Laugavegur Packing List for the Icelandic Highland Hiking Trail

To be well-equipped during your hike on the Laugavegur Trail, you need to bring some essential gear. We've put together a comprehensive Laugavegur packing list to help you prepare for your 3-day hike. Because I guarantee you this: The most discussed topics before our Iceland trip were: What should you pack for the hike? Which tent is suitable, and which sleeping bag will keep me warm?

You can hike at your own pace with all your gear. That's no problem at all. You won't get lost. Only crossing fords might get tricky. However, we booked the hike with Travelbase as a group. The big advantage: We could book luggage transport as well. For three days, it's not necessarily required, but I had significant shoulder issues before the trip. A heavy backpack would not have been good for my health. Within the group, each person hiked at their own pace. It could be that we didn't meet anyone else for hours. Everything was great, and we had an awesome team, because that matters!

Before I start with the packing list, there are a few important facts about the weather in Iceland's highlands.

The weather in the Icelandic highlands is unpredictable. At any time of the year and without warning, it can be very cold, wet, and stormy. It can even snow in the highlands during summer, there may be hail and fog, and you will need to cross both fords and snowfields. You should always pack your clothing in your backpack in dry bags to keep them dry. Moreover, make sure to stay warm at all times. Gloves, a buff, a hat, and a thin down jacket are a must even in summer.

Check out my packing list for Iceland travels with shorter hikes.

The heavier your backpack, the more strenuous the hike will be. Sounds logical, right? With my packing list, you can minimize your weight and know what you really need.

Below I will go into detail about each item:

Important: The campsites (except Volcano Huts) offer little protection. In rain, you must prepare your food without a roof over your head. You can seek shelter from the wind near some buildings. However, you cannot enter them if you are only camping.

In some areas, there is little to no hold for tent pegs to secure your tent. Use stones lying around for anchoring.

Dress in layers (onion style), so you can put them on or take them off to control your body temperature.

Pack at least one set of clothing for the hike and one for the evening and night. In rain, there are only options to dry clothes in Landmannalaugar and possibly in the Volcano Huts. Therefore, I packed more. Definitely at least one pair of dry socks per day.

I recommend packing high hiking boots that are broken in. Only take shoes that you've already hiked in and know won't cause blisters or any issues. We had a lot of colleagues who were hiking with blisters from day one because they had new shoes.

Some also went in trail running shoes (HOKA is on-trend), but you can quickly get wet feet during the crossing of snowfields on day one if water gets over your ankle.

Tips: When hiking, it's important to take care of your feet. Proper care and preparation will save you from pain and blisters. Cut your toenails before the trip and keep your feet dry. Pack a few blister plasters just in case, and make sure to wear dry socks.

After arriving at camp, it's time to change shoes. This allows your hiking shoes to dry and your feet to recover. Some did not pack a second pair. I had my flat trekking shoes with me.

Others had crocs, Birkenstock, or flip-flops. I would have found that far too cold for my feet (despite thick merino socks). You know how your cold sensitivity is. Some didn't pack a second pair of shoes either.

For crossing rivers, you should pack suitable water shoes. You have various options:

I had proper water shoes (see here), Julia had beach shoes, and Dom had special socks. However, I found those had too little grip. The currents can be really strong, and the stones are slippery. Plus, I have very sensitive soles.

Before the hike, I made a big shopping trip in Reykjavik at the 66°North store. After weeks of endless rain in Iceland, my good rain gear had become water-permeable (good Arcteryx jacket and Patagonia rain pants, where I discovered a larger hole on my rear - I must have slipped too often while descending Mount Kilimanjaro on the rubble).

Check your rain clothing for leak-proofing. Treat it again properly. Or do like me: go shopping.

On the Laugavegur and in Iceland in general, you should always be prepared to hike in ice rain coming sideways, which is quite uncomfortable. There is no place to take shelter. Once your clothing is wet, it won't dry.

High-quality, waterproof clothing provides comfort and protects your items in your backpack, allowing you to wear dry, comfortable clothing after the hike.

Pack your clothing in waterproof bags in your backpack again (I use these from Patagonia or this one from Ortlieb for the camera).

Take a backpack that you've already used on other hikes. If you have a new one, you should try packing it at home to go for a few hours with it on your back. Even if it sounds odd: the backpack also needs to be broken in. You should be used to wearing the backpack for extended periods.

I had a 27-liter backpack (with luggage transport in a duffle bag). If you want to carry everything yourself, you should choose a backpack with a capacity of 45 to 60 liters. If you're staying in huts, then you don't need a tent or thermal mat. A backpack around 30 to 35 liters suffices.

Important: A good rain cover for your backpack!

This is your daypack that you'll carry on every stage of the hike. So make sure it has enough space for essentials like water bottles or a hydration bladder, rain gear, sometimes a lunchbox, snacks, a camera, etc.

It's important that you have a rain cover for the backpack since it rained every day for us.

Ideal backpacks are between 27 to 32 liters.

Our used backpacks:

During the ascent of Kilimanjaro, I learned how useful hiking poles are. In Iceland, it is also very helpful to have hiking poles on steep or snow-covered sections. For crossing rivers that can be very swift, they are also good for maintaining balance.

I recommend taking lightweight, collapsible poles made from carbon. They are very sturdy, lightweight, and can be easily stowed in general travel luggage.

I own the BLACK SERIES FX CARBON - Trekking Poles, as they fold down the smallest. In Patagonia, I had others that I struggled to fit into my larger travel backpack. The small ones are the most expensive but are the best for me. I also use them regularly. You must decide for yourself whether you need the most expensive ones like I do. The others are also good.

Essential for hikes with nights in tents are sleep masks. In summer, it doesn't get dark; the sun shines directly into the tent (when it shines, which was most of the time for us). It's brutal if you don't have a sleep mask with you. Because in daylight, your body doesn't think of sleeping at all.

An important point is the tent. Before the trip, I specifically consulted in a specialty outdoor store for Iceland and the highlands. Unfortunately, I was advised to get the wrong tent (a tunnel tent). It was not only a hassle to set up, as the ground was often lava rock, and we could only secure the pegs and ropes with the help of stones. Also, after a stormy night in Álftavatn, it was completely out of shape:

Therefore, my tip is clearly in favor of the MSR ELIXIR 3 - Dome Tent. If you are two people, this tent is ideal as it allows for good storage of your belongings inside while keeping them dry. Thanks to Travelbase, we received a reserve tent for the last night.

For the Icelandic highlands, where it can drop below 0°C at night even in summer (but not necessarily), I recommend sleeping bags rated to -5°C. If you are like me and easily get cold, it should be a warm sleeping bag.

I fell in love with this sleeping bag during the ascent of Kilimanjaro and therefore brought it along to Iceland.

Providers recommend a comfort range from 0°C to -5°C.

I swear by the NEOAIR XLITE NXT - Sleeping Mat (the yellow one from Therm-a-Rest). This sleeping mat can be packed small and compact. There's an even lighter version, which would have been too cool for me in Iceland in frost.

Unfortunately, it didn't survive the storm, as sand came through the tent at night like needles. I was able to exchange it without any problems.

I'm not a fan of earplugs, but on this trip, I had some, and it was the best decision. Why? The campsites are not large, as the space is often limited. With 24 hours of daylight, people are always around. It is rarely completely quiet.

As you can read further down in the clothing section, I wore long underwear (merino) and a 260 merino long sleeve for the nights. We all did not bring extra clothing just for sleeping.

On cold nights, you can wear your 2nd pair of merino hiking socks and put on a hat (in my sleeping bag I could wrap myself like a mummy).

If it's still cold, you can place your daypack between the end of the sleeping bag and the tent wall. That worked perfectly for us.

You can use a stuff sack and your down jacket as a makeshift pillow. That's what most of us did. Personally, I had my trusted inflatable pillow with me. It weighs almost nothing and packed easily, so it was there.

Since the weather is very changeable, you will be exposed to the elements at all times; your body will be subjected to a large and constantly changing temperature range. From 24 degrees and sunshine to sub-zero temperatures, storms, and a few drops of rain (we were very lucky), you have to be prepared for everything.

The right clothing is essential. The trick is to use a layering system that can be quickly added or removed when conditions change. Daily adjustments to your clothing are required, adding warmer layers like thermal pants, gloves, and hats as you go higher.

Ensure all your contents are packed in waterproof bags to keep them dry. We also used packing bags to store used clothing during the hike.

Choose a breathable outer layer made of Gore-Tex, as it helps wick moisture away and keeps you dry inside. Make sure the jacket has a hood, and that you can comfortably wear your other layers of down, fleece, or lightweight down underneath. Be sure to try it at home!

This clothing was no longer watertight in Iceland. So I had to shop shortly before the hike.

Newly outfitted in Iceland at 66North:

For the evenings in and around the tent, a down jacket or thick fleece is essential. If you bring a down jacket, you may not need a fleece jacket or softshell. Remember that synthetic down retains warmth when wet or damp and are likely the better option.

You don't need a snowboarding or ski jacket. Think in layers; that was enough even for me.

Down jacket: mine from Fjällräven, as a mid-layer or outer layer.

Between T-shirts and jackets, long sleeves, thin down jackets, or a thin fleece are ideal. I prefer to wear long sleeves while hiking rather than pack another fleece. I only wore this during dinner in the tent, as it cools off quickly here, and you start to freeze if you're not moving and are exhausted.

Base layers or functional underwear (ideally made from merino wool) are light and add an essential warm layer on cold evenings. As a woman, leggings are ideal and suitable for hiking during the first few days.

They helped me as a hiking pants (with zippers) and a softshell pants (in camp) (mine is from Tierra).

A good quality hiking pants, preferably made from fast-drying materials. Remember that cotton does not dry quickly, and jeans are generally unsuitable for mountain hiking. Many trekking pants have zippers to convert them into shorts (zip-off pants). As a woman, leggings are ideal, but zip-off pants are better for all the river crossings.

I found that a hiking pants (with zippers) and a softshell pants (in camp) were sufficient.

Plan for a fresh pair of underwear for each day. Mine are made of merino.

For women: I only needed one sports bra; I packed two.

Merino is a natural fiber that is naturally odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, insulating when wet, and quick-drying. It feels very pleasant on the skin and is not too hot at high temperatures.

I had my softshell gloves, which are somewhat water-resistant, from 66°North. They were ideal. We were lucky that it only rained briefly 1-2 times.

The Buff(R) is ubiquitous on hikes and climbing tours and very useful for protecting the face from sun, dust, and wind. I had two with me: one made of thin material for warmer days and a fleece buff (which I typically use for snowboarding). I love my fleece buff and was so happy with it, as the icy wind was really whipping around us.

Make sure you have a water bottle (thermos bottle) with you, as it's really great to have a hot cup of tea to drink on the go. Additionally, I brought a hydration system (3 liters) that I kept filling with water at the camps.

At the campsites, there are showers for which you can buy coins. I always bring baby wipes (wet wipes) on hikes to 'wash' myself.

There is no electricity available while hiking. Therefore, the most important gadget is one or two power banks. To charge our phones, cameras, and watches, we brought power banks. This is crucial if you want to charge technical equipment.

Have you ever hiked with your backpack on a multi-day trip? If you don't have experience yet, you should keep your weight around 12 kg. As mentioned above, I booked luggage transport due to back problems. You can also do this with Travelbase. This way, I always had dry clothes and could pack my camera with lenses in the daypack.

Keep in mind that you also need to pack food for the 3 days. Additionally, you need a gas stove with cartridge and water. Because you need to drink a lot.

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