Dressing for a −25 °C night in Abisko
An aurora tour is mostly standing still in the dark, often for hours, at temperatures that numb an uncovered finger in minutes. The right layers make the difference between watching the sky and watching the clock. This guide covers what to wear and what the tours lend, plus what to keep in an inner pocket.
Why standing still is the hard part
Winter nights in Abisko often reach −15 to −25 °C (5 to −13 °F), and colder spells can go lower. Walking around town at those temperatures feels fine for a while, because moving keeps you warm.
An aurora tour is different, with long waits at a spot by the lake or in the birch forest while your body makes little heat. Dress for the waiting, not for the walk from the bus.
The aurora is never guaranteed, so some nights mean a long wait with nothing overhead. Being warm is what lets you stay out long enough for a late display to show.
Layer by layer, from the skin out
Several thinner layers trap more warm air than one thick coat and can be opened or closed as you go. Cotton is the one fabric to avoid because it holds sweat and then chills you.
- A wool base layer (top and long johns) tight against the skin
- A fleece or wool mid layer, a second one on the coldest nights
- A down or synthetic insulated jacket
- A windproof shell (jacket and trousers) on top of everything
Several tours lend overalls or snowsuits, which go over your own layers. Wear the base and mid layers anyway, since the borrowed suit keeps out wind but does little against the cold on its own.
Warm head, warm hands, warm feet
Wear a warm hat that covers your ears fully. Add a buff or neck gaiter you can pull up over your nose. Your breath freezes on the fabric after a while, so a spare buff in a pocket helps on a long night.
For your hands, thin liner gloves go under thick mittens. Mittens keep fingers warmer than gloves because they share heat, and the liners let you work a phone or camera for a minute without bare skin on cold metal.
Feet suffer most when you stand on snow. Wear one pair of thick wool socks rather than two tight ones, and boots roomy enough for warm toes and with soles that grip on ice.
What each tour lends you
Most tours on this site lend some outer gear, though what you get differs. The list below is only what the listings state, so pack your own layers underneath in every case.
| Tour | Lent by the operator | From |
|---|---|---|
| Photo tour | Warm overalls and a headlamp; heavy arctic boots can be rented | ~$160 |
| Bus chase | Warm clothing | ~$100 |
| Snowmobile tour | Snowsuits and boots, hats, gloves; helmets for drivers | ~$100 |
| Car chase with photographer | No clothing listed; bring your own | ~$146 |
| Husky hike | Overalls and boots, mittens, headlamps | ~$140 |
The bus chase lists warm clothing without saying what it is, so treat it as a top layer. On the photo tour, renting the heavy boots makes sense if your own winter shoes are city shoes.
The husky hike is the one outing where you warm up by moving, since it climbs gradually over about 4 km (2.5 miles). Open your jacket on the way up so you do not sweat, then close every layer before you stop at the lávvu.
On a snowmobile the wind adds its own cold
Riding a snowmobile at speed makes the air feel far colder than the thermometer says. A still night at −20 °C (−4 °F) bites hard on any patch of skin the wind can reach. Face and wrists suffer most.
On Experience Abisko's snowmobile aurora tour from ~$100 you borrow a snowsuit and boots plus a hat and gloves, with helmets for drivers. Wear your wool layers and a thin balaclava or buff under the helmet, and check that your sleeves overlap your gloves.
Passengers in the sled behind the guide move less than drivers, so they cool down faster. Our comparison of the ways out shows how warm each one feels.
Want the warm gear handed to you?
The three hour snowmobile tour by Experience Abisko lends snowsuits and boots plus hats and gloves, and serves warm drinks with a light snack. It is rated 4.7 from 140+ reviews on GetYourGuide, from ~$100; driving options may cost more.
Batteries and phones, plus hand warmers
Cold drains batteries fast. A phone at full charge can switch itself off within half an hour outside, so carry it in an inner pocket close to your body and bring a spare camera battery there too.
When you go back indoors, keep the camera in its bag for a while so condensation forms on the bag rather than inside the lens. Our photography guide covers settings and the rest of the kit.
Chemical hand warmers are cheap and light. Slip one into each mitten and a pair into your boots on the coldest nights, and keep a couple for the phone pocket.
A packing list for the evening
- Wool base layer (top and bottom)
- Fleece or wool mid layer, plus a spare
- Insulated jacket and windproof shell
- Hat over the ears and two buffs
- Liner gloves and thick mittens
- Thick wool socks and boots with grip
- Hand warmers and a spare battery in an inner pocket
- A headlamp with a red light, if the tour does not lend one
Children need the same layers, and more care with hands and feet, as our guide to the aurora with kids explains. See when to go for the coldest months and the milder autumn nights. The village versus town question has its own page on Abisko or Kiruna.