Iceland Packing List 2026: Why You Need a Raincoat, Not an Umbrella

It's been over ten days since we started our camper van journey through Iceland.

One of the most frequent things I heard before embarking on this trip was:

"Iceland's weather is incredibly fickle."

There were stories of experiencing all four seasons in a single day,

and many reviews mentioned how difficult it was to travel due to the rain and wind.

However, the Iceland our family encountered was a little different.

During our ten-day journey,

the weather was mostly clear, except for about two days.

We saw waterfalls under bright blue skies,

and had many more days traveling in our camper van bathed in sunshine.

This led us to say, 'The weather is much better than we expected, isn't it?'

countless times.

It's like we're traveling through Iceland with a weather fairy!

Among my mom, my husband, myself, and Aran,

we're trying to deduce (?) who exactly brought the weather fairy along.

Recommended Packing List for Iceland

: Poncho Raincoat and Waterproof Shoes (Trekking Shoes)

While there are many items to consider for your Iceland trip,

one thing is absolutely certain:

a raincoat and waterproof shoes are essential in Iceland.

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It's not just because of the rain.

As you travel through Iceland, you'll encounter multiple waterfalls

each day.

Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Svartifoss, and

countless other waterfalls whose names are hard to even remember.

The thing is, most waterfalls

are even more stunning up close.

While they're beautiful from a distance,

Icelandic waterfalls

often have paths allowing you to walk right up to them.

Some waterfalls even allow you to walk behind them,

while others have observation decks right in front.

And from that moment on, your whole body starts getting wet.

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When you get close to a waterfall, it's not raindrops you feel,

but a mist that envelops your face.

At first, it feels like a gentle fog.

But after just a few minutes, your hair gets wet,

and your clothes become damp.

If the wind picks up, the mist can hit you all at once.

Seljalandsfoss, in particular,

is a place where you can walk a full circle behind the waterfall,

It feels almost like walking underwater!

Standing on the observation deck right in front of Skógafoss, you're immediately hit by

an incredible amount of spray.

That's why you need a raincoat, even on a clear day!

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Umbrellas are pretty useless

In Iceland, a raincoat is far more practical than an umbrella.

The areas around waterfalls are often very windy.

Even if you open an umbrella, it's easily blown inside out by the wind,

and it leaves both your hands occupied, making it hard to take photos.

A raincoat keeps your hands free and can even cover your bag.

On days when you're visiting multiple waterfalls,

you'll find yourself putting it on and taking it off all day long.

The most frequently worn item on our Iceland trip

So, even when the sun is shining brightly, we always keep our raincoats

in the most accessible spot in our camper van.

We'd take it off after seeing one waterfall, put it back on for the next,

and repeat this process several times a day.

Indeed, the raincoat was the travel essential we reached for most often on our trip.

The Ran Family's Travel Tip

We got our TravelAid raincoats!

We bought our TravelAid raincoats

before we even left.

And they've turned out to be far more useful than we expected.

Unlike typical raincoats that only cover your body,

these are poncho-style, designed to cover your backpack too, all in one go.

This means there's no need to wrap your camera or bag in plastic separately.

What I loved most about the raincoats we got this time was

how light and easy they are to carry.

When folded, they fit into a pouch-sized package, making them perfect to store by the camper door or

in a side pocket of your bag.

It was never a hassle to pull them out and put them on as soon as we saw a waterfall,

then fold them back up when we moved on.

The waterproofing was excellent too, so even at waterfalls with intense spray,

our clothes barely got wet.

And I also highly recommend waterproof trekking shoes.

The mist from Iceland's waterfalls is much stronger than you might expect,

so your feet get wet very quickly.

I wondered if waterproof trekking shoes were really necessary,

but I'm so glad we brought them!

If a raincoat protects your upper body,

waterproof trekking shoes are an essential item for an Iceland waterfall trip

to protect your feet.