As Svalbard is in the Arctic, it tends to be quite cold from time to time. And the wind makes it even colder.
Prices in Scandinavia are likely to be more expensive than on Svalbard as items here are tax free. Prices from other places are likely to be a little lower than on Svalbard. As some of the things you can buy in Central Europe turn out to be not appropriate for Arctic use, don't buy too much beforehand.
Underwear
This layer is supposed to transport sweat away from the body and keep you warm. Your underwear should not be made if cotton, this is because it doesn’t insulate you very well, and it gets wet very easily. Once it is wet, it will not keep you warm!
Wool is very recommended, it both insulates and keeps you warm even if it gets wet. Synthetic materials are cheaper and easy to dry, but it still won’t keep you warm if its wet.
Insulating layers
These layers are designed to provide further insulation. More can be added if you’re cold, or vice versa. It is better to have many thin layers than a single thick one. It should also be made of wool, or fleece. Fleece is very easy to dry, although wool will keep you warm if it is wet, it can be heavy when wet too.
Shell Layer
This layer should be windproof and preferably waterproof. This includes both trousers and a jacket. The jacket should have a hood that covers all of your head, preferably with a collar that can be pulled up to your nose. This will protect you from the cold wind. It doesn’t rain much, but waterproof trousers are recommended to protect your legs from snow. Cotton is good for very cold dry weather as it is very breathable and dries fast. Synthetic membrane materials, like Goretex or similar is both windproof and waterproof and is more of an all round material that can be used any time.
Head ware
It is important to make sure that you have a hat. This should also be windproof and offer your ears protection; it can be very windy so a method of securing your hat is advised. A windproof face mask with breathing holes, or a woolen balaclava are essential. If you intend to go driving scooters you will need a windproof face mask. A scarf or fleece neck is advised also and goggles (two pairs if you drive a scooter). It might be an idea to get sunscreen lenses for the spring, or sunglasses underneath. The sunlight reflecting off the snow will be very bright. Finally, a head lamp is a good item; while not essential it is very dark in winter months. It is recommended to have an external battery that you can place inside layers of clothing to keep it warm.
Hands
A pair of windproof and preferably waterproof mittens that you can pull up over the sleeves of your jacket. Mittens are preferable to gloves as they will keep all of your fingers warm together, whilst gloves will expose every finger to the wind and cold. They should be easy to adjust even when you are wearing them. It is good to have a way of attaching your mitts to your jacket. Quite often you will want to take off the top gloves to adjust something. Attaching them will stop them from blowing away. An inner layer of gloves is a good idea too. These can be worn underneath the outer mitts/gloves. These are good for fine work, like loading a rifle or tying you shoes.
Feet
Socks should contain as much wool as possible, but NO cotton, in all your pairs of socks. You should wear at least two pairs of socks when going outside; thin liner sock and a larger outer sock. For walking, standard hiking boots are fine, though they should be waterproof. For standing still or driving a scooter, thick soled, insulated boots are needed. It is preferable to have a seperable insulating layer as this enables it to dry faster. Your boots should be a couple of extra sizes bigger than your feet. More space = more socks = cozy feet.
Other
Lip-bam of some sort, is a good idea to bring because the air is cold and dry.
Dressing right
Every one is different, so the following is the way I combine my clothes fore walking to UNIS from Nybyen given the weather.
At a temperatures under -10C: Socks, walking boots, normal jeans, t-shirt, a thin flees and shell jacket. A hat and a scarf finish it off, but in my backpack I have an extra fleece and my ski-pants.
At a temperatures -10C to -15C: As before, but now I also where my ski-pants and instead of a t-shirt I have a woollen long shelved under shirt. In the backpack I have an extra fleece.
At a temperatures -15C to -20C: Now I where my thick fleece and perhaps a extra pair of socks. In my backpack I still have a extra fleece or a woollen sweater.
I have still haven't had any use fore my longjohns on everyday use, not even at a windchill ~ -45°C, but I really missed them on my first snowscooter trip.
If the wind is strong the temperature will feel even colder, so I usually have my facemask and goggles with me in my jacket or backpack. The weather can change a lot during the day. This may sound silly, but when I step outside I should feel a little cold. But then I start walking my body produces heat and that heat should balance the heat loss. It's not comfortable freezing nor is it sweating. On bigger trips sweating is even more hazardous then being a little cold. Sweat get you wet, get you cold, gets nasty!
It sounds difficult to dress fore the weather, but you will learn fairly quickly. And when you a dress correctly, walking in wind that will feel like -40°C and the snow is blowing around you feet, there I really enjoy my equipment and being on Svalbard.
Provided by UNIS
Scooter dresses and work dresses are provided by UNIS for fieldworks but not for personal/free time use. Scooter dresses, including helmets, face masks, boots, goggles can be rented for 700NOK for the semester with 200NOK returned if the suits are given back in a good condition.
Klättermusen clothing can be bought from UNIS, sporting their logo for reasonable prices. The clothes are high quality and durable and you can find jackets, pants, gloves, sweater and more outgoing clothing,
Student equipment
There is a lot of stuff that can be borrowed free of charge. You can find: Scooter dresses , boots, helmets, goggles, skis and boots etc etc.
Other stuff to bring along
If you have, bring your laptop. There is an internet connection in most rooms in Nybyen but don't forget your network cable! Most lectures will be giving as powerpoint shows, so be sure that you computer can read powerpoint files and pdfs. There is no bookstore here, so try to buy the course literature before you arrive. Otherwise you have to order it from the mainland and that takes a while before it comes. And of course you - real Norwegians - should bring your Bunat for the 17th of May.
Prices in Scandinavia are likely to be more expensive than on Svalbard as items here are tax free. Prices from other places are likely to be a little lower than on Svalbard. As some of the things you can buy in Central Europe turn out to be not appropriate for Arctic use, don't buy too much beforehand.
Underwear
This layer is supposed to transport sweat away from the body and keep you warm. Your underwear should not be made if cotton, this is because it doesn’t insulate you very well, and it gets wet very easily. Once it is wet, it will not keep you warm!
Wool is very recommended, it both insulates and keeps you warm even if it gets wet. Synthetic materials are cheaper and easy to dry, but it still won’t keep you warm if its wet.
Insulating layers
These layers are designed to provide further insulation. More can be added if you’re cold, or vice versa. It is better to have many thin layers than a single thick one. It should also be made of wool, or fleece. Fleece is very easy to dry, although wool will keep you warm if it is wet, it can be heavy when wet too.
Shell Layer
This layer should be windproof and preferably waterproof. This includes both trousers and a jacket. The jacket should have a hood that covers all of your head, preferably with a collar that can be pulled up to your nose. This will protect you from the cold wind. It doesn’t rain much, but waterproof trousers are recommended to protect your legs from snow. Cotton is good for very cold dry weather as it is very breathable and dries fast. Synthetic membrane materials, like Goretex or similar is both windproof and waterproof and is more of an all round material that can be used any time.
Head ware
It is important to make sure that you have a hat. This should also be windproof and offer your ears protection; it can be very windy so a method of securing your hat is advised. A windproof face mask with breathing holes, or a woolen balaclava are essential. If you intend to go driving scooters you will need a windproof face mask. A scarf or fleece neck is advised also and goggles (two pairs if you drive a scooter). It might be an idea to get sunscreen lenses for the spring, or sunglasses underneath. The sunlight reflecting off the snow will be very bright. Finally, a head lamp is a good item; while not essential it is very dark in winter months. It is recommended to have an external battery that you can place inside layers of clothing to keep it warm.
Hands
A pair of windproof and preferably waterproof mittens that you can pull up over the sleeves of your jacket. Mittens are preferable to gloves as they will keep all of your fingers warm together, whilst gloves will expose every finger to the wind and cold. They should be easy to adjust even when you are wearing them. It is good to have a way of attaching your mitts to your jacket. Quite often you will want to take off the top gloves to adjust something. Attaching them will stop them from blowing away. An inner layer of gloves is a good idea too. These can be worn underneath the outer mitts/gloves. These are good for fine work, like loading a rifle or tying you shoes.
Feet
Socks should contain as much wool as possible, but NO cotton, in all your pairs of socks. You should wear at least two pairs of socks when going outside; thin liner sock and a larger outer sock. For walking, standard hiking boots are fine, though they should be waterproof. For standing still or driving a scooter, thick soled, insulated boots are needed. It is preferable to have a seperable insulating layer as this enables it to dry faster. Your boots should be a couple of extra sizes bigger than your feet. More space = more socks = cozy feet.
Other
Lip-bam of some sort, is a good idea to bring because the air is cold and dry.
Dressing right
Every one is different, so the following is the way I combine my clothes fore walking to UNIS from Nybyen given the weather.
At a temperatures under -10C: Socks, walking boots, normal jeans, t-shirt, a thin flees and shell jacket. A hat and a scarf finish it off, but in my backpack I have an extra fleece and my ski-pants.
At a temperatures -10C to -15C: As before, but now I also where my ski-pants and instead of a t-shirt I have a woollen long shelved under shirt. In the backpack I have an extra fleece.
At a temperatures -15C to -20C: Now I where my thick fleece and perhaps a extra pair of socks. In my backpack I still have a extra fleece or a woollen sweater.
I have still haven't had any use fore my longjohns on everyday use, not even at a windchill ~ -45°C, but I really missed them on my first snowscooter trip.
If the wind is strong the temperature will feel even colder, so I usually have my facemask and goggles with me in my jacket or backpack. The weather can change a lot during the day. This may sound silly, but when I step outside I should feel a little cold. But then I start walking my body produces heat and that heat should balance the heat loss. It's not comfortable freezing nor is it sweating. On bigger trips sweating is even more hazardous then being a little cold. Sweat get you wet, get you cold, gets nasty!
It sounds difficult to dress fore the weather, but you will learn fairly quickly. And when you a dress correctly, walking in wind that will feel like -40°C and the snow is blowing around you feet, there I really enjoy my equipment and being on Svalbard.
Provided by UNIS
Scooter dresses and work dresses are provided by UNIS for fieldworks but not for personal/free time use. Scooter dresses, including helmets, face masks, boots, goggles can be rented for 700NOK for the semester with 200NOK returned if the suits are given back in a good condition.
Klättermusen clothing can be bought from UNIS, sporting their logo for reasonable prices. The clothes are high quality and durable and you can find jackets, pants, gloves, sweater and more outgoing clothing,
Student equipment
There is a lot of stuff that can be borrowed free of charge. You can find: Scooter dresses , boots, helmets, goggles, skis and boots etc etc.
Other stuff to bring along
If you have, bring your laptop. There is an internet connection in most rooms in Nybyen but don't forget your network cable! Most lectures will be giving as powerpoint shows, so be sure that you computer can read powerpoint files and pdfs. There is no bookstore here, so try to buy the course literature before you arrive. Otherwise you have to order it from the mainland and that takes a while before it comes. And of course you - real Norwegians - should bring your Bunat for the 17th of May.
Norwegians Walking in the 17th of May parade in their traditional norwegian clothing.