What to Wear in Reykjavík in December

Pack for wet and dark, in that order. Veðurstofa Íslands's monthly record for Reykjavík averages 3.4°C by day and −1.6°C at night across 1991–2020, with about 95mm of precipitation, more than any other month, and 12.6 hours of sunshine in the whole of December. NOAA's record for the same station counts precipitation on about 20 days and frost on about 20 nights. On the solstice the sun is up for about four hours and seven minutes and climbs no higher than about two degrees. So rain falls on freezing pavements, mostly in the dark. Safetravel, the safety service of Iceland's search-and-rescue association, is blunt: "Wool and synthetics are the best when outdoors, no cotton." Pack an insulated waterproof parka over a lopapeysa, softshell trousers instead of jeans, rubber-shelled boots, ice cleats and something that reflects headlights.

The capsule

1. 
   01

   Deep navy insulated waterproof hooded parka, thigh length

   December is Reykjavík's wettest month on Veðurstofa's record, at about 95mm, and most of it arrives as rain or sleet just above freezing, which soaks wool and down alike. An insulated parka with a waterproof shell solves both problems in one layer. Thigh length covers the lopapeysa's hem, and a full hood stays up in the wind along Sæbraut, where an umbrella would not last a minute.

2. 
   02

   Cream lopapeysa with a grey-brown round yoke

   Lopi wool holds its warmth when damp, which is the condition you will be in most of the month. The round-yoke sweater is younger than it looks: Visit Iceland dates the first published pattern to 1956, inspired by Swedish sweaters and Greenlandic bead collars. Wear it under the parka outdoors and on its own in a café, over a thin layer so it does not itch.

3. 
   03

   Charcoal fleece-lined softshell trousers

   Jeans are cotton, and wet denim at −2°C / 28°F stays wet and cold for the rest of the evening. Softshell sheds sleet, the fleece backing keeps the warmth in, and a straight town cut goes over boots and into a restaurant without looking like ski gear. Charcoal hides road spray from the slush.

4. 
   04

   Black pac boots, rubber lower and felt liner

   Slush is the December surface, and a rubber lower is the only thing that keeps it out all day. The felt liner handles the 20 or so frost nights on NOAA's record, and a lace-up leather upper holds the ankle on uneven ice. They are rated far colder than Reykjavík gets, so think of them as waterproofing with warmth thrown in.

5. 
   05

   Slip-on rubber ice cleats with steel studs

   Only part of the city is heated underfoot. Iceland Review reports that heated pavements are mostly limited to the densest part of downtown and new developments, and the city clears main walking and cycling paths first and the rest by noon, so a 9am walk outside the centre can be on bare ice. Cleats stretch over the boots in seconds and come off at the café door.

6. 
   06

   Ecru rib beanie with a reflective tab

   Four hours of daylight means most of your walking is in the dark, past cars on wet roads. A pale beanie with a reflective tab is the part of you headlights find first; a black one is not. It doubles over the ears under the hood. Safetravel is clear on this: "Thermal gloves and headwear are essential."

7. 
   07

   Black insulated quilted-leather gloves

   Leather sheds the sleet that soaks straight through knit, and an insulated lining holds warmth through an hour standing at a bonfire on New Year's Eve. The knit cuffs tuck under the parka sleeve so wind cannot get in at the wrist. Black hides the soot.

8. 
   08

   Plain navy one-piece swimsuit

   Reykjavík's outdoor pools are where the city spends the dark months, and the city's holiday timetable keeps them open from 8am to 1pm on 24 and 31 December and from 1pm to 5pm on New Year's Day; they are closed on Christmas Day. Pack something plain and quick-drying, because the rules require every swimmer to shower thoroughly without swimwear first, in an open changing room.

A suggested look — navy insulated hooded parka, cream lopapeysa with grey yoke, charcoal softshell trousers, black pac boots, ecru rib beanie.

What to avoid

• Jeans and cotton — Safetravel says wool and synthetics, no cotton
• An umbrella — wind and sleet off the harbour
• A swim on Christmas Day — the pools are closed; on the 24th and 31st they close at 1pm
• A late bus on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve — last trips around 3pm last year
• Fireworks before 28 December or at a bonfire — both are banned