Hiking in Iceland’s Highlands left me a bit perplexed about what to pack. I was heading to Iceland in late August, but I’d read that hikers can experience all four seasons then. Snow, wind, sunshine, rain, and bitter cold were all possible. The route also had multiple water crossings. So this wasn’t going to be my traditional summer backpacking gear list, and it wouldn’t be like my other recent European hikes on the Tour du Mont Blanc, West Highland Way, or Via Francigena either.
I planned to use the FÍ hut system rather than tent camping on the 55-km Laugavegur Trail and the 25-km Fimmvörðuháls Trail. So I could leave some of my heaviest gear at home. Aside from those omissions, my packing list is remarkably similar to what I might carry on an early March or October-November backpacking trek in the Pacific Northwest.
If you’re interested in the logic behind some of my gear choices, scroll to the end to see what items I loved, what I’d change, and what gear I deliberately left behind for this Icelandic adventure.
HIKING ITEMS
- Backpack – Gossamer Gear G4-20 pack (42L/frameless pack)
- Trekking poles — Black Diamond Distance FLZ trekking/running poles
- Hydration– Two 1L plastic bottles & Platypus Quick Draw Filter
- First Aid Kit – Lamb’s world, Compeed patches/bandaids, Tylenol, allergy medicine
- Hygiene – Kula Cloth, plus doggie poop bags, TP, and hand sanitizer
- Headlamp – Nitecore NU25 headlamp (360 lumens)
- Navigation – Gaia GPS route on my iPhone
Hiking Clothes (Worn)
- Hiking Shirt – Voormi River Run merino wool sun hoodie
- Hiking Pants – Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants
- Bra/Underwear – Branyn merino wool essentual bralette, jockey underwear
- Socks – Smartwool hiking crew socks
- Footwear – Keen Targhee II mid waterproof hiking boots
- Hat – OR Swift ball cap
- Earband– Buff CoolNet UV+ multifunctional headband
- Hiking gloves – REI sun gloves
- Sunglasses – Tifosi Swank running sunglass
Hut Items
- Quilt – Enlightened Equipment 10°F Enigma Quit
- Pillow case – Therm-a-rest trekker pillow case
- Sleep shirt – Icebreaker quarter-zip long-sleeve 200 merino base layer
- Sleep pants – Smartwool classic thermal 250 merino base layer
- Bra/Underwear – Extra Branyn merino wool essential bralette, Jockey underwear (x2)
- Extra socks – Smartwool hiking crew socks (x2)
- Hut shoes – Crocs Swiftwater sandals
OUTERWEAR
- Rain jacket – Patagonia Torrentshell 3L rain jacket
- Rain pants – REI Rainier Rain pants (full zip)
- Wind jacket — Patagonia Houdini wind jacket
- Puffy jacket – Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket
- Rain gloves – Outdoor Research Helium rain mitts
- Gloves – Smartwool wool liner gloves
- Buff – Buff neck gaiter
- Beanie Hat – Kari Traa wool beanie
- Microspikes — Kahoola microspikes
ELECTRONICS
- Phone/camera – iPhone
- Earbuds – Apple Airpods
- Watch – Garmin Forerunner 165
- External battery – Nitecore NB 10,000 mAh external battery
- Power adapter – 220V plug plus 4-in-1 braided charging cable
- Electronics Storage – Exped 1L stuff sack & ziplock baggies
HYGIENE
- Toiletry Storage – Kavu toiletry bag
- Towel – Nomadix ultralight quick-dry towel (size: 54″ x30″)
- Shower items – Travel shampoo, soap
- Dental Care – Travel toothbrush/toothpaste + floss
- Vision – Disposable contact lenses & glasses
- Haircare – Comb
- Skin care/makeup– chapstick, sunscreen, mascara, deodorant
Food/Cooking Items
- Stove – MSR PocketRocket2
- Cook Pot – MSR Titan Kettle (0.85L) + homemade pot koozy
- Fuel – isobutane fuel canister **purchased locally**
- Spoon – Toaks long handle titanium spoon (w/ polished bowl)
- Cup – Sea to Summit collapsable cup
- Meals – Dehydrated meals from the US
- Food Storage – Zpacks dyneema food storage bag
PERSONAL ITEMS
- Wallet – WEBO wallet
- Personal items – Passport/ID, ATM/Credit card, Cash (Icelandic Kronor)
- Journal – Field Notes pocket-size (5.5″x 3.5″) notebook + pen
MVP Gear ItemS
Some gear makes a huge difference in your hike. For me, there were two items on the Laugavegur Trail that were hands down MVPs of the trek
- Wool sun hoodie. Even though I find merino wool too fragile for most long hikes, I love my Voormi wool sun hoodie for a shoulder-season adventure like last October’s Santa Fe to Taos hike. This hoodie proved to be the perfect warm but breathable layer in Iceland. The weather shifted frequently between sunshine, wind, and rain throughout my first day on the trail. No matter which jacket I wore over this wool hoodie, I maintained the perfect temperature without getting sweaty or clammy. As a bonus, the hood also made a cozy, warm layer over my beanie in the early mornings. Verdict: 👍👍
- Rainier rain pants. During one of my summer trips on the PCT, I got a large hole in my super-lightweight REI Junction rain pants. Unfortunately, REI no longer carries those pants (they were actually cycling rain pants), so I had to find a new style before flying to Iceland. The REI Rainier rain pants are definitely heavier at 10.6 ounces, but the full-length zipper from ankle to waist makes them worth it. I must have put on and taken off my rain pants a dozen times on the Laugavegur Trail because the weather kept shifting. But I never once had to unlace or remove my boots because I had the luxury of full-zip rain pants. Verdict: 👍👍
New (Different) Gear for this hike
- Waterproof hiking boots. I wear Altra Lone Peak trail shoes on virtually all my long-distance backpacking trips. However, this time I packed waterproof, ankle-high hiking boots to handle freezing rain and the need to cross snowfields and glaciers. I knew these boots would keep my feet much warmer because I wore them in Wyoming’s Wind River Range and on Scotland’s West Highland Way. These boots have a nice wide toebox like my Altras, and they provide the extra warmth and waterproofing that an adventure like this one demands. Hiking boots are definitely more cumbersome than trail runners, but I wasn’t willing to risk cold, wet (or icy) trail shoes if I hit bad weather on this late summer trek. Verdict: 👍
- Wool hiking socks. Over the years, I’ve switched from Injinji toe socks to wool running socks. I prefer Smartwool socks over the other popular brands. Smartwool offers a better range of heights (low ankle, ankle, mid-crew, crew, tall crew) and weights than its competitors. The weave across the foot also feels a little more relaxed, resulting in less friction between my toes on my longer hiking days. My go-to sock style with my trail runners is the Smartwool ankle running socks, but I wanted heavier, taller socks for better comfort with my hiking boots, so I packed several pairs of their crew hiking socks Verdict: 👍
- Trekking poles. I try to avoid bringing trekking poles when I travel to Europe because most airlines require you to pack them in checked luggage (and I tend to fly with just a carry-on bag). However, since my son and I were already checking one large duffel bag of gear for our 12-day Iceland trip, I could bring my ultralight Black Diamond Z-Poles. I was definitely glad to have them while crossing snowfields and on some steep, loose descents on the Laugavegur Trail. I didn’t get to continue to the Fimmvörðuháls Trail, but I suspect we would have wanted the extra stability of trekking poles on the knife’s edge (Kattarhryggir) and when crossing the glaciers on that second trail. Verdict: 👍
- Outdoor thermometer. I added this little ultralight gizmo from Thermoworks to my backpacking kit in 2026. Did I need an outdoor thermometer to tell me how cold it was when I started hiking each morning? Absolutely not. But I find that it brings me a little extra joy for 0.5 oz. Its real purpose is to make sure I know when it’s cold enough to tuck my water filter into my quilt overnight so it doesn’t freeze. This wasn’t a concern on my hut-to-hut trek, but seeing the gauge reminded me to tuck my water filter into my puffy coat for the first few hours of the morning, when temperatures were still below freezing. Verdict: 👍
- Buff. I usually don’t pack a Buff unless I’m heading out on a mountaineering trip and need it to protect my face against the cold wind at the summit. For my other backpacking trips, I prefer my smaller Buff headband, which is less bulky and just as versatile. I packed a full Buff on this trek in Iceland because I worried I might need it for the colder conditions in August while hiking at 64° latitude. It’s not unheard of to experience snow or blizzards on the Laugavegur Trail, even in summer. My Buff remained in my bag the entire time, but it was nice to know I had it if I needed it. Verdict: 👍
- Wool base layers. I stayed in huts for two nights on this adventure, but I didn’t know what to expect beforehand. How warm would the huts be? Would I look out of place wearing only base layers indoors? I didn’t need to worry, though. My 200-250 weight wool base layers were perfectly acceptable attire. The only downside was having to wear them outside in the freezing cold temps to use the bathroom. Verdict: 👍
- Towel & shower items. Most of my longer backpacking trips require digging a cathole for a toilet and using wet wipes to clean up after a long day of hiking. However, most of the huts along the Laugavegur Trail have hot water and showers for guests. The showers are NOT included in the overnight reservation, though. You must pay the hut’s warden 1,100 ISK ($9) and will receive a card that turns on the water for 5 minutes. I’m glad I packed a towel and soap, because it felt great to shower (and warm up) after a long day hiking in the elements. Verdict: 👍
- Navigation. The Laugavegur Trail has plenty of signs and trail markers, but I try to avoid going on any hike without a navigation tool as a backup. I didn’t use paper maps for this trail. I downloaded the route to my iPhone using my Gaia GPS app. This tool helped at several junctions where I wasn’t 100% sure exactly which way to go, and it would have been indispensable in foggy or white-out conditions when you cannot see the next marker across the wide volcanic landscape. The FarOut app also now provides a GPS route for this trail for hikers who prefer that tool as a backup. Verdict: 👍
- GPS watch. I’ve become increasingly dependent on technology to tell me how far I’ve hiked (and how much longer I have to go). I can generally guess my distance based on my typical hiking pace, but there’s something comforting about looking down at my wrist and seeing the answer. I’ve started using the Garmin Forerunner 165 running watch for this on shorter hikes, and I packed it for this three-day Iceland adventure. The only real downside is that I need to remember to pack a dedicated charging cable since it isn’t compatible with standard USB cables. Verdict: 👍
- Dehydrated meals. Food is much more expensive in Iceland than in most of Europe and North America. Even the cost of a ramen packet or granola bar will shock you. I decided to bring most of my backpacking food with me from home. Freeze-dried meals travel well, and as long as you are only importing a small quantity for personal use, you should have no issue getting these items through customs when you enter Iceland. Verdict: 👍
- Microspikes. I definitely didn’t need my microspikes on the Laugavegur Trail this late in the season. I had to cross several snowfields, but they weren’t in bad condition, and my trekking poles and hiking boots gave me enough traction. If I’d been one of the hikers forging the path across the snow, I might have felt differently. I packed micropikes mainly for the Fimmvörðuháls Trail, which takes hikers on and between the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers. Since we had to bail on this section of the trail at the Thorsmörk warden’s recommendation, I’ll never know if microspikes were necessary. But I probably would have packed them just to be safe. Verdict: 👍
- 220V adapter. Like much of Europe, Iceland uses 220V electrical plugs. I brought my Type C plug adapter to use on this hike. None of the huts operated by FÍ (the Icelandic Touring Association) had power outlets, but there were some available for use in the hiker kitchen hut at the Volcano Huts. You’ll need this item even if you pack an external battery, since you’ll probably want to charge everything up before and after your hike. Verdict: 👍
Gear I’d Add or omit
- Pack cover. I don’t use a pack cover when I’m backpacking long-distance trails in the US. I simply line the inside of my pack with a waterproof bag (I prefer the Six Moon Designs liner bag) and place most of my critical gear inside it to keep everything dry. This system works well when your pack stays outdoors or in your tent vestibule. It’s less ideal if you are staying inside huts watching your wet pack create an embarrassingly large pool of water on the wooden floor. I previously used a pack cover on the Camino de Santiago, the West Highland Way, and the Tour du Mont Blanc, and I wish I would have packed it for this European hike too.
- Water filter. Although I brought my water filter on this trek, I never needed it. All the huts along the route have potable water taps, and they’re spaced roughly every 7 kilometers along the trail. The route also has streams and creeks, but you don’t need to use them for water. Hiking with a hollow-fiber filter (like the Sawyer Squeeze or Platypus Quickdraw) adds an unnecessary headache too, because you’ll need to carefully protect your filter from Iceland’s freezing temperatures while hiking.
- Gloves. I packed three pairs of gloves for this trek, and I used them all. In hindsight, though, I don’t think my Smartwool liner gloves were the right layer under my rain mitts. They were too bulky, and I had to remove both layers to take photos, use my navigation app, or do anything with my phone. My hiking gloves weren’t the right layer either, because the fingerless style left my fingertips too cold. If I were packing for this trail again, I’d replace my thick wool liner gloves (or my sungloves) with my thinner REI merino wool liner gloves because they are touchscreen-capable.
Hiking Gear I left behind
- Fuel. You can’t fly into Iceland with a pressurized fuel canister. All airlines strictly prohibit flammable gases, whether in checked luggage or carry-on bags. Even an empty fuel canister will be confiscated, so you’ll need to buy fuel once you arrive in Iceland. You can buy fuel canisters at most N1 gas stations, the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavik, and some small outdoor stores. Two bits of advice: (1) Always check that the top of the canister is threaded and compatible with your stove, since these stores often place them beside the valve fuel canisters for campervans; (2) Fuel canisters will probably say “mixed gas” instead of isobutane. Verdict: 👍
- Shorts. Even though I visited Iceland in August, I didn’t bother packing shorts for the Laugavegur Trail. The weather in Iceland’s highlands is never great, and the sunshine is fleeting. You’ll want a warmer bottom layer, so leave the extra weight at home and plan to hike in pants. Verdict: 👍
- Tent & Sleeping pad. You can save a lot of money by camping on the Laugavegur Trail instead of reserving space in a hut. (Huts usually cost 17,000 ISK, whereas camping is 3,400 ISK) However, since I planned to hike the trail quickly, I decided to leave my tent at home and enjoy the cultural novelty of staying at the Hvanngil Hut and the Volcano Huts. This decision was reaffirmed when I walked past all the tents in the morning and saw how much frost and ice were plastered on everyone’s rain flys. But the real savings were the 3 pounds of gear I didn’t have to hike with each day. Verdict: 👍
- Food storage. I typically store my backpacking food in an Ursack lined with an odor-proof bag so it doesn’t attract wildlife. I didn’t need this added protection since I spent my nights indoors at the huts. However, I still would have left my Ursack at home even if I were camping on the trail. Iceland’s highland wildlife is mostly limited to sheep and birds. You don’t have to worry about attracting bears or squirrels, since they don’t exist in the country.
Final thoughts
Although my trek in Iceland was cut short by one full day, I wouldn’t change much about how I packed for this adventure. My best advice to fellow hikers planning to hike the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls Trails is to pack as if you’re on an early-spring or late-fall hike. The weather rarely warms up, even when the sun makes a brief appearance.
If I were camping on the trail instead of utilizing the huts, I’d pack even warmer sleeping layers for the evenings. The air temperature dropped into the upper 20s (Fahrenheit) overnight, and the chance of freezing rain or snow is moderately high even in summer. Staying in the huts let me avoid packing this extra gear, but it would be 100% worth it if I were sleeping outdoors.
Finally, I strongly believe wool is the ideal material for this trail. I used a merino wool sun hoodie, wool base layers, wool socks, and a wool beanie and gloves. I’d also recommend varying your wool weights. I normally hike in lightweight merino running socks with my trail runners, but I upgraded to warmer, hiking-weight wool socks with my boots. Similarly, I opted for warmer 200- to 250-weight wool items for the evening. Iceland is an extreme environment, and wool is worth the extra price on a trip like this.
