for your mid layer

• Fleece jackets or pullovers: Fleece will stay warm even if it get’s damp. It is also breathable and light.
• Wool sweater: A nice merino sweater with a turtle neck or synthetic will work great as a middle layer.
• Down jacket: Down jackets puff up with air but can be compressed easily into a bag. It keeps you warmer than a regular fleece jacket but is more bulky.

For your legs, you can wear pants that have a lining of fleece on the inside over your long johns.

What to pack for your outer layer

This is your shield from the harsh conditions typically experienced in winter like rain and strong wind. Basically you outer layer has to be waterproof and windproof.

• Winter parker jacket: A thick good quality parka is one of the best outer layers. If you can get something with a hood, that’ll be great.
• Shell jacket: I wore a shell jacket during my time in Tromso and I found this easier and lighter, while doing the job exactly the same.

A lot of people look for jackets that extend below the waist to protect better from wind and keep more of your body warmer.

Accessories

Hands

• Winter gloves or mittens: Mittens keep your fingers warmer because it keeps them together in one compartment. But, you have to remove the mitten anytime you need to do anything that requires finger usage. Like using your phone.
• Glove liners: liners add warmth and you can just use the liner without a glove to use phones or to write.

Head, neck, face

• Wool beanie: A wool beanie that can cover your ears and keep your head warm is important. My ears were one of the first things that kept getting cold and numb
• Neck Gait or scarf: A neck gait is like a tube that protects your neck and face from wind chills. You can pull it up all the way over your nose.
• Ear muffs: I personally don’t use ear muffs, because I find they look goofy and feel uncomfortable. But, it does help to keep your ears warm.

Feet

• Winter boots: These are always waterproof boots with very thick soles. One thing I noticed almost immediately in Tromso was how much snow and slush covered the sidewalks. Regular sneakers would have been soaked within minutes. My waterproof boots kept my feet dry the entire trip, and that alone made them worth bringing. My boots were the largest and most clunky thing I carried. I wore these while traveling in airports and on planes to save space in my bag.

What to wear indoors

One thing that surprised me was how warm every building was. Restaurants, hotels, cafés, and museums all felt incredibly warm compared to outside. I often found myself removing my jacket within seconds of walking indoors.

If you’re driving and just hopping inside immediately, you can literally wear anything, even without base layers. But if you’re like me and walked everywhere, you need your regular full layered winter clothes on. When you get inside and it get’s warm, then that’s where you remove each layer one at a time.

Make sure to try to wear appropriate clothing underneath if you want to look a certain way and not just your average winter clothes. If you’re entering someone’s home, it’s normal in Norway to remove the boots before coming inside.

What to Pack and How to Dress for Activities in Tromso

When you take part in tourist attractions and fun activities, you sometimes have to wear special clothing. When I did my northern lights tour in Tromso, the tour operator gave everyone full body thermal suits that you can just put over everything. Just in case some people were not prepared.

Northern Lights

The coldest I felt during my entire trip wasn’t walking around Tromso. It was standing still during a northern lights tour. When you’re looking up at the sky for several hours, your body isn’t generating much heat. This was the one activity where I was grateful for every single layer I brought.

Dog Sledding or Reindeer sledding

You usually get full suits and boots. No one expects you to bring all these things on a plane. But, you’re expected to dress for very cold weather as usual.

Hiking or Snowshoeing

When you are actively moving, you will get much hotter and you’ll sweat underneath your layers. It’s best to wear clothing you can remove easily to adjust to hot or cold you feel. Waterproof gear is a must.

Tromso Packing List for Winter

Use this checklist so you ensure all the proper clothing is covered before you visit Tromso.

Base Layers

• 3 sets of thermal tops and bottoms (wool or synthetic)
• 5 pairs of wool socks
• Thermal underwear (optional)

Mid Layers

• Fleece jacket or wool sweater
• Insulated jacket (down or synthetic)
• Fleece-lined pants or insulated leggings

Outer Layers

• Waterproof winter parka with a hood
• Waterproof snow pants. You don’t really need a snow pants. A regular jeans will do just fine.
• Shell jacket (optional)

Accessories

• Warm hat
• Neck Gait or scarfs
• Thin gloves
• Insulated mittens
• Glove liners
• Insulated waterproof boots