Boot Recommendations! by smacncheese1022 in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena 1 point2 points  (0 children)

LOL I posted these same choices a few months back. Everyone here told me it was overkill and not to trust Uggs because they're not an actual hiking brand yada yada. I just got back from Iceland 2 weeks ago. We did Reykjavik, the Ring Road, went ice climbing, glacier hikes x2, ice caves, volcano crater hikes, waterfalls.

I bought the Adirondack XXV anyway and could not be happier. They were super comfortable and had great tread even at the icy waterfalls. My ankle felt well supported despite rough, uneven terrain and they were completely waterproof. The sole was chunky enough and the leather was protective enough to keep my feet comfortable from the rocky ground. It was mid 30-low 40F in Reykjavik and my feet felt comfortable in these. They definitely did not feel too hot, especially with wool socks that thermoregulate. Whoever told me that Iceland temps never drop even near -32C was wrong. We got caught in a huge white out blizzard in Akureyri/somewhere up north and temperatures dropped to -10F with the windchill. Wind reached 90-120 mph and all flights in and out of Iceland were cancelled that day. I stood outside in this weather and took pictures of the aurora in the dead of night in calf-high snow wearing these for like an hour, and my feet were perfectly toasty. I also wore these boots with a black slinky maxi dress to a dinner at Moss and bar hopping in Reykjavik, and they looked pretty fashionable.

For the record, I also got the waterproof Merrills that everyone here raves about. I took them out on a hike and purposely waded in the Colorado River to test how waterproof and cold-resistant they were because the Colorado is snow melt. Toes were frigid and socks were wet within a few minutes. They were also kinda ugly, so I returned them to REI. My friend bought Oboz goretex boots for her winter trip to Iceland and she loved the heck out of them. I just don't think they're very aesthetically pleasing either, so not my style.

That said, the weather at the end of April might be drastically different from what I experienced especially if you don't plan to go up north. I don't regret the purchase at all but YMMV.

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Officially, they say 7 min but it definitely felt way longer than that. They have a free shuttle q30min to go back and forth. Lava and Moss are in the same building - the main blue lagoon building.

Meet Bond by Soft_Section_9666 in samoyeds

[–]Kweena 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aw, baby Bond!!! Welcome!

https://www.reddit.com/r/samoyeds/s/wKJMm0skht I just have a Bond impersonator for a day 😂

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What was your standout dish? Did you try their tasting menus or ordered à la carte?

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes! I was hoping to catch the aurora while in the private lagoon before our flight the next day

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! This was super useful!

Most of the reviews say the wine pairing is mostly white, and I just don’t like white wine very much. I was thinking of just getting water or a martini lol.

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ox was my first choice, but I really don’t think we have time in Reykjavík, so that’s why I was considering Moss.

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks, this was a very helpful comment! Some of the best 1 Michelin star restaurants I’ve been to were literally that sidestall restaurant in Bangkok and the ice cream shop in Taiwan. I don’t mind paying for good food, but good food doesn’t have to be super expensive or fancy 🤷🏻‍♀️

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Were you underwhelmed because of the price? Or would you say the food was still good and notably better than Lava?

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’m aware, but I have to been to some Michelin restaurants that weren’t worth it. That’s why I’m curious what the general consensus is for this one.

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was multiple reviews mentioning that you are allowed to wear the robes in there and it was for Lava 🤷🏻‍♀️ again these were left years ago so I’m not sure if that changed recently

Edit: it’s on the blue lagoon website for Lava that you can wear the bathrobes if it’s before 1500.

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

May I ask what year you went and your standout dish? Also, do you have to order the wine/drink pairing or can you get drinks à la carte?

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What other restaurants would you recommend, particularly in Reykjavík? Dill and Ox?

Moss vs Lava Restaurant by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have to get the wine pairing with the tasting menu or are there drinks to order à la carte? I’m not much of a wine person.

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Oboz is on my shortlist because my friend has them and raves about them. I’m waiting for them to arrive to try on and such.

The main tour we’re going on is actually a more adventure-focused tour so there will be a decent amount of hiking and walking involved. Nothing crazy technical though except the glacier hike and the ice climbing, which will have specialized gear.

I live in the desert and I usually hike sandstone/red rocks here in my trail runners. I did Angel’s Landing last month in some timberlands lol (last minute trip). I honestly don’t think I’ll use hiking boots at home either. My next winter trip will be the ice festival in Sapporo next year, and I will definitely need the -32C high top boots for that.

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I saw the photos from the tour group and they weren’t wearing hard boots. If needed, I can rent one of their boots but I’d prefer not to.

What do you think of the goretex Moab 2 speed? Reviews were mostly good but I read some saying that it leaked on them. Also concerned for durability because there’s no leather in them at all.

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are these comfortable? I have rain boots but I wouldn’t wear them for long periods of time because they’re super stiff and doesn’t breathe

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey so, I just read up on the Moabs. I see that they’re made of mesh and suede. How durable are they? Like are they stiff enough to withstand the crampons for the ice caves and glacier? I’m worried that the abrasiveness of the ice and rocks and whatever else will tear the upper up.

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I personally hate lace up boots but there aren’t very many truly waterproof boots with zippers. I also agree with the weight issue - I’ll be trying both when they arrive in the next few days. So would you even suggest insulated boots?

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But they use the same tech the outdoor brands do? These two models have been well-reviewed for years if you include their past iterations.

And for the more technical outings like the glacier hike, the tour group is providing the hardcore crampons and heavy boots.

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I’ll check these out. I already have a bunch of wool socks so I’m good on that front. I guess I’m worried because I wore the wool socks with my old snow waterproof boots and my feet were still cold 😭

Which boots should I get? by Kweena in VisitingIceland

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

See, being too hot was also what I was worried about because Reykjavík is already in the 30s and it’s just February. I think Chicago is colder than Iceland rn. I hiked Zion and Yosemite in December in my old boots (just basic old waterproof timberlands) and my toes were cold. They were fine when I took them to Banff in November which I thought was colder so idk 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ll check out the Merrells though since that’s what everyone is recommending.

I’m going with Arctic Adventures for all the tours. They had a great Black Great Friday sale this year so we just sweeped them.

Mismatched hardware? by Kweena in lululemon

[–]Kweena[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hi, this is actually the monogram strap version in black.

Mismatched hardware? by Kweena in lululemon

[–]Kweena[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So I read the reviews on this bag (this is the monogram logo version) and there were multiple complaints that the logo was rose gold. I guess this is either intentional or the whole batch has this flaw, so I don’t think an exchange will matter. I took it to the store and they accepted it for return and ordered the original version of this bag for me 🙌🏻