Clothing for Svalbard in June

[davecttr]

I am visiting Longyearbyen in June by cruise. The average temperature will be 2C to 5C. Any advice please on reliable brands of windproof/waterproof/ insulated clothing would be welcome. There will be a lot of standing around on open decks whale watching.

[Thejuggler]

As someone who spends many hours of winter outside coaching and watching rugby its all about layering rather than brands.

 

Merino wool baselayer, both top and bottom.

 

Thin long sleeve sweatshirt or t shirt

 

Fleece or hoodie

 

Then either a down jacket if its dry or a rain jacket in the wet

 

Fleece snood for the neck and a decent thick woolly hat

 

Fleece inner gloves and waterproof outers.

 

Thicker outdoor down trousers with a pair of waterproof outers,

 

Thick long skiing socks.  Darntough, Bridgedale are a couple of brands.

 

Now is a good time to buy as many stores will be having end of season sales.

 

TKMaxx is worth a visit. They had lots of outdoor gear on sale a few weeks ago as its end of season. I also rate Decathlon if you have a store nearby,

 

Helly Hansen has been my go to brand for outdoor coats for many years.  Sale on their website at the moment.  

 

 

 

[Fionboard]

Silk under socks and glove liners work well. 

[pete14]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

I am visiting Longyearbyen in June by cruise. The average temperature will be 2C to 5C. Any advice please on reliable brands of windproof/waterproof/ insulated clothing would be welcome. There will be a lot of standing around on open decks whale watching.

If you are lucky enough to have a late night cruise through fjords in Svalbard, I think Magdalena fjord (from memory from 14 years ago), don’t pass up the opportunity to be out on deck for the sake of a couple of hours sleep. It is magical (but cold). 

[yorkshirephil]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

I am visiting Longyearbyen in June by cruise. The average temperature will be 2C to 5C. Any advice please on reliable brands of windproof/waterproof/ insulated clothing would be welcome. There will be a lot of standing around on open decks whale watching.

Dress like you would for any British summer😁. 

 

Joking apart I have always found the way to deal with cold when stood out watching various sports and moorland walking is to have a good waterproof coat with a rating of 10000mm. The extreme waterproofing keeps the wind at bay. I always have a size bigger than required so a fleece can be worn underneath if stood around. Mountain warehouse supply a good range at sensible prices if you don't want to splash out too much for what could be a one off. A pair of waterproof walking trousers with a base layer if you feel the need. Plus a lined hat and gloves.

[Dermotsgirl]

+1 for Mountain Warehouse

 

When we did a northern lights cruise we went to the Mountain Warehouse at the Dockside Outlet in Chatham and got ourselves kitted out. 

 

In addition to what other people have already said, merino wool socks keep your feet warm. 

[tring]

Out on deck when at sea, you will need some very warm clothes.  However, on a calm sunny day, with the help of the 24 hours of sunlight, it can be quite pleasant in Longyearbyen.  We have photos of each other sitting in the Jacuzzi on the back of the ship taking in the views, one July several years ago, not that it was in any way sun bathing weather mind.  It is certainly very special, just the sheer remoteness, rather than the scenery as such.

 

Magdalena Fjord, as mentioned previously, was indeed a lovely place, we stayed a while with the ship (Balmoral) sitting calmly in the centre of the fjord, surrounded by small ice floes from the nearby glacier. The ships do not go there now though, (well the expedition ships probably will), but I think environmental concerns have stopped average cruise ships going there and it is further north than Longyearbyen, so sadly you will not be going there.  The place to see icebergs is Greenland - somewhere worth going in the future, if you can. 

 

I am sure you will enjoy the cruise and I wish you good weather.

 

 

Edited April 8 by tring

[pete14]

2 hours ago, tring said:

Out on deck when at sea, you will need some very warm clothes.  However, on a calm sunny day, with the help of the 24 hours of sunlight, it can be quite pleasant in Longyearbyen.  We have photos of each other sitting in the Jacuzzi on the back of the ship taking in the views, one July several years ago, not that it was in any way sun bathing weather mind.  It is certainly very special, just the sheer remoteness, rather than the scenery as such.

 

Magdalena Fjord, as mentioned previously, was indeed a lovely place, we stayed a while with the ship (Balmoral) sitting calmly in the centre of the fjord, surrounded by small ice floes from the nearby glacier. The ships do not go there now though, (well the expedition ships probably will), but I think environmental concerns have stopped average cruise ships going there and it is further north than Longyearbyen, so sadly you will not be going there.  The place to see icebergs is Greenland - somewhere worth going in the future, if you can. 

 

I am sure you will enjoy the cruise and I wish you good weather.

 

 

What a shame that Magdalena fjord is now off limits but perfectly understandable I suppose. We went there on our first cruise in 2005 on Artemis. 

[davecttr]

7 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

+1 for Mountain Warehouse

 

When we did a northern lights cruise we went to the Mountain Warehouse at the Dockside Outlet in Chatham and got ourselves kitted out. 

 

In addition to what other people have already said, merino wool socks keep your feet warm. 

I think I will have a look around there tomorrow, good to know it is still open.

[Purdey16]

4 hours ago, davecttr said:

1 for Mountain Warehouse

And also don’t forget if you have got a blue light card you get a xtra discount.

[Josy1953]

I have a Berghaus jacket that I bought when we went to Alaska on a cruise and stay holiday that included going into Glacier Bay for a day whale watching from the ship, it kept me warm even when we went for a trip up on to a glacier. It has also been to North Cape twice for Northern Lights cruises.  14 years later I still wear the jacket during the winter for walking.

 

[twotravellersLondon]

3 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

I have a Berghaus jacket that I bought when we went to Alaska on a cruise and stay holiday that included going into Glacier Bay for a day whale watching from the ship, it kept me warm even when we went for a trip up on to a glacier. It has also been to North Cape twice for Northern Lights cruises.  14 years later I still wear the jacket during the winter for walking.

 

There are some excellent suggestions in this thread as a whole... you won't go wrong if you follow the Juggler's advice, and the additional details suggested by Fionboard, yorkshirephil, Dermotsgirl and Josy1953.

 

We’ve Fjällräven jackets, parkas, coats, fleece and trousers that we've used on expedition ships and on those occasions that we've done whale watching in the middle of Arctic winter... on the half-dozen or so times that we've slept out in tepees at Arctic wilderness camps or indulged in the luxury of ice-hotels in Norway, Sweden or Alaska... these have kept us as snug as bugs in a rug on the decks on FOCL ships while watching the Northern Lights or looking out for whales and dolphins... but Josie's suggestion of a Berghaus jacket with warm thermal under-layers and preferably windproof trousers is far more affordable, far more practical and a much better choice for the summer months to and from Svalbard... it's also very wearable in less-extreme conditions nearer home.

 

You have a goodish chance of seeing ice on the water... "Fred" was prevented from reaching Longyearbyen not too long ago because of pack-ice but unless it moves dramatically this season seems to be safe. We circumnavigated Svalbard successfully one year on an expedition ship but were blocked by ice at the same time the following year.  We were some of the very lucky people who travelled on the Braemar in 2014 to 80˚N within sight of the Arctic Ice pack... we were the furthest North than any cruise ship on earth... possible further North than any cruise ship without an ice-certification had ever travelled and ,as far as we know, FOCL still holds that record.

 

So these following pics are all from the Braemar 10 years ago...

 

The ship...

 

 

The clothing...

 

 

 

Some of the wildlife...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The landscape...

 

 

 

 

 

The ice...

 

 

 

And last but not least... the Arctic Ice Cap... from the decks of "Fred's" Braemar... the Midnight Sun directly ahead at due North but hidden by low cloud... sensational!

 

 

Never miss an opportunity to se the "Midnight Sun" at 12.00 midnight, 0r at any time during the night... we've been on trips where there was only one fleeting glimpse and other that we basked in sunshine for days!

 

Edited April 9 by twotravellersLondon
Photo

[Fionboard]

Aurora went as far North as she is allowed last month. Unfortunately North Cape was abandoned due to blizzards though! 

[Megabear2]

42 minutes ago, twotravellersLondon said:

 

There are some excellent suggestions in this thread as a whole... you won't go wrong if you follow the Juggler's advice, and the additional details suggested by Fionboard, yorkshirephil, Dermotsgirl and Josy1953.

 

We’ve Fjällräven jackets, parkas, coats, fleece and trousers that we've used on expedition ships and on those occasions that we've done whale watching in the middle of Arctic winter... on the half-dozen or so times that we've slept out in tepees at Arctic wilderness camps or indulged in the luxury of ice-hotels in Norway, Sweden or Alaska... these have kept us as snug as bugs in a rug on the decks on FOCL ships while watching the Northern Lights or looking out for whales and dolphins... but Josie's suggestion of a Berghaus jacket with warm thermal under-layers and preferably windproof trousers is far more affordable, far more practical and a much better choice for the summer months to and from Svalbard... it's also very wearable in less-extreme conditions nearer home.

 

You have a goodish chance of seeing ice on the water... "Fred" was prevented from reaching Longyearbyen not too long ago because of pack-ice but unless it moves dramatically this season seems to be safe. We circumnavigated Svalbard successfully one year on an expedition ship but were blocked by ice at the same time the following year.  We were some of the very lucky people who travelled on the Braemar in 2014 to 80˚N within sight of the Arctic Ice pack... we were the furthest North than any cruise ship on earth... possible further North than any cruise ship without an ice-certification had ever travelled and ,as far as we know, FOCL still holds that record.

 

So these following pics are all from the Braemar 10 years ago...

 

The ship...

 

 

The clothing...

 

 

 

Some of the wildlife...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The landscape...

 

 

 

 

 

The ice...

 

 

 

And last but not least... the Arctic Ice Cap... from the decks of "Fred's" Braemar... the Midnight Sun directly ahead at due North but hidden by low cloud... sensational!

 

 

Never miss an opportunity to se the "Midnight Sun" at 12.00 midnight, 0r at any time during the night... we've been on trips where there was only one fleeting glimpse and other that we basked in sunshine for days!

 

Absolutely wonderful.  I love the walrus!  Still on my bucket list to see a wild one and a polar bear but currently Churchill isn't on my radar due to rather busy cruise diary until April 2026. Hopefully I'll get there some time, I've far too much ski gear left over from my 2016 Canadian trip when I stayed in the Ice Hotel in Quebec on my way home.

[davecttr]

I followed Dermotsgirl and visited the Mountain Wharehouse at the Chatham Dockyard Outlet Centre, eventually, after a 45 minute wait for a bus that is meant to run at 15 minute intervals. A 'free' flat white at Roos helped calm me and then into MW for a recce and gloves. Gloves sold out so I came out with a pair of socks and a 3 in 1 jacket with removeable liner and hood . Good enough for me at 39% discount. Trespass had gloves but the fingers are all too long. I will try on line. Then into Cotton Traders for a couple of long sleeve 'outdoor' shirts. I already have lots of layers so it is just the long underwear to buy. i will have to shorten the legs though. Luckily my Tesco delivery is not until 4pm.

[Purdey16]

We have also brought  some hand and foot warmers from Halfords for our upcoming Alaska and Northern lights cruise, and some gloves that I will still be able to use my phone camera and my big camera at the same time .

[Eglesbrech]

17 hours ago, davecttr said:

I followed Dermotsgirl and visited the Mountain Wharehouse at the Chatham Dockyard Outlet Centre, eventually, after a 45 minute wait for a bus that is meant to run at 15 minute intervals. A 'free' flat white at Roos helped calm me and then into MW for a recce and gloves. Gloves sold out so I came out with a pair of socks and a 3 in 1 jacket with removeable liner and hood . Good enough for me at 39% discount. Trespass had gloves but the fingers are all too long. I will try on line. Then into Cotton Traders for a couple of long sleeve 'outdoor' shirts. I already have lots of layers so it is just the long underwear to buy. i will have to shorten the legs though. Luckily my Tesco delivery is not until 4pm.

Craghoppers do double layer trousers with a fleece lining and waterproof outer layer. They do them in long regulat and short lengths so handy.

 

They are very cosy and less of a faff than longjohns and trousers.