What To Wear Dog Sledding – A Complete Packing List For Staying Warm

What To Wear Dog Sledding

What To Wear Dog Sledding
A Complete Packing List For Staying Warm

If you’re about to head out on a dog sledding adventure in any cold weather destination, it’s critical you’re dressed for success! Nothing will spoil a trip quicker than being cold the entire time.

So here’s everything you need to know to stay warm, dry and comfortable on your dog sledding trip!

This blog post is in partnership with Wintergreen Dog Sledding in Ely, Minnesota!

6 Tips For Staying Warm In The Winter

1. Wear the right clothing. Use the list below to ensure you have the right gear. Avoid cotton.
2. Stay well fed and hydrated throughout the day. Your body needs fuel and adequate water to function at it’s best. Expect to drink more water than your normal day to day life. The recommended amount is 3-4 liters in cold dry winter conditions, during high activity.  It is important to eat a diet high in fat and protein to stay warm.
3. Stay dry. Dampness will wick away heat from your body.
4. Stay active. Keep the body moving to generate heat and keep blood flowing. 
5. Keep clothing loose. Tight fitting clothing will restrict blood and heat flow.
6. Use the 3 W’s layering system. Don’t depend on one large layer to stay warm. 

Stay Warm With The 3 W’s!

Clothing Packing List

Now that you’re familiar with the 3 layers you’ll need to stay warm, here’s your suggested packing list!

If you’re doing a trip with Wintergreen Dog Sledding, don’t stress! We’ll go over your gear on the first day of the trip to make sure everything you brought is warm enough.

Warm jacket or parka

What works best: a long, roomy, hooded shell jacket or anorak that can be slipped on or off over an insulating jacket or anorak depending upon conditions.

A warm parka or snowmobile suit (which combines shell & insulating layer) also works but is not as versatile for layering.

What doesn’t work: short-waisted or tight-fitting sports jackets (too cold), fur coats (distracts the dogs!), canvas coats (they get damp), wool coats (they don’t shed snow as well)

Snow/ski pants

This pair of pants is your outer layer to protect against wind. It will go over top your warmth (fleece) and wicking (base) layers.

What works best: shell pants layered over fleece pants as needed, insulated ski pants

What doesn’t work: wool, canvas or cotton pants (they collect snow)

Make sure your layers fit comfortably over each other!

Winter Boots

Warm feet are key to a fun trip – be sure to have adequate boots!

What work’s best: “Sorel-type” snow boots with a rubber lower, leather or nylon upper and removable foam or felt liners. The boots should be rated to at least -20 F.

What doesn’t work: leather hunting boots, low-top boots, boots that don’t repel snow and moisture, any boot without at least a half-inch of insulation, tight boots*

*Remember, your feet swell one whole shoe size during activity so test your fit. Your boot should slide easily over your foot with 2 pairs of socks on.

Long Underwear/ Base Layers

Bring one or 2 pair of tops & bottoms.

Mid- or expedition-weight synthetic or performance wool is best.

What works best: Choose synthetic thermal wear like Power Dry, Calamai. Varitherm, Capiline, Icebreaker wool or Thermax that wick moisture away from your skin to keep you dry.

What doesn’t work: cotton “waffle” long-johns absorb moisture and keep you damp.

Base layers vary greatly in price. You could get 100% merino wool and spend over $100 per piece. I found a partial merino mix that I liked from Fleet Farm for much less. Just avoid cotton and shop within your budget!

Warm tops

Bring one or more fleece or wool sweaters for your middle layer.

What works: fleece sweater or jacket; wool sweater or shirt; vest; turtleneck, any warm top!

Pro tip: 100% wool or Merino wool will keep you extra warm but can be expensive to buy. Thrift stores & second hand shops are a great place to shop for wool sweaters! They usually have a lot. I have been able to find a number of cute, 100% wool sweaters at second hand shops for under $10.

Headwear (Hats + Neck Warmer)

Bring a thin and thick hat option and a neck gaitor or ear band.

What works best: an insulating shell hat with sun visor plus a thin knit hat and a neck gaitor is ideal.

However a thin and thick hat plus a scarf will suffice.

Handwear/ Mittens

Liner gloves plus warm mittens – don’t scrimp!

What works best: wool blend or fleece mittens large enough so synthetic liners gloves can be worn under them (liner gloves allow me you to take off your mitts for dexterity)

What doesn’t work: leather “driving”-type gloves, cotton gloves, tight mittens

Pro tip: I have added wrist straps to my mittens so I can easily pull them off and take pictures quickly without repeatedly dropping them in the snow or having them fall off the sled. It’s not necessary but I find it helpful and can be easily added with a few stitches and some elastic!

Socks

What works best: two pair insulating socks + two pair liner socks

What doesn’t work: cotton socks

Pro tip: You can get battery-powered heated socks or toe warmers for inside your boots!

Basic underwear

Enough to keep you happy throughout your trip.

Sunglasses

Polarized ones with a neck strap work well.

Ski goggles are okay but not necessary.

Flashlight & Headlamp

A small flashlight will come in handy for after dark.

A headlamp (plus extra batteries) is essential for camping trips.

You can also get rechargeable headlamps, I recommend this one.

Or you could get a beanie with a rechargeable headlamp built in. But these hats aren’t as warm by themselves. You could wear it over a thicker, more insulated beanie or on warmer nights.

Swimsuit for saunas

Depending on where you dog sled, there may be a sauna available! Check with your lodging before the trip.

An optional sauna night is offered on most Wintergreen trips.

Toiletries

• Lotion/Wind cream
• Lip balm
• Toothbrush & paste
• Personal meds
• Hand sanitizer/wipes in pocket-size packet for easy access
• Face mask

Extra Battery Pack For Phone

Just a reminder, your phone battery will die much more quickly in the cold!

When I travel, I like to use my solar-powered battery pack so even if I’m out on the trail all day, I can still get a recharge from the sun!

GoPro/Camera

A Gopro works well on the trails since it can be difficult to carry a large camera while also mushing your own team of sled dogs!

Avoid Cotton!

Cotton clothing is not good for cold weather. It absorbs moisture and traps it next to your skin.

It is especially important to avoid cotton socks or cotton base layers when dog sledding.

Dog Sledding in Minnesota

Ely, Minnesota is often referred to as the “dog sledding capital of the world!” According to the Ely Chamber of Commerce, this little Minnesota town has more dog sled trip providers than anywhere else in the world!

As I prepare to lead several, multi-day dog sledding trips with Wintergreen Dog Sledding, I have compiled a list of everything you need for any dog sledding adventure anywhere!

Rent Big Items From Wintergreen Northern Wear

If you’re flying in from a warm weather climate or don’t own a lot of winter gear, you rent the key items in Ely, Minnesota from Wintergreen Northern Wear.

Available for rent:

• Parka $45/trip
• Snow pants $30/trip
• Boots

Smaller items which can’t be rented can be purchased from Wintergreen.

Available for purchase:

• Mittens
• Hats
• Socks
• Camp booties
• Thermal wear/Base layers

Not sure if what you already have will work? Call us for advice. When you arrive in Ely, our staff will check your gear to ensure you’ll be warm & cozy on your dogsled trip.

Contact for rentals: 218-365-6022 info@WintergreenNorthernWear.com

Read: 25 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO GO DOG SLEDDING

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What To Wear Dog Sledding