By: Jessica Kamikaze
I’ve been to the Arctic. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Jessica, you are so incredibly tough to brave such a perilous wasteland of extreme temperatures!” To you, I say: Yes. I am. Or, you may be thinking, “Whatever, it probably wasn’t even winter time and she could wear her stupid dresses the whole time.” To you, I say: Shut up, you big dummy! It was early MARCH and it was between -30 and -40 degrees the whole time and I had to wear PANTS every single day!! Today, friends, I will tell you how to outfit yourself for an Arctic adventure.
I will not insult you by telling you that north of the Arctic Circle it’s cold for most of the year. You are perfectly capable of googling the average temperature for any given month. However, unless you’re spending entire days outside in the dead of winter, you don’t have to fear for your life or adorable little limbs. For your super cute Arctic explorer outfit I recommend that you splurge on boots and a jacket (I borrowed both from a more outdoorsy friend). Add some inexpensive snow pants (I know you can get snow pants woven from Teflon and meteors and the blood of brave Arctic explorers, but I was ok in regular, no-name puffy pants). Slip on some fleece gloves with a pair of those waterproof padded mittens on top. I topped my ensemble off with a pink toque and a wooly yellow scarf.
Just for reference, in my outfit I walked to and from work every day (20 minutes) and did a three hour tundra hike one day (by the end I was cold, but not freezing). Also, the kids at the local college were wearing skate shoes, jeans and basic snowboarding jackets – not recommended for non-locals, but my point is that you’re not going to die.
Everyone told me that food would be really expensive in the North; so expensive that you need to bring your own. That is a little misleading. Really expensive things include junk food, pop and frozen prepared foods. Fruits, vegetables and fresh meats are more expensive than home, but it depends on the season and the variety you want. If you’re not a total drama queen, you can find affordable food items. If you’re a fantastic and creative chef extraordinaire, like me, you will have no problem throwing together a pizza night for you and all your companions! Toilet paper is expensive, though. Bring toilet paper.
Also, bring indoor shoes – I recommend fuzzy slippers in the shape of your favourite animal or cartoon character. Wearing winter boots inside is not allowed, but if you’re still in a public place like a school or a health centre, you will want something on your feet.
There’s so much more I could tell you, but I will save it for another post. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks for looking and feeling delightful on your Arctic expedition!
24 Comments
yeah, my number one tip is DRINK BOOZE. always have a full flask on ya. it keeps me warm anyway.
That’s my number on tip for everything!
Fantastic tip!!!
WTF you have to bring slippers to wear in public places? I’m apalled, and that takes a lot.
It’s the best. I’m wearing slippers right now!!
I never knew toilet paper was expensive in the Artic – I’ll remember that if I ever become a douche salesman.
I am currently wearing giant Goofy slippers purchased from the thrift store, so I am all set for the arctic 🙂
HAHA…. I’m OCD about slippers, my feet are ALWAYS cold!
I own giant novelty penguin feet slippers.. would they work? xx
Those would work perfectly! Though there are no penguins in the arctic. That’s more an Antarctica thing.
Very cool – where about in the Arctic were you? I can’t imagine how cold it would, sheesh
I was in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. It’s right where the Mackenzie River meets the Arctic Ocean. It’s a really friendly place!
Love the toilet paper tip. That is definitely essential information! 🙂
Oh, toilet paper. Good to know that I’ll need to smuggle that in whenever we visit!
I think it’s good to always travel with an emergency TP roll
Love this post and the photo made me laugh. It is amazing what you can survive temperature wise – if you’re dressed for it.
Totally! I never notice a difference in temperature through my layers…it’s all just COLD.
Haha… I love your outfit in the photo above. I hope you’ll post more photos of the Arctic. What animals can we find there?
Haha, that’s not a photo of me, but I probably looked a lot like that when I was there. And there are so many animals!! It can be hard to see them because they are elusive but there are foxes, wolves, bears (grizzly and polar bears, but not that many), whales (narwhals! belugas!), caribou and I think even moose sometimes. But it really depends where in the Arctic you are.
Toilet paper is expensive everywhere, especially if you buy the kind that doesn’t chap your ass. Why is it so expensive? It’s paper for god’s sake. It’s not even close to the quality of wedding invites. I can only imagine the cost in the Artic. That really chaps my ass…so to speak.
It is cold in Arctic! Are you kidding or what?
If seriously, it is very funny story, and tips; I was reading with pleasure.
Thank you.
Young Sam Branson, experiencing his first dog sled expedition, learning about sled dogs, about climate change in the Arctic, about the Inuit culture, and about surviving the cold, journals his adventure. The journal includes excerpts from the journals of others sharing this expedition, directed by explorer Will Steger. Arctic Diary shares Sam’s remarkable opportunity as he lives it
I support the idea of drinking! And drinking proper spirits, they keep your body warm and your mind smiling lol
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Are you sure in regards to the supply?