Gear List: Iceland Traverse & Hornstrandir Trek

In late summer 2023, Kate “Sweptaway” Pickett and I trekked around Iceland’s Hornstrandir Peninsula and completed a north-to-south traverse of the country. The hikes covered approximately 120 km (75 mi) and 600 km (373 mi), respectively.

Temperatures were generally typical for the season, ranging from the mid-teens Celsius (low 60s F) to just below freezing (-5°C/23°F). We encountered a few storms in Hornstrandir, but by far the most challenging conditions came in early September during the Iceland Traverse. While crossing the Central Highlands, we were buffeted by rain, snow, and winds approaching 100 km/h (62 mph).

Overall, I was happy with my clothing and equipment choices for Iceland. It was far from my lightest base weight—in fact, it may have been my heaviest this millennium—but everything held up well in some very challenging conditions. Following the gear list are detailed field notes and observations on trekking in Iceland:

 

Gear List: Iceland Traverse & Hornstrandir Trek 

ITEM	WT (OZ)	COMMENTS
BACKPACK – 40oz / 1.13kg
Six Moon Designs Swift X	38	Overkill for the Hornstrandir hike, but the extra capacity came in handy for our eight day carry in the Central Highlands/ For more details see: https://www.thehikinglife.com/2023/02/review-six-moon-designs-swift-x-backpack/
Pack Liner (Trash Compactor Bag)	2	Cheap & effective
SHELTER – 44.6oz / 1.26kg
Tarptent Stratospire 2 (silpoly)	42	Held up like a champ in some very challenging conditions (i.e. heavy rain/gusts up to 50mph/80kmph) // Roomy for two people – dual vestibules, plenty of space for sitting up, good ventilation, floor big enough to hold two wide Thermarest NeoAirs / Note: The Stratospire 2 Dyneema version weighs around 9 or 10 oz less , but is almost double the price.
Stakes—Combination of different models, including MSR Groundhogs, Easton “Nails,” and shepherd’s hooks.	2.6
SLEEPING SYSTEM – 36oz / 1.02kg
Pad – Thermarest NeoAir (Regular/wide) (modified)	12	I’ve been happily using NeoAirs’ since 2010. For an occasionally restless side sleeper, they’ve been a game changer on the slumber front / Review: https://thehikinglife.com/2016/06/gear-review-therm-a-rest-neoair-xlite/
Quilt – Katabatic Alsek 22 (Long)	24	Conservatively rated at 22°F (-9°C) / I picked up the Alsek in 2018, and after 300+ nights, it’s still going strong / The “Goldilocks” of the Katabatic Quilt collection / Review of the Katabatic Alsek 22.
KITCHEN – 10.6oz / 0.3kg
LokSak 20×12 (Food Bag)	1.2	Food storage bag of choice since the 2000s. Opinions vary, but I’ve always found them to be fairly durable (4 to 6 weeks of daily use) if you don’t overfill them.
Toaks 900ml Titanium Pot (shared)	3.1	Great pot, but for two people, I should have brought the 1100ml model.
Stove – SOTO Windmaster (shared)	3	Light, stable, compact, and reliable. The Windmaster was recommended to me in 2021 by Naomi and Mike from Treeline Review, and it’s been a staple of my cold/wet-weather kit ever since.
Titanium Long-handled spoon	0.7
SmartWater Bottles 1 LT (2)	2.6
FIRST AID / HYGIENE – 4oz / 0.11kg
Sunscreen (repackaged in tiny bottle)
Hand Sanitizer (repackaged in dropper bottle)
Aquamira (repackaged in dropper bottles)
Mini Toothbrush
Toothpaste (mini tube)
Dental Floss		Doubles as sewing thread
Antiseptic Wipes (2)
Gauze
Triple Antibiotic Cream (tiny tube)
3M Micropore Medical Tape		Breathable, paper tape / Adheres well.
Ibuprofen (6)
Sewing Needle
Tenacious Tape, Mini Tube Super Glue (repairs)		To compensate for lack of sewing skills.
CLOTHES – 43.3oz / 1.23kg
Rain Pants – Montbell Versalite	3.2
Thermal Underwear – Montbell Super Merino Middle Weight Tights	5.8
Rain Jacket – Montbell Storm Cruiser	10	Due to the probability of heavy rain, I went with the 3-layer Storm Cruiser over some of Montbell’s lighter models (e.g. Versalite, Peak Shell, Torrent Flier).
Windshirt – Montbell Tachyon Anorak	2.3
Insulation – Montane Allez Micro Hoodie (Discontinued)	6.8	Uber-light grid fleece with hood and a quarter zip. One of my favourite active layers in recent years. Has been replaced with the slightly heavier Protium Lite.
Insulation – Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka	9.1	Great warmth-to-weight ratio.
Extra Socks – Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew	2.6
Buff (Original Polyester)	1.4	Beanie, neck/face protection, condensation wipe, convenience store holdups if low on cash.
Montbell Chameece Liner gloves	0.9	Seven years of regular use and still going strong / The best liner gloves I’ve owned.
Mountain Laurel Designs Rain Mitts	1.2	I’ve been happily using these for a bunch of years, and the DWR is past it’s used-by-date / Need to replace.
MISCELLANEOUS – 33 oz / 0.9 kg
IPhone 13	6.5
Phone Case – Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 13	1.6
Power Bank – 10,000 Nitecore	5.3
Camera – Sony A6400 (w.18-135mm lens) + Mega Neoprene Case (Note: Kate carried the main camera – See Below)
Satellite Messenger – Garmin inReach Mini	3.5	Amazing battery life – about a month between charges (Note: I don’t use the tracking feature and tend to limit messages mostly to the “In Camp” note at day’s end).
Stuff sacks – HMG Cuben Fiber (2)	2.4
Headlamp – Nitecore NU25	1.8	Excellent rechargeable headlamp. Most of the time I tend to use the low red setting to preserve night vision.
Montbell Slim Wallet	0.9	Love this little wallet. Use it both on trail and off.
Swiss Army Classic	0.7
Compass – Suunto M-3G Global Pro	1.6	Adjustable declination and globally balanced needle
Deuce of Spades potty trowel	0.6
Small Microfiber towel	1.4	Handy for hotsprings and occasional condensation
Trekking pole – Montbell Alpine Carbon Pole Cam Lock	6.7
BASE WEIGHT	13.1LB/5.7KG
ITEMS WORN – 49.3oz / 1.4 kg
Shorts – Patagonia Baggies 7″	6.7	Hiking shorts of choice since 2014/15. See Review.
Base layer – Montbell Merino Wool Plus Light Hoodie	8
Hat – CDT Baseball Cap	3
Shoes – La Sportiva Akasha	22	I‘ve been using either these or the Ultra Raptors on all my big hiking trips since 2020.
Socks – REI Merino Wool liners	1.6
Dirty Girl Gaiters	1.2	Handy for keeping out dirt and mud. I’ve been using DG’s since 2007.
Watch – Suunto Ambit 3 (discontinued)	3
Sunglasses	0.8	Polarized lenses, 100% UV protection, wrap-around.
TOTAL WEIGHT	16LB/7.3KG

What Did Kate Carry?

Backpack: Mountain Laurel Designs Prophet 48 L

Quilt: Katabatic Flex 15°F Quilt

Sleeping Pad: Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite (Sml) / Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad

Footwear: Altra Lone Peaks

Miscellaneous:

• Kula cloth
• Nikon Prostaff P7 Binoculars (Note: Carried on the Hornstrandir trip for seabird and Artic fox watching)

Electronics:

• Satellite Communicator: Garmin inReach Mini 2
• Phone: iPhone 12 Pro Max
• Watch: Garmin Fenix 6
• Camera: Sony A6400 (w.18-135mm lens) + Mega Neoprene Case

Clothing:

• Base Layer: Icebreaker 200 Merino Long sleeve zip neck / Costco-Kirkland Women’s Travel Pants
• Insulation Layers: Patagonia R1 Hoody / Montbell Superior Down Parka
• Outer Layers: Patagonia Houdini Windshirt / Montbell Torrent Flier Rain Jacket
• Miscellaneous: Dirty Girl Gaiters, Buff neck gaiter, Ex-Officio Women’s Give-n-Go, Smartwool Cozy Mittens, Outdoor Research Sun Gloves, High Tail Designs Rain Mitts (Note: One of the standout performers. Despite days of driving rain, Kate’s hands stayed dry the entire trip).

Field Notes

Total Weight (i.e. including food, water, and fuel canister): On the Hornstrandir hike, we started with 5.5 days of food but never had to carry more than a liter of water. During the Iceland traverse, our heaviest load was around seven or eight days in the Central Highlands, and there were a couple of stretches where we needed to carry up to three or four liters of H2O. As for fuel canisters, we picked these up in Akureyri before the trip. With the help of a Ferðafélag Íslands staff member, we were also able to send a large canister ahead to the ranger station/mountain hut at Dreki, near Askja.

Shelter – Go For Something Bombproof:  Of all your gear choices for a traverse of Iceland, this may be the most important. Even experienced backpackers have had tents significantly damaged while hiking across Iceland. Why? A combination of relentless weather and a lack of natural windbreaks—especially in the volcanic deserts of the country’s interior. What can you do? 1. Bring a shelter that can withstand strong winds and stormy conditions. Always pitch it tautly and securely (don’t skimp on guylines or stakes); 2. Be extremely diligent about campsite selection (i.e., don’t settle for a marginal site when bad weather is in the forecast); and 3. Factor the location of backcountry huts into your route planning. There is some weather—such as what we experienced during the first couple of days of September—that you want to be inside for, regardless of how bombproof your tent may be.

Quilt – What Temperature Rating?:  When it comes to temperature, I’m an average sleeper, while Kate is a cold-to-average sleeper. For me, the Katabatic Alsek 22 was spot on, whereas she needed something a little warmer—the Katabatic Flex 15—to stay comfortable.

Footwear: I used the same pair of La Sportiva Akashas for both hikes. By the end of the traverse, they were still in good shape, and I’d estimate they had another 200 to 300 miles (322 to 483 km) of life left in them. Over the past six years, I’ve used either the Akashas or La Sportiva Ultra Raptors on all of my major hiking trips (Note: The Akasha is slightly wider and more roomy than most other La Sportiva models, including the Ultra Raptors).

Layers:

• Base Layer: You want something that will keep you comfortable and reasonably warm when damp—it’s hard to go past a long-sleeve merino wool top.
• Insulation Layer: I recommend two items: one for active use and another for additional warmth in the early morning and evening. For me, this means a lightweight fleece and a down jacket. My two fleece choices for recent trips have been the Montane Allez and Macpac Nitro Fleece Pullover.
• Outer Layer: Given the exposed terrain and often unrelenting winds, I’d go with both a lightweight windshirt and a rain jacket.

Apps for Hiking Across Iceland: Not really gear, but from a safety perspective, all three are well worth having on your phone:

• SafeTravel Iceland – Travel and safety information, including alerts and advice for outdoor activities.
• 112 Iceland – Iceland’s official emergency-services app.
• Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands) – Up-to-date weather forecasts and conditions.

Hot springs: Before, during, and immediately after the traverse, we visited multiple hot springs. I don’t usually recommend carrying a towel on backpacking trips, but even if you’re not a hot-springs aficionado, I’d consider bringing a small microfiber towel for any hiking trip in Iceland.

Related Posts

• Hiking Hornstrandir: Into Iceland’s Most Remote Wilderness
• Review: Katabatic Alsek 22 Quilt (250+ nights)
• Review: Katabatic Gear Quilts (Palisade 30 and Sawatch 15)
• Review: Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite
• Review: Six Moon Designs Swift X Backpack
• Review: Patagonia Baggies Shorts
• Trail Runners Vs. Hiking Boots: A 30-Year Perspective

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