Arctic dressing: trust the experts and invest in some serious outdoors kit

Britain’s icy blanket returning this week has been met with no small degree of shock; us lily-livered city types in London blinking confusedly into the snow-covered dawn like Jon Snow negotiating the frozen North.

Much like the fact that our transport system seems to shut down when there’s so much as a sneeze of sleet, we’re woefully ill-equipped in the face of serious, proper weather, but other countries can teach us a thing or two about facing the elements and jolly well getting on with it.

Snaefell vegan parka, ￡440, 66 Degrees North

A week in the glacial tundras of Iceland taught me a lesson on how prepared the locals are for inclement weather while at the same time going about their business; even in the third windiest country on earth (and the first two are scarcely populated), people dress appropriately and get on with their day as 80 mph winds howl around them (I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t greet those particular Arctic blasts with stoicism).

Not for nothing is one of their most well known brands an outdoors clothier; 66 Degrees North. Founded in the north west peninsula of Iceland (where I happened to visit; believe me you don’t mess with the weather there) in 1926 to protect fishermen from the bracing North Atlantic conditions, today they make some of the most technically accomplished kit one can buy.

Windermere coat, ￡900, Canada Goose

Similarly, labels such Canada Goose, founded to create quilted parkas for the Canadian Park Rangers, and Kjus, which was created by a former Norwegian skier to combine movement and dynamism with protection, are build with a stout solidity in mind.

Which is all very well and good, but there’s a difference between crunching through Scandinavian forests and heading to catch a train into the office, which is where a combination of city style and practicality come into play.

The best men's winter coats

Tom Chamberlin, the ever stylish editor of sybaritic men’s title The Rake, and who headed into the snow drifts of south London this week in his bespoke suit worn with a pair of Sorel boots, has some words of wisdom; “I think that endless layering, while quite du jour, is more of a hassle than one needs. People should pay attention to the weight of fabrics and the style of jacket.”

“If you have to wear a suit, anything 13 ounces or above has more insulating benefits. Low mercury friendly fabrics include flannel, tweed, cashmere and mixing all three with eliminate the need for superfluous clothing”, he says.

Sartoria Formosa 12oz tweed wool jacket, ￡1,130, No Man Walks Alone

In other words, streamline and make the essentials work that little bit harder for you. And when it comes to serious performance gear, it’s worth considering the demands of your day alongside it; a swamping puffer is well and good but can become cumbersome with a suit; detachable collars and interchangeable linings are your friend here. You’ll be as insulated as an Icelandic adventurer without the baggage to match.