What to wear on a snowmobile safari
The operators hand you the thermal suit. What you wear underneath decides how warm you stay, starting with your hands and feet.
The short answer
Under the operator’s thermal suit, wear thermal underwear in wool or synthetic rather than cotton, a fleece or wool mid layer, one good pair of wool socks and thin liner gloves inside the gloves you are given. A neck gaiter or balaclava closes the gap at the helmet, and your own beanie keeps you warm on the bus and at the camp. Cold hands and feet are the most common complaint in reviews, and evening riders and passengers get colder, so they should add a layer.
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You do not need to own Arctic gear for the Tromsø safaris. Operators provide thermal suits and cold-weather equipment on top of your own clothes; at Camp Troll, reviewers describe overalls, helmet, boots and gloves being handed out. The reviews also show the catch: cold hands and feet are the most common complaint on snowmobile tours, even inside the provided gear. This page covers the layers that deal with it.
What the operators provide
The standard kit on the safaris in our comparison is a thermal suit worn over your own clothing, plus a helmet. At Camp Troll the equipment handed out includes overalls, helmet, boots and gloves. Exact kit lists vary by operator (check your tour's product page), but the principle is the same everywhere: the outer layer is theirs, the layers underneath are yours.
The layering list
Dress as you would for a cold winter day, then let the operator's suit do the wind-blocking on top:
- Base layer: thermal underwear, top and bottom, in wool or synthetic, not cotton (cotton holds sweat and then chills you).
- Mid layer: a fleece or wool sweater; on the coldest days add thin insulated trousers over the base layer.
- Thin liner gloves: the most useful thing you can add. Worn inside the operator's gloves, they keep your fingers working at photo stops and warmer on the handlebars, which addresses the most common review complaint directly.
- Wool socks: one good pair, not two thin ones stacked (that squeezes the foot and makes it colder). The second answer to the same complaint.
- Neck gaiter or balaclava: closes the gap between suit collar and helmet.
- Your own beanie for the bus and the camp, where the helmet comes off.
Cold hands and feet are the most common complaint in reviews, even inside the thermal suits provided. Bring your own thin liner gloves and wool socks.
Practical notes
Riding at night is colder. On the evening tour you sit still through a 45-minute dinner and then ride 1.5–2 hours in the dark, so add one more layer than for a day safari. Passengers also get colder than drivers, because the person on the back sits still while the driver works; if you ride as a passenger, take the warmer layers.
On bright days the low winter sun over snow is glaring. The helmet visor covers this on many tours, but sunglasses or goggles help at the stops. Leave a bulky ski jacket at the hotel if it fights the suit: the operator's overall goes over your clothes, and slim, warm layers work better underneath than one thick coat.
Drivers need a valid driver's licence on every tour in this comparison, physically with you and not at the hotel. Drivers carry a personal damage liability (excess), and damage to a snowmobile can be charged to the driver. Operators usually offer an excess reduction for a surcharge. The amount and the exact terms are on each product page.
FAQ
Do I need to bring my own thermal suit?
No. The operators provide thermal suits and cold-weather gear on top of your own clothing. At Camp Troll the kit reviewers describe includes overalls, helmet, boots and gloves. Your job is the layers underneath.
Why are cold hands and feet such a common complaint if gear is provided?
Because the provided suit and gloves are the outer layer. Hands and feet still lose heat at speed, and at photo stops gloves come off. Thin liner gloves worn inside the operator's gloves and one good pair of wool socks fix most of it.
What should children wear as passengers?
The same layering principle, one notch warmer, since passengers sit still and get colder than drivers. Check your tour's minimum passenger age first: from 7 on the Camp Troll day safari, 10 on the short tour, 12 on the evening tour.
Can I wear glasses under the helmet?
Helmet policies and visor details vary by operator. If you depend on glasses, check the product page of your tour or ask the operator before booking. Contact-lens wearers generally have the easier time on a snowmobile.