What to wear in Austria in winter to make sure you have an awesome trip

Wondering what to wear in Austria in winter? I’ll tell you, but first, you need to know something.

I’m like an onion.

Not in the sense that I’m a complicated person (although, maybe that too :p), but in the sense that I usually wear a bunch of layers on top of each other to keep warm. Yes, also in summer.

You’d think that would make packing for cold destinations a hassle, but it’s actually the opposite. I’ve learned what works and only bring clothes specifically for cold weather, layering them as needed.

When I traveled to Austria for three days to try out all kinds of winter activities, I only took my carry-on suitcase and my Eastpak laptop backpack. I did a horse carriage ride in the snow, went hiking, visited a husky ranch, got an initiation in biathlon and went off-track cross-country skiing. All of those things in temperatures of around -3°C/26.6°F.

Here’s what I packed to survive.
 

What to wear in Austria in winter

In my suitcase

• Icebreaker ski socks
• Icebreaker normal woollen socks
• 1 Icebreaker Lightweight 200 g legging
• 1 Icebreaker lightweight Oasis Henley 200 g base layer + 2 other base layers that I borrowed from Boyfriend’s mom
• 1 Icebreaker midlayer
• 2 fleece longsleeves borrowed from Boyfriend’s mom
• 1 regular winter hat
• 1 super warm winter hat
• 1 pair of regular gloves
• 1 pair of ski gloves
• 1 pair of Solomon snow boots
• underwear (obviously)
• 1 fleece buff
• 1 Camelbak hydration backpack
• 1 pair of my favorite sneakers
• my new The North Face Fuseform Fuseform Dot Matrix Insulated jacket
• my new The North Face FuseForm Birgandine ski trousers
• pyjamas
• 1 skinny jeans
• toiletry bag

 

In my carry-on backpack

• my HP laptop
• my GoPro and my GoPro head strap
• my Fuji camera with its 18-55 mm lens and my small Lowepro camera bag
• chargers and usb cables
• 1 portable hard disk
• my iPod
• a tiny purse with my money, Samsung Galaxy S6, lip balm, paper tissues…

 

Did I pack right?

I’m happy to say I did. I always wore two base layers and two top layers, except for when I did the biathlon and cross-country skiing. Then, one base layer and one mid layer were enough.

By layering my clothes, I could easily take something off when we were having lunch inside and it was warm, for example. I stuck with sporty things, but if you’re a bit more stylish, you could easily wear a nice cardigan or thick shirt underneath your fleece or woolen pullover. I didn’t get the impression that style mattered much, though. It wass all about staying warm and being comfortable!

Wearing the Icebreaker ski socks during the day was essential for keeping my feet warm and an additional benefit to them is that they keep your feet relatively dry and unsmelly.

Lastly, I was able to fit everything into my carry-on trolley and backpack and could’ve gone a few extra days with the stuff I brought.
 

Printable packing checklist

Want to make sure you don’t forget anything? Sign up for the newsletter below and get my free printable packing checklist!

Or check out my favorite travel gear to see what else I frequently pack.
 

I was invited on the #inAustria trip by iambassador in partnership with the Austrian National Tourist Office. As always, anything I write about this trip will be my opinion only. The links in this post are affiliate links. That means that if you buy something through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. By using them you can help me keep the site running.