Gear and clothing hire

Usually not. 111 of the 222 glacier, ice-cave and snowmobile tours we sell state in their own included list that helmets, crampons or safety equipment come with the tour — and on a guided glacier walk you are required to use theirs, because they are fitted to the boots and checked by the guide. Where hiring your own makes sense is walking on your own: icy pavements and car parks in Reykjavík in February, or a self-guided winter trail. City spikes for that start at €7.38 a day.

Rented, if you are here for a few days. A warm waterproof jacket and trousers run about €47 a day between them. Buying the equivalent new in Reykjavík is well over ten times that, and Icelandic outdoor shops are not cheap. Past roughly a fortnight the sums change, and if you already own a decent shell you need nothing from this page.

All of it in Reykjavík — these are city-centre outfits, not airport desks. Collect the day before an early start rather than the morning of it: a 08:00 pickup for a glacier tour does not leave time to visit a rental shop first.

Waterproof over-trousers, if you do not own any — that is the single item visitors most often lack and most often regret. A warm hat and gloves you should simply buy, because they cost a few euros and you will keep them. Boots are worth hiring only if yours are not waterproof. Tents and sleeping bags are for camping trips, and camping in Iceland outside summer is a serious undertaking rather than a way to save money.

Yes — €28 for the day from Reykjavik Bike Tours. Reykjavík is flat along the coast and the seafront path is genuinely pleasant. It is also windy, so check the forecast before committing to a whole day of it.