What to wear on a Northern Lights tour
You will spend more of the night standing still in the snow than you expect, often far colder than in Tromsø itself. Most tours hand out a thermal suit, and it helps a lot. But what you wear underneath, and on your feet, decides whether you are still smiling in the second hour.
Colder out there than in town
Tromsø is on the coast, and the sea keeps it mild for the Arctic. A typical winter day hovers a few degrees below freezing, around 20 to 30 °F. The chases often head inland, to valleys and plateaus toward Sweden and Finland, where the air is drier, clearer and much colder. Minus 15 to minus 25 °C, about 5 to minus 13 °F, is normal there in midwinter, and colder nights happen, especially when a chase crosses into Finland. Add a breeze and the fact that you are standing still for an hour, and you see why the operators keep telling you to dress warmly.
The layers we would wear
- Base layer: thermal or merino wool long underwear, top and bottom. Avoid cotton, which holds sweat and gets cold.
- Middle layer: a fleece or thick wool sweater, and warm trousers over the long underwear.
- Outer layer: your warmest winter jacket. On most chases the thermal suit goes on top of it.
- Head and neck: a hat that covers your ears, and a scarf or neck gaiter you can pull over your face.
- Hands: thin liner gloves for using your phone, with mittens or thick gloves over them.
- Feet: two pairs of socks, wool on the outside, and insulated winter boots with a grippy sole.
What the thermal suits cover, and what they do not
Our pick, the unlimited chase from Snow Travels, includes insulated full-body suits, and foot warmers on its six-to-eight-hour option. The Arctic Breeze chase and the family-run Arctic Glow tour include suits too. On the big bus they are for rent, not included. The suits cover your body and legs. They do not cover your hands, your head or, most importantly, your feet.
Boots are where most people go wrong. Sneakers and fashion boots soak through in the snow within minutes. Only a few tours include boots. The adults-only all-inclusive chase from Northern Horizon at ~$135 provides boots and a thermal suit, and the campfire tour from Spirit in the sky at ~$133 lends waterproof boots if needed. If you own no winter boots, start with those two.
Suits and foot warmers included
Our pick, from ~$168, with insulated suits, foot warmers on the unlimited option, a bonfire and hot drinks.
Ice on the ground
Paths at viewpoints are often packed snow or bare ice, and the operators warn that surfaces can be uneven. The big bus suggests bringing ice cleats, small spikes that slip over your boots. They cost little in Tromsø's outdoor shops, weigh nothing and make the walk from the bus to the fire much safer, especially at night.
A packing list for cruise guests
On a cruise, you probably packed for a warm cabin and a cold deck, not for a night in a snowfield. Before you leave the ship, put on:
- Everything warm you have, in layers: long underwear, sweater, jacket
- Hat, scarf, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks
- The warmest boots you packed, ideally waterproof
- Ship card, passport or ID for chases that may cross into Finland
- Phone and a spare battery in an inside pocket, and a small snack
If your shoes are not up to it, consider the reindeer camp or the electric boat, where you spend much of the night indoors. Our cruise guide has more.
Keep your batteries warm
Cold drains batteries far faster than you would expect, and a phone at 40 percent can die in minutes outside. Keep it in an inside pocket close to your body, carry a spare power bank, and only take it out when the lights are up. The same goes for camera batteries. Our photo guide explains what else helps.
What not to bring
Large bags and luggage stay behind, because our pick does not allow them and a minibus has no space for them. Alcohol is not allowed on Arctic Glow and several other chases. And leave a long umbrella or anything you would hate to lose in the snow. Dressing children is covered in our family guide.