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Northern Lights Packing List: Iceland, Norway & Alaska Luggage, Layers & Gear
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items One a.m., a dark field outside Tromsø or Fairbanks, and you are standing still for two hours waiting for the sky to move. That kind of stillness is what makes cold-weather packing different, so this list pairs carry-on luggage and organizers with the...
Aurora trips usually mean several flights and a short-hop connection or two, so I want one hard shell that fits every overhead bin and shrugs off slushy curbs. The compression system squeezes bulky thermal layers flat, and the olive color is easy to ...
Away The Carry-On in Olive Green
Standing still in the dark is where a jacket gets tested, and this PrimaLoft-insulated hooded one is water-repellent, with brushed lining at the collar and pockets. It packs into its own pocket, so it rides in the carry-on until you step off the plan...
Nike ACG Lava Flow Women's Therma-FIT ADV Hooded Jacket
Cold-weather clothes are bulky, so I give each layer its own cube: base layers in one, socks and liners in another, and a spot for whatever got wet on the walk back from the viewing site. Water-repellent nylon with a mesh top, so you can see what is ...
Away Insider Packing Cubes (Set of 4) in Tidal Blue
If you are shooting the aurora, these are the mittens I would pick, because the split finger lets you free your index finger for the shutter button without exposing the whole hand. GORE-TEX keeps snow and wet railings from getting through, and the re...
Nike ACG Therma-FIT ADV GORE-TEX Split Mittens
This is the daypack that goes out on the tour bus with the camera, a spare battery and snacks. The 28L size, padded laptop sleeve and expandable bottle pockets are roomy, and the trolley pass-through lets it ride on top of the suitcase through the ai...
BÉIS The Travel Backpack in Black
The brushed, soft-on-the-inside fabric makes these a good middle layer between a base layer and snow pants. The pockets hold a phone or hand warmer, and the medium-weight stretch means you can sit on a cold bench for an hour without feeling stiff.
Aerie OFFLINE Warmup High Waisted Pocket Legging
I like a soft duffel for the winter-gear overflow: boots, a bulky hat, extra gloves. The shoe compartment keeps snowy boots away from clean layers, there are nine pockets for small items, and the trolley sleeve slides over a roller handle.
CALPAK Luka Duffel in Matte Black
Nike named this one after an Alaskan glacier, and the windproof fleece with a plush interior is a cozy mid-layer for aurora nights in Fairbanks. It is loose enough to layer over a base layer and under a parka, and the bungee hem seals out drafts.
Nike ACG Canwell Glacier Women's Therma-FIT ADV Full-Zip Jacket
A personal item that holds a 16-inch laptop, a camera, chargers and a warm hat is what this one is for. It is water-repellent, so snowy shoulders do not soak your electronics, and the trolley sleeve keeps it from sliding around on the carry-on.
Away The Everywhere Bag in Jet Black
These are my pick for the first thermal layer under snow pants, since Therma-FIT manages body heat and the fabric is soft rather than scratchy. They hit below the ankle, there is a back pocket for a phone, and I would order a size up as reviewers sug...
Nike One Women's Therma-FIT High-Waisted Full-Length Leggings
Dry, cold air in Iceland and Norway is rough on lips and skin, so a full routine goes in here. The water-resistant recycled ripstop lining wipes clean, and the hook lets it hang in a tiny guesthouse bathroom with no counter space.
CALPAK Terra Hanging Toiletry Bag
The balaclava-inspired hood has an attached face mask, which is exactly what you want on a windy lakeshore when the sky finally lights up. Thumbholes keep the sleeves anchored, the reflective details show up in the dark, and a zippered seam pocket ho...
Nike Swift Women's Therma-FIT Long-Sleeve Hooded Running Top
For a three or four day trip to Tromsø this is all I would bring: 42L, a shoe compartment for wet boots, and a trolley pass-through to ride on a roller. It is soft-sided, so it squeezes into small regional-plane overhead bins.
BÉIS The Weekender in Black
Thumbholes are the feature I notice most, because they hold the sleeve over your wrist while you adjust a tripod in the cold. It is soft inside with a smooth outside, and a zipper guard at the neck keeps the zip from rubbing your chin.
Nike One Women's Therma-FIT 1/2-Zip Mid Layer
Two small cubes, two medium and a laundry pouch is the exact split for a week of layers. The water-resistant ripstop helps if a wet glove ends up in the bag, and the laundry pouch keeps damp or smelly gear apart from clean layers.
CALPAK Terra 5-Piece Packing Cube Set
Evenings in the guesthouse are when these earn their keep: brushed fleece on the inside, a smooth outside and elastic cuffs that stay put over wool socks. They also layer under snow pants for the walk out, and the drawcord waist adjusts for a base la...
Nike Studio Fleece Sport Women's Therma-FIT Mid-Rise Pants
A spill-proof coated interior matters when lotion bottles get squeezed by air-pressure changes in the hold. Four compartments split skincare, a toothbrush and medicine, and the hook means you can hang it on the back of a cabin door.
Away Hanging Toiletry Bag in Navy Blue
Brushed fleece on both sides gives this a blanket-like feel, which is hard to beat for sitting around a campfire or a hot-spring terrace between aurora checks. The fit is oversized, so Nike suggests sizing down, and the front pockets plus thumbholes ...
Nike One Women's Therma-FIT Full-Zip Top
For a longer Norway or Alaska trip, this bigger carry-on holds six to nine outfits, which is enough once you count thermal layers. The 100-day return window and lifetime repair coverage make me comfortable buying it for a trip I might only take once.
Away The Bigger Carry-On in Coast Blue
This is the bag I would use as a bulky-item overflow: roll the top down to expand it and carry boots, a puffy coat or souvenirs on the way home. The recycled ripstop lining is water-resistant, there are outside bottle pockets, and the trolley sleeve ...
CALPAK Terra 35L Water Resistant Zip Tote Bag
This is an insulating layer for under a shell, lightweight at about 10 oz and compressible into its own pocket. The down-filled baffles hold heat while perforations let steam out, so you are not clammy after hiking out to the lake.
Nike ACG Lava Loft Women's Therma-FIT Jacket
Snow and slush get into everything, so I keep my camera, spare batteries and dry socks in the small bags. Roll-top closures with taped seams mean you can toss the whole thing in a backpack on the way out to the field.
Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack Set (4L,8L,13L)
Hands-free matters when you are carrying a tripod, a thermos and a camera over snowy ground. This 20L pack has a breathable mesh back panel, a padded 16-inch laptop pocket and a key clip, and the trolley sleeve lets it ride on top of an Away carry-on...
Away The Everywhere Zip Backpack in Jet Black
These last up to 10 hours and heat up in 15 to 30 minutes, so I open a pair before leaving the warm cabin and slip them into mittens and a pocket with the spare phone. A box of 40 pairs covers a week of nights.
HotHands Hand Warmers, 40 Pairs
Phone and camera batteries drain fast in the cold, so I keep this in an inside pocket close to my body to stay warm. It holds about two charges for a recent iPhone and is small enough to forget it is in there.
Anker 10,000mAh 30W Power Bank