Iceland is the country of fire and ice, and rain and sun and wind and snow – all in five minutes. DO you have to bring all types of shoes with you? Does it matter if it is May, July, October or January? Well, despite what you might have heard, Icelanders do experience summer! Oh yes! So, if you are coming in the summer months, you can leave your moon boots at home!
But what if you are coming in May? What if you are going hiking? Or exploring a glacier? You’re in luck! We have put together a handy list of things to have in mind. Shoes are essential, after all.
Boots for Iceland!
It is wise bringing a pair of good hiking boots to Iceland, no matter the season. We presume that you will be exploring Iceland as much as you can while you are here and then hiking boots are a must. Not just because they are sturdy and good to walk on but also because you don’t want your pretty sneakers to become dirty in the Icelandic mud.
For winter it is also good to bring snow boots or just sturdy hiking boots. They work like a charm, and many Icelanders use hiking boots the most during the winter months.
Summer shoes in Iceland!
If you are here in the summer, you can bring whatever shoes you want. Just know that it can rain a lot, so open-toed shoes are maybe not the best bet. But snow boots would be a bit of an overkill, even if you are going on a glacier.
Crampons!
But do you need crampons? There are two types – the one with the big spikes, which is generally used on glacier tours and then smaller ones for general use. The big ones are provided by the tour company you will go with if you want to go on a glacier (we do not recommend you do it on your own).
The other smaller ones are available almost everywhere, and we do recommend them if you’re here in the winter. They are called mannbroddar or “human-spikes” in Icelandic. There will be a lot of ice on the streets and sidewalks, and they’re just handy. Just like our cars are equipped with spiked tires for safety during the winter months, so should your feet!
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS FOR A ROAD TRIP TO THE WESTFJORDS IN ICELAND?
