Editor’s Note: While You might have summer on your mind, now’s the perfect time to put your plans together for winter shooting.

Recently, I went on a 2 1/2 week trip to Iceland and Norway during the winter season. Upon doing my research of the historic weather reports for those areas during that time of year, along with looking at the current forecasts, I was able to get a good idea as to what I should expect. I also had lots of conversations with fellow adventure photographers who have been to these areas about recommended accessories to keep me warm and my gear safe.

During my trip, the temps ranged from -4C to about 3C, with wildly changing weather patterns. We’d have rain for ten minutes, then gale force winds for 30 minutes after that only to get pelted with hail an hour after that. Fortunately, I was more than equipped to handle those rather harsh weather conditions and I’d like to share five of my favorite accessories to consider if you are heading off on such an adventure trip.

1. The G-Drive ev ATC by G-Technology

While this is not the freezing temps of Iceland or Norway (it's actually Hawaii), my G-Drive ev ATC goes with me everywhere. A typical scene in Norway during those hours when we try to warm up and offload our photos from the day.

I suspect that many of you reading this could relate to the tendency of wanting to protect your gear almost more than your own body. When I travel, I always do a nightly import of my photos taken that day on my laptop and immediately make a backup to an external SSD drive (the G-Drive SSD, also by G-Technology), which always comes with me. To ensure that the precious data stored on my backup volume remains safe, dry, and intact, I encapsulate it within the G-Drive ev ATC, which stands for All Terrain Case. Fortunately, the G-Drive ev ATC comes bundled with a shockproof 1Tb drive already, so it’s ready to rock right out of the box, but I opted to swap it out for my faster SSD.

Rated to be shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof, it is an ideal solution for anyone who needs to take their data on the harsh trail with them. I never, ever head on a trip without mine.

2. Minus33 Merino Wool base layers

When you’re out on a shoot in freezing locations, it’s so critical to keep your body and core warm while also wicking away any sweat moisture that may happen as you exert yourself on a hike. Of all the research I did, the best solution to achieve this to wear a merino wool base layer. Another bonus of wearing merino wool is that it naturally combats bacteria that causes stinky odor ,so it’s not uncommon to get 2-3 days of use on a single pair before washing them would become advisable.

During my trip, I wore boxer briefs and upper/lower long johns all made of merino wool by Minus33. While there are lots of companies that make merino wool products, the research that I did on Amazon and other sites stated that Minus33’s products were of high quality and they were priced much more reasonably than other brands.

3. Arc’Teryx Theta AR Shell & Kyanos Atom LT Mid-layer

That's me and my Icelandic horse friend. I've got my Arc'teryx Theta AR shell and Atom LT mid-layer on and despite the freezing winds, I felt totally comfortable, warm, and dry. (Photo credit: Colby Brown)

There is nothing quite as miserable when you’re standing in frigid temps and you’re freezing cold and/or soaking wet from snow or rainfall. It’s a surefire way to ruin a shoot and it’ll put you on the fast track to a cold, the flu, or pneumonia, amonst a variety of other potential ailments. So, when I researched how to best protect myself from the elements while keeping myself warm, the solution was clear: I needed a good mid-layer and shell.

The mid-layer is typically worn on top of your base layer and is usually a jacket made of down feathers or a synthetic blend. The primary purpose of this layer is to keep all the heat that your body is generating sealed up, warming your core. The primary caveat to this is that this layer is not very waterproof, depending on the material. That’s where a shell comes in. Your shell is the outermost layer and is usually pretty thin and light. It should also be exceptionally waterproof and windproof. That is the goal of the shell. Your base layer warms you and keeps you dry, your mid-layer keeps the warmth in and the shell keeps the external elements out.

Now, if there is one thing that I absolutely wanted to ensure, it was that I could keep myself warm, dry, and comfortable. That is why I chose to invest in the Arc’teryx Kyanos Atom LT mid-layer and the Arc’teryx Theta AR shell. When you research these products, know that you’ll probably punch your display when you see what they cost. They are most certainly not cheap. However, if there is one thing that I learned while on this trip, it is that these products are worth every single penny. They are very thoughtfully constructed, fit really well, and, most importantly, do their job impeccably well. There absolutely are other options that are less expensive but in the end, I chose to go with Arc’Teryx and I don’t regret it for a second.

4. Kahtoola MICROspikes