How to do Lapland on a Budget & Make it Feel Like Anything But! (Part 5) Ultimate Tips & Ski Wear on a Budget

I promised I’d let you know where I got our Ski wear for our family of 7 for our trip to Lapland and how much I paid so you can have an idea how much it will cost for your family, so here it is! (If you're not up to date or fancy a refresher on all things Lapland, our posts are HERE)

First things first you really don’t need to go to a specialist shop and spend a fortune to buy branded skiwear as budget alternatives are every bit as good at keeping you warm & dry.

How do I dress for Lapland?

It’s a question I’ve been asked countless times so here’s my answer:

1. Base Layer

You need a base layer first which will be a long sleeve top and leggings. Base layers draw sweat away from your body and regulate temperature so they should be polyester not cotton. Put on a pair of socks over these leggings. As alternatives I also had long sleeve thermal vests for my kids and thermal tights, even for the lads as they keep them toasty.

I’m usually quite cold anyway so I opted for an additional layer of a light long sleeve cotton top I also put this additional layer on the children. The reason for so many thin layers is to trap warm air between the layers keeping you warm throughout the day.

2. Mid Layer

A light fleece jacket is perfect as a mid layer, a jumper would also do the job nicely and a pair of leggings. Remember these leggings will be on show when you take off your ski trousers when inside for lunch etc. Ski socks and a neck warmer/scarf.

3. Ski/Snow Jacket and Trousers

You’ll need a couple of pairs of thermal gloves per person as they tend to get icy or wet when playing in the snow, avoid cotton or wool gloves. You’ll also need a warm woolly hat.

4. Snow Boots

Put on your snow boots and you’re good to go! Make sure to buy a size larger than you are as you’ll be wearing thick ski socks.

This short video from Visit Finland sums it up perfectly! How to Dress Right and Enjoy the Winter — VisitFinland.com

Where can I buy Skiwear?

Lidl/Aldi

Twice a year Lidl & Aldi sell Ski/Snow wear usually in November and again January/February. It usually sells pretty fast so you need to be in early to get the sizes you need. Last November I brought my five kids in to Lidl before they went to school to get them their ski trousers (€9.99), ski jackets (€14.99) and ski gloves (kids €3.99 adults €6.99). I even got my smallest lad age 2 his snow boots there for €11.99.


Stone Travel Tip: Lidl usually sell hand warmers, they are perfect for warming little hands after a snow ball fight! We used them on 2 days when the temperature hit a low of -16!

Sportsdirect.com


I bought my 3 older children their snow boots on Sportsdirect as I had done a bit of research before I went to Lidl and found Campri boots for just €7.79 a pair (size 5). I also bought my own boots there a pair of dark green Hi Tec Cornice snow boots for just €14.40. Postage to Ireland is usually €6.99 but I had a promotional code at the time for free delivery.

Stone Travel Tip: Google promo codes if you are ever buying from them as you will usually find one that works.

Decathlon.ie

I bought a fair bit online from Decathlon last November and it was delivered in plenty of time for our trip on December 12th. If like me you are curvy you might be better off buying men’s ski trousers as they are a lot more forgiving than ladies styles. 

I bought mine for €22 and a ski jacket for €15.98. I bought my husband a couple of base layer tops for €5 each, Kids ski hats were €2.63, baby ski socks were €3.30 a pair as I couldn’t get any to fit my 2 year old in Lidl. Kids base layer trousers were €3.25 a pair and I paid €5.90 shipping to Ireland with DHL.

What to wear for the plane journey:

Wear your normal clothes with your ski jacket and snow boots to save room in your check in bag. Have hats, scarves, gloves etc either in your carry-on bag or at the very top of your checked bag.

Some other tips and things you might need:

· Lip balm as it is quite dry cold weather in Lapland.

· Non water based hand cream to prevent dry cracked hands, don’t apply any creams to face or hands before going out instead use it when you return from your days activities. I used La Roche-Posay Cicaplast hand cream.

· Hair ties to keep hair tied up under hats.

· Mittens tend to be warmer than gloves as the hot air can circulate around all your fingers

· Keep your phone camera etc in an inside pocket near your body as extreme cold temperature can really affect the battery life and how they work.

· Bring power banks or spare batteries for camera & phone wrapped up well in a backpack or in an inside coat pocket.

· If like me you’re going to use your phone for photos make sure to delete/save all your other photos so you have enough memory for the hundreds of photos you’re going to take also set up Dropbox!

· Spare memory cards for your camera.

· You don’t need a rucksack, normal wheelie cases work perfectly well as all the pathways were compacted with snow.

· Same goes if you’re bringing a toddler in a buggy like us, you don’t need to buy a baby carrier if you don’t already have one.

· Bring a backpack for everyday use for snacks, lunch, spare gloves, batteries, heat pads etc.

· I bought my kids light up Christmas novelty necklaces in Home Store & More for a couple of Euro; they loved using them in the dark in Lapland. You can also bring glow sticks, they last longer in the cold.

· Supportive bras if you plan of taking a husky ride or a snowmobile safari!

· For the adults I’d recommend a pair of glove liners or thin gloves that work with a touch screen for under your thermal gloves seeing as you’ll be taking off your bulky gloves to take photos.

· If you’ve sensitive eyes bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun on the snow.

· Bring adapter for charging your devices, you’ll need the European two pronged plug.

· A small first aid kit & include lemsip, halls, soothers etc just in case

That’s exactly how I got my family suited and booted on a budget for our North Pole adventures and all the tips that I can think of right now to help make your trip to Lapland as easy & memorable as possible. Visit Rovaniemi are fantastic for up to date information, like their Facebook page for regular updates.


Have you been to Lapland (yet)? Do you have any tips to share?