Since I love travelling in off season (you can see why here) the weather isn’t always perfect, it is usually autumn or spring and a little chilly for an island girl, so I figured I’d write down my winter travel packing list.
Carry On Only Winter Vacation Packing List
We try to work with what we have so a lot of items are things we had from before or have collected over the years. I also travel with a few gym shirts as my base layer. We invested in items that are non-negotiable such as a nice warm jacket and a fleece here and there, also we have gone on winter vacations for the last three years so our new items are getting a lot more use than they would have a while ago!
1. Hiking boots
Most of our trips end up being very active so my Columbia Newton Hiking Boots are usually always on my list. Just recently I also invested in a pair of snow boots by Sorel which I used on our Yukon road trip! Jason has a pair of winter boots he bought in Canada but he wore some Timberlands for Canada and was super happy with those!
2. Flip flops
Flip flops are great to have for hostels or even campsites, it’s nice to get your toes out of hiking boots every so often. If it is way to cold I will rock my wooly socks with my flip flops… (don’t tell anyone!)
3. Socks
I love having at least one or two wooly pairs of socks, they are great for evenings! If its freezing then they work well in hiking boots to keep your toes warm! I love these merino wool and possum socks I got in New Zealand! These bamboo hiking socks are a new pair that we can’t wait to test out!
4. Fleece lined leggings
I have fallen in love with fleece lined leggings! I wear them with tights underneath if it is really cold and unbearable! They keep me nice and toasty. Even though they are a bit thick to pack it is definitely worth it. These are always part of my winter travel packing list!
5. Tights
These are perfect under a pair of fleece leggings especially if it is super cold outside! These are basically my base layer.
6. Camisole
These are great for an extra layer under my long sleeve tee! You really need to keep your core warm, having a thin layer underneath like this helps trap a bit more heat!
7. Sweat wicking long sleeve top
I always carry a sweat wicking long sleeve top like these as part of our winter vacation packing list. They are great for hiking and are easy to dry out! Merino wool is also great for the cold so that is always another option!
8. T shirts
We usually carry enough shirts to last for a week, so roughly 5, usually on our winter trips we reuse a few shirts so a week’s worth could last us for 2 weeks.
9. Pajama pants and top
Grab some super comfy pants and shirts, its nice to change into something cozy in the evenings.
10. Sweaters
I got a crazy good deal on a couple of fleece jackets and vests from, you guessed it, Columbia! They are such a great brand for budget priced gear!
11. Packable Jacket
I loved my mighty lite jacket by Columbia for our Iceland trip but I recently upgraded to this Snow Eclipse jacket!
12. Waterproof Gear
I love my bright red rain jacket and these rain proof pants! They kept me really nice and dry on our Iceland trip.
13. Cold Weather Accessories
Don’t forget to pack your beanie, scarf and gloves!
Electronics
1. Camera
Jason loves his Sony camera, and I still love my Nikon D3300 so those are our options for travel cameras!
2. Tripod
I recently replaced my small polaroid tripod with a Zomei tripod and I absolutely love it! It’s very sturdy and highly recommended.
3. Kindle
My first generation finally died so now I’m looking to upgrade to a new Kindle Paperwhite. Reading is the perfect way to kill a few hours on a plane!
4. Cell phone and charger
We both travel with Samsung S9 Notes which are awesome for snapping pictures quickly!
5. Documents
I normally pack stuff like my Mighty lite jacket, scarf, gloves and beanie into another very small carry on bag so they are easily accessible when I land so I do not need to dig through my big pack for warm gear. Also, I normally keep passport and pen within close reach.
Usually with this amount of stuff my pack weighs just under 20lbs, which means I can easily lift it and place it in the overheard bins without almost knocking anyone out. At that weight it is also to explore a city with it on my back without feeling too weighed down and exhausted which is great. You can find out how I fit everything into my backpack here or you can check out our minimalist couples packing list here.
Yes! Carry-on travel is the way to go. I aways have a backpack as my ‘personal’ bag too so I can bring all of my must-haves. http://www.elaishajade.com/
Yes I take a small bag to put my inflight necessities so everything is close
I love how so many brands are making compressible cold weather gear. The Columbia line is sooooo nice. Makes it so much easier to pack light without the bulk.
Yes it’s certainly a lot easier if you just have carry-on. I get tired of throwing out my shampoos, deodorants and such every flight and then having to buy new when I get there though.
Thats a pretty good packing list. I don’t back pack and sometimes if I don’t want the hassle of baggage claim I can usually cram quite a bit in my small carry on luggage which fits nicely overhead. Winter packing on a carry on for adventure is a different story though. I would think the hiking boots would be the most challenging. As an outdoor enthusiast though it’s nice that there are so many light weight clothing options now that keep you warm
Yes I always wear my boots when Im travelling though!
Love this! When I (a Floridian) moved to Spain for a year, I made sure I could do it only with a carry on. Fortunately I didn’t own any real winter clothes, and I left them all in Spain! I suppose it’s easier to dress for only one season, though!
One season is def easier but I always layer up so if I needed to I could mix it up and travel around
I’m starting to get better with carry-on only packing but I haven’t tried it for a cold climate yet! I will have to keep this list handy as I tend to be an over- packer!
I actually feel like I may have overpacked but it worked out well since you really cant wash and dry things in Iceland lol! So i had enough for the 2 weeks
I always envy those who are able to pack in the carry-on only! Next time I will try to follow your list to see if I would manage it for the first time.
My hubby also uses Columbia’s jackets and loves them.
Carry On is definitely the way to go hey. The first few years I was backpacking with a 65 litre and whilst I always started with only 12kgs the extra space meant I always collected too much along the way and ended up breaking my back trying to carry 30kgs. Those days are over, carry on is the future, ha.
This is a great list! I recently visited Iceland with carry on only too, the only thing I didn’t have which I wish i did was waterproof pants, apparently everyone else got the memo but me. I was soaked through after heavy rain one day.
Thanks for the post, very helpful.
Oh gosh I read mixed reviews about bringing them but was so glad I did or else I wouldve been soaked and miserable everyday we were there!
Thanks for sharing this! I’m always looking to escape the warm weather in UAE too by visiting cold places. We’ve planned Europe for December & like every year, we struggle to fit those massive jackets & boots in our suitcase. ( I’m a fan of Columbia too btw ) Your tips will really help.
I usually always wear my jacket or boots if they are too bulky! But this new mighty lite is perfect! Worn it with just a shirt under and it kept me so warm!
Always only do carry on! Definitely worried about getting it all in there for the flight to Iceland in September. I am thinking of using some compression bags that will reduce the size of things like my nice warm sweaters and down coats. Have you ever used these? I know I still have to be careful with weight, but with all the boots and heavy warm items I’m worried the bag won’t close! haha
We managed even without compressible packing cubes! They do help a lot though. The weather wasn’t too terrible so we made do with one sweater each and a thin down coat. We had a few top each and about 2 bottoms and we managed to survive! Wear all your heaviest stuff on the plane! I carried my coat in my arms for the last trip and no one said anything
Lol I’m a warm weather gal, and I pretty much only travel with a carry-on, and I realized that this is pretty much what I’ve packed the few times that I’ve ventured into the cold!