Guide · Clothing

What to wear ice skating outdoors in Levi, from base layer to helmet

Knowing what to wear ice skating outdoors matters more in Levi than anywhere you have skated before: January averages a low of -17 °C at the Kittilä Airport station. Here is the kit, layer by layer, and what the skating session already gives you.

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Editorial team, iceskatinglevi.comUpdated October 22, 20266 min read29 sources

The tour for this guide Levi forest ice skating, 1 km lit trail 4.3 (202 reviews) 2 hours1 km lit trail through the forestSkates, helmet and hot drinks included from$80per person Check availabilityCancel for free up to 24 hrs ahead

The quick answer

01Base layer: Merino wool if you sweat little, wicking underwear if you sweat more.¹
02Mid and outer: A breathable fleece, then a windproof jacket.² ³
03Feet: Wool socks first, never cotton.⁴
04Hands and head: Loose mittens, and a hat that covers the ears.⁵ ⁶
05Provided: Skates and helmets come with the forest skating session.

Why skating in Levi needs different clothes

Most people learn to skate indoors or on a town rink on a mild evening. Skating near Levi is colder by a wide margin. At Kittilä Airport, the weather station used on this site, the average January low is -17 °C and the high -8.3 °C, and February is barely kinder, with a low of -16.4 °C.⁷ For Finnish Lapland as a whole, Visit Finland puts the average winter temperature at -14 °C and notes occasional dips to -30 °C.⁸

The forest skating session plans for the extremes: in cold of -30°C or below it may be rescheduled or fully refunded, and its listing asks you to bring warm clothing. Between those limits, what you wear decides whether two hours on the ice feel magical or miserable.

Skating is also a stop-and-go activity. You warm up while moving, then stand still to watch a child, take a photo or catch your breath, and the cold returns fast. Visit Finland advises thinner layers for winter sports to prevent overheating, and that is the trick on the ice: several thin layers you can open or close, not one thick coat.⁹

Getting dressed

Dress in this order before the shuttle

First

Base layer

Merino or wicking underwear.¹
Feet

Wool socks

Wool first, never cotton.⁴
Second

Fleece

A breathable mid layer.²
Third

Windproof shell

Jacket and winter trousers.³
Last

Head and hands

Hat over the ears, tube scarf, mittens.⁶ ¹⁰ ⁵

The base layer, the one that matters most

Visit Levi calls the layer next to the skin the most important. If you do not sweat much, merino wool is the best choice for freezing weather; if you move a lot and sweat, choose performance underwear that draws sweat away from the skin.¹ Visit Finland says the same technical materials are popular with ice skaters, and suggests mulesing-free merino if you are unsure.¹¹

Cotton is the material to leave at home. It holds moisture against the skin, and damp skin in deep frost cools quickly. A long-sleeved top and long underwear of merino or synthetic fabric make the foundation for everything else.

Think about how many layers go on top. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health recommends three to five clothing layers in hard frost, layered from head to toe, and says winter clothes should be at least one size larger than summer clothes, so there is room for layers and air.¹² ¹³ Still air insulates about ten times better than average textile, it adds, so loose layers trap warmth that tight ones squeeze out.¹⁴

How cold

Average night-time lows in the skating months

°C

Average daily lows at the Kittilä Airport station, 1991 to 2020.⁷

Layer by layer

Your outfit for skating in the frost

Layer	What to wear	Avoid
Base	Merino or wicking underwear	Cotton
Mid	Breathable fleece	Cotton hoodie
Outer	Windproof jacket	Wet down
Legs	Lined winter trousers	Jeans
Feet	Wool socks	Cotton socks
Head	Hat over the ears	Bare ears
Hands	Loose mittens	Thin gloves alone

Built from Visit Levi's layer advice and the Finnish Figure Skating Association's kit list.¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁶ ⁵ ¹⁵

Rent, borrow or bring

Where your skating kit comes from

Levi: Lovimainas Arctic Forest Ice Skating (1km)

Provided

Forest skating session

Included in the 2 hours

Skates: Included
Helmet: Included
Clothing: Bring your own

See what's included

Rent

Winter clothing set

Rental in Levi

Valid: 1 to 10 days
Use: Any outing
Cancel: Up to 24 hrs

See what's included

From Saariselkä: Ice-skating on Frozen Lake Inari

Provided

Lake Inari skating

From Saariselkä

Skates: Hockey or figure
Head: Helmet, balaclava
Kids: Kicksleds

See what's included

Decision helper

Buy, rent or bring from home?

Sort your kit before you fly

You own ski clothes already You travel light You forgot something A child under 12 at the village rink You skate with Lovimainas

Bring them

Windproof outer layers work on the ice too.¹⁶

Rent a set in Levi

Full winter sets for 1 to 10 days.

Shop in the village

Levi has lots of shops selling winter clothing.¹⁷

Rent the helmet

Zero Point Rental lends helmets free to under-12s.¹⁸

Skates are included

Skates and helmets come with the session.

If you don’t sweat much, merino wool is the best choice for freezing weather. It preserves warmth even if it gets moist.

Visit Levi (levi.fi)Source 1

What pants to wear ice skating, and the outer layer

Over the base, Visit Levi recommends a breathable mid layer such as fleece, then a windproof synthetic jacket or a down jacket on the outside, with the warning that wet down will not keep you warm.² ³ Visit Finland says the best winter coats are windproof and waterproof, whatever the activity.¹⁶

As for what pants to wear ice skating, the answer outdoors is lined, windproof winter trousers or ski pants over long underwear, never jeans. Denim soaks up snow when you fall and freezes stiff, and falling is part of learning. The Finnish Figure Skating Association lists warm sports clothes for skating school and says skating is pleasant when clothes are flexible.¹⁵ ¹⁹

Flexibility matters for the knees. Levi's skating advice is to keep the knees slightly bent over the toes, which lowers the centre of gravity, and stiff, tight trousers fight that position.²⁰ Choose a cut that lets you crouch, and if you rent a winter overall, check you can bend in it before you leave the shop.

Checklist

Packing list for skating in Levi

Wear

Merino or wicking base layer, top and bottom
Fleece mid layer
Windproof jacket and lined winter trousers
Wool socks, one good pair in the skate

Head and hands

Thin hat or balaclava that fits under a helmet
Tube scarf for neck and face
Loose mittens, spare pair inside your jacket

After

Warm boots for the walk back to the shuttle
A phone kept warm inside your jacket

Cost calculator

Price clothing rental and a skating session

Choose an option and the number of people.

Winter clothing set1 to 10 daysfrom $54 Forest ice skatingSkates, helmet incl.from $80

People 2

Total from$107

per participant from $54

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Each sum multiplies the outing's lowest per-person GetYourGuide price by your group size and converts it at the ECB's daily rate; the checkout figure is the one that counts.

Video

What should you wear on the ice?

YouTube stays switched off until you start the video yourself.

Feet: socks and skates

Feet are where skaters feel the cold first, since a skate boot is tight and thin compared with a winter boot. Visit Levi says to wear wool socks, not cotton, as the first layer on the feet, and then synthetic fibre socks.⁴ Inside a skate, one good wool sock is usually warmer than two thick ones that squeeze the foot and cut the circulation.

The boot matters too. The Finnish Figure Skating Association says the most important property of a figure skate is support: a boot firm at the ankle stops the ankle twisting and makes learning easier.²¹ On the forest skating session, skates are included, so you choose from what is on offer rather than bringing your own.

Warm boots for before and after still matter. You walk from the shuttle to the changing room and back, and you may stand in the snow while others skate. The heated changing room on the forest skating session is the place to swap boots for skates, and the kota is there to warm up afterwards.

Hands, head and face

Visit Levi says ears are where you lose most body heat apart from the arteries, so wear a beanie or hat covering the ears, and a fur hat is best in freezing temperatures.⁶ Under a helmet, a thin hat or a balaclava works better than a thick bobble hat that pushes the helmet up.

Protect the neck and face too. Visit Levi recommends covering the throat and neck, and says a tube scarf also protects the face.¹⁰ The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health names the tip of the nose, the cheeks and the earlobes as the places that easily get frostbite.²²

For hands, Visit Levi says loose-fitting mittens keep hands warmest, with wool gloves underneath if you want them.⁵ Mittens also protect your fingers when you fall and push yourself up. Never grab a metal rail or post with bare skin: the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health warns that contact frostbite from cold metal can happen within seconds.²³

Helmets, and what to rent instead of pack

Levi's tourism site says ice skating is always done at your own risk and asks skaters to wear a helmet.²⁴ Skate Canada requires an approved hockey helmet for its learners up to and including Stage 5, and for anyone who has difficulty stopping.²⁵ ²⁶ On the forest skating session, helmets come with the skates.

You do not have to buy Arctic clothing for a single trip. Visit Finland says most Lapland destinations such as Levi offer winter clothing rental, and many guided safaris include it.²⁷ In Levi, a rental listing offers complete winter clothing sets for 1 to 10 days, from $54. Visit Levi adds that there are lots of shops in Levi selling all the winter clothing you could need.¹⁷

At the village rink in the fell pond, skates and helmets can be rented from Zero Point Rental beside it, which says helmets are free of charge for children under 12.²⁸ ¹⁸ Pack the layers, rent the hardware, and you travel light.

Dressing children for the ice, and warming up afterwards

Children often feel the cold before they mention it. Dress them in the same layers, add a spare pair of mittens to your own pocket, and check cheeks and noses every so often: the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health names the tip of the nose, the cheeks and the earlobes as the places that easily get frostbite.²² On the forest trail, a child who tires can ride a kicksled pushed by a parent, which keeps the family moving together.

Helmets matter most for the smallest skaters. Skate Canada requires an approved hockey helmet for anyone who lacks good control or balance or has difficulty stopping, which describes almost every child on their first day.²⁶ Zero Point Rental in Levi lends helmets free of charge to children under 12.¹⁸

Afterwards, warm up gently. The Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation says a chilled person must be handled carefully, since rubbing, alcohol and fast warming can cause a dangerous afterdrop.²⁹ A warm drink in the kota, dry mittens and time beside the fire do the job better than a hot shower straight away.

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