Packing Tips for an Epic Trip to Northern Europe in October

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Going on a trip and need some packing ideas?   Packing can take a lot of thought and planning, especially when traveling to several countries and being limited in available space.  My friend and I traveled eight nights to Iceland and Norway in October and covered A LOT of area (moving to a different location each night.)  You can read about those trip reports HERE   The following list contains some great products we used  for our trip and I hope it is helpful to others who plan to take an adventure!

Backpack

I started researching and found that a lot of the seasoned travelers in Europe use backpacks.  The one I have got me and my friend through the Big Horned Mountains in Wyoming 20 years ago.  I dug it out but then realized it is full of straps that hang this way and that.  They would for sure get caught in the conveyor belt at the airport.  After some research I found some backpacks come both with a detachable daypack AND all the straps zip up and are hidden when not in use.  After comparing a few I decided on the Osprey Farpoint 70.  It has much more room then the Osprey Farpoint 55 and I was able to fit all my gear in there. When I  returned home, I discovered a new product through social media that I am so excited to try out!  This backpack solves the issues we encountered using our own pack on our trip.  We had our main pack on our backs, but then each carried a smaller one. Even though I had a detachable small backpack, I ended up carrying it in my hands because it was packed so full and bulky it added too much posterior weight which put me off balance.  The Kosan Backpack is designedly by travelers and has a main large pack that goes on your back and a smaller one that is worn on the front and allows for hands free mobility.   I am so excited to have taken part in their kickstarter campaign and can’t wait to try out my new backpack!

Fouta

What is a Fouta?  It is a piece of thin, soft patterned cotton or linen fabric that originated in Tunsia, and is used to wrap around the body at the public baths in 19th-century Syria. I first heard about these from a guy selling them at our local State Fair.  We visited Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland where we could pay extra for a towel and robe, but I am all about saving money so we both used a Fouta as a towel and robe.  We also used them at the  Youth Hostels.  Mine was made of cotton and my friend’s was a little smaller  but lined with an absorbing terry cloth.  This Turkish Towel was great for our trip!

Blanket

Because we went to Iceland in October, it was cold.  It was nice to have a little extra warmth in our AirBnb and Youth Hostel stays,  so I brought along a compact blanket.   It wraps up small and come swith a carrying case and is made of down so was very warm.   I was able to find mine at  Costco ( in- store) but unfortunately not on their website and only seasonally.

Water Bottle

I also packed my BKR Glass Water Bottle .  I have already dropped it several times with no breaks.  It is small and with a loop and the drinking spout is small so you don’t dribble water down your chin when you take a drink.

Warm compressable jacket

It is amazing how small a down jacket can get when compressed into a bag.  This jacket is so warm it has kept me warm in the cold Minnesota Winters for several years.  It was very useful for the chilly unpredictable weather in Iceland and Norway in October.

Travel Pants/Shirts

We packed wrinkle- free shirts that will dry quickly which helped in the sleet and rain.  (Dri Fit or Performance short and longsleeve shirts). Nylon travel pants that are water repellant were also good.  We layered in soft leggings and shirts for added warmth.  I picked mine up at Kohls with their many sales but they can also be found at Cuddlduds.com.

Packing Cubes

These worked great for organizing my clothes in the backpack. They kept the clothes organized and compact. I didn’t have to dig through everything just to find a clean, dry pair of socks. They will also work great for in a suitcase!

Shoes

I had both a pair of waterproof hiking shoes and a pair of Ugg rain boots.  I got the pair of UGGS on mega clearance at our local outlet. They are so warm, almost hot because they have a softy furry liner at the bottom.  I always pack WAY too many shoes so it is crazy for me to think I went on vacation with only 2 pair of shoes for a little over a week.  Rain boots are MUST for visiting either of these countries in October.   A good pair of hiking boots – At REI they have a 100% Satisfaction Guarentee for one year.  I found some comfy waterproof ones there- the Solomon X-Ultra.  They have a quick tie system and good grip for hiking. They are also easy to slip on and off.

Rain Jacket/pants

I brought a lined lightweight rain jacket from NorthFace.com.  They have free 3 day shipping and returns as well as a Sale tab.  The forecast in October for both Iceland and Norway generally has lots of rain and temperatures  30-50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Umbrella

I knew the weather could change so  wanted to be prepared and not end up having to buy an expensive umbrella while on vacation, which is what has happened in the past.  It is nice and small and won’t take up much room.  We got a lot of use out of it, especially our evening exploring Oslo.

Phone

I wanted to get the best camera I could for taking pictures of the amazing landscape so upgraded to the iPhone 8.    Other accessories that would have been helpful on a trip like this would be a remote and a tripod to help keep the phone still when using the 10x zoom. Here is my camera review of the new iPhone 8.

Camera

I had planned to bring a large, good camera with even more zoom and quality then my phone but I ran out of space.  The Nikon 3100 with a good quality sd card is what I normally use, however,  I was really happy with the photo quality of the phone pictures.

Passport

All set to go!

Please comment below if you have other great travel packing tips or product suggestions.  Follow the blog and hear about our adventure to Iceland and Norway by adding your email below.