Whether you’re planning on renting a camper van or heading into the wilderness, you may want to pick up a few items to improve your Icelandic camping experience.
For this post I’ve put together a packing list to get you started with planning your summer camping trip in Iceland. I’ve also included a list of some of my favorite and most-used gear from our own camping trip around Iceland’s Ring Road.
Related Posts:
- Roughing It in Iceland: Wild Camping, Campsites, and Campervans
- Our 9-Day Trip Itinerary Around Iceland’s Ring Road
- Tips from a Thrifty Traveler: How to Save Money
- All other Iceland-related posts
Packing List
Clothing
Layers, layers, layers… the weather in Iceland is unpredictable and known for changing quickly, so the key to success is layering your clothes. Be sure to pack plenty of tank tops, t-shirts, and sweaters. When we visited in August, we experienced a wide range in temperatures. Sometimes a t-shirt was enough while other times we were fully bundled up like it was the middle of winter.
Be sure to also pack:
- Waterproof / Windproof Jacket
- Hiking Shoes with a thick rubber sole, ideally waterproof
- Hat, Gloves, Scarf
- Thermal Underwear
- Thick Socks
- Poncho
- Swimwear (for the hot pots!)
- Waterproof Sandals
Camping Equipment
- Waterproof / Windproof Tent
- Cold Weather Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad
- Inflatable Pillows
- Water Bottle / Thermos / Canteen
- Portable Stove
- Lightweight Pots/Pans
- Biodegradable Soap
- Swiss Army Knife
Everything Else
- Day Pack / Dry Bag
- Quick-dry Towel
- Camera / GoPro
- Flexible Tripod
- Binoculars
- Hand Warmers
- Portable Charger
- Headlamp / Lantern
- Sleep Mask
- Bug Repellant (to keep the infamous midges away)
- First Aid Kit
- Guidebook
Things to Buy Once in Iceland
- Groceries (shop for cheap at Bonus stores)
- Toilet Paper
- Fuel Canister for Stove
- Matches / Lighter
- Alcohol (purchase at Duty-Free)
My Favorite & Most-Used Gear
Below is a list of the gear we used most during our 9-day camping trip around Iceland’s Ring Road. Please note, all prices represent the cost on Amazon at the time of posting and may fluctuate over time.
1. Rick Steves Iceland Guide Book · $13.38
I am always a fan of Rick Steves’ travel guides; his candid (and humorous) insight into what you should and, more importantly, shouldn’t do is always on point and his Iceland guide is no exception. It’s filled with lots of interesting historical and cultural insights as well as all the necessary practical information for a smooth trip (such as addresses, admission prices, and opening hours). It’s especially useful for anyone planning a trip to the famous Golden Circle or all the way around the Ring Road.
Click here to buy Rick Steves Iceland Travel Guide.
2. MSR Pocket Rocket Stove · $44.95
This little portable stove is great for heating up water for tea, ramen noodles, oatmeal, or any other number of things while on-the-go. We take our Pocket Rocket on every camping trip, but it was especially handy for keeping us warm during the chilly Icelandic summer evenings. We were also able to save some money by preparing some of our meals using the stove with items either brought from home or purchased at the grocery store.
You’ll just need to connect the Pocket Rocket to a fuel canister; you can’t take the fuel on airplanes, so you’ll need to pick one up when you get in Iceland. Luckily, they’re easy to find and can be acquired at any of the major gas stations in Iceland.
Click here to buy your own MSR Pocket Rocket Stove.
3. Rechargeable Hand Warmer · $34.95
It’s worth it’s weight in gold as a rechargeable hand warmer alone, but it also has the added feature of being able to charge your phone or any other device with a USB connection.
Click here to purchase your own Rechargeable Hand Warmer.
4. GoPro HERO5 Action Camera · $248.99
Having a waterproof camera also comes in handy when taking a dip in one of Iceland’s many geothermal pools and hot pots and is especially useful if you plan on snorkeling the Silfra Fissure at Thingvellir National Park.
For these reasons, we ended up using our GoPro more on this trip than any other. We even used it to capture our proposal on our 10-day trip around the Ring Road!
Click here to purchase your own GoPro HERO5 Action Camera.
5. Flexible Tripod · $17.99
Once you venture away from Reykjavik and the Golden Circle, you’ll encounter few tourists and even fewer Icelanders. If it weren’t for the tripod, we wouldn’t have any of the great photos of ourselves from the trip (including the aforementioned proposal!).
The tripod comes with a mount especially for the GoPro as well as an adjustable attachment that allows you to mount your cell phone. This newer model also comes with a wireless remote!
Click here to purchase your own Flexible Tripod from Amazon.
6. Nalgene Water Bottle · $8.49
Buying bottled water is a complete waste of money here since you can literally drink straight from the rivers and streams — after all, many bottled water claims to be direct from Icelandic springs and you’ll be right at the source! So bring along a refillable bottle like the classic Nalgene Water Bottle.
For those that haven’t owned one of these things, they’re practically indestructible and come with a lifetime warranty. They’re BPA-free and therefore suitable for both warm and cold beverages. The wide mouth also makes it easy to add ice cubes and keep the bottle clean.
Ours is bright orange, which makes it easy to find and hard to lose, but they also come in lots of other (less aggressive) colors.
Click here to purchase your own Nalgene Water Bottle.
7. Nalgene Cantene · $20.00
When empty, the cantenes take up virtually no space in your bag (great for those trying to pack light), but when filled they hold an impressive 96 ounces.
They have the same wide-mouth design of the Nalgene Water Bottle, which is useful for refilling and keeping the inside clean. It also comes with the same lifetime warranty and is guaranteed to be leak-proof.
Click here to purchase your own Nalgene Cantene.
8. Solar-Powered Luci Light · $17.95
These solar-powered lanterns do just the trick. They emit lots of light when inflated, and when they’re not in use, they deflate and collapse to the size of a pancake. Clip them to the outside of your bag and the small solar panels on the bottom of the light will recharge the lantern throughout the day so it’s ready to use the following night. As an added bonus, these lanterns are also fully waterproof and will float on water!
For a softer, diffused glow, the light comes in a matte version as well.
Click here to purchase your own Solar-Powered Luci Light.
9. MAVA Waterproof Dry Bag · $17.95
It also has a handy outer pocket (non-waterproof) and external mesh water bottle holder for your trusty Nalgene from above. What more could you want!
Click here to purchase your own MAVA Waterproof Dry Bag.
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