Most of the time, we divers use good reasoning, and choose to travel to warm locales, where we enjoy basking in the sun and enjoying the feeling of sublime pleasure diving in warm tropical waters brings with it. Sometimes though, we decide we want to head off to Iceland or Greenland, or even to Antarctica. Despite the fact we know we'll be freezing cold more than once, we just can't resist the opportunity to see what's beneath the ice, or we've been dreaming of Beluga whale encounters, or of flying weightless in gin-clear water between the continental plates at Silfra. Whatever your personal reason for wanting to experience the world's coldest dive sites, you'll appreciate the following tips on what to pack.
Clothing
As weight restrictions tend to apply, and as space on airplanes and venues such as Antarctic cruises can be limited, you'll need to be extremely selective as you decide which clothing items to pack, and which to leave behind. Go for lightweight warmth, and choose items that can be easily compressed. A good way to do this is to use space bags - this way, you can bring plenty of long underwear, cozy fleeces, and other items with you, without worrying about space.
Choose your footwear carefully - warm, lightweight boots rated for below zero conditions can be real lifesavers, and so can hand and foot warmers you can carry in your pockets or stow away in a small luggage space. Dive operators will do all they can to get you warmed up after your dives, but these little extras can make a huge difference.
Dive Gear
As you are planning your trip, find out what you can rent from your dive operator once you get to your destination. For example, it's normally preferable to rent a drysuit instead of packing your own, unless you don't mind paying extra baggage fees. Bring at least two regulators, and be sure they are rated to handle the temperatures you plan to encounter. Bring your own fins, lights, mask, and snorkel, and bring your own safety equipment, including a knife and a surface marker buoy. Be sure you pack your knife in checked luggage, and be sure you are prepared to explain why you have it - for that matter, be prepared to answer all kinds of questions about the dive gear you bring with you.
By paring equipment down to a minimum, you can enjoy traveling lighter and just a little easier. Ensure you've taken the time to acclimate yourself a bit before your trip if possible, and work on getting yourself into excellent physical condition well before your trip. While the body tends to handle transitions to warm climates fairly well, sudden cold can come as quite an unwelcome shock to the system.
Finally, be sure to ask questions as you plan for your trip, and look for specific advice about what to bring to various destinations, as well as what to avoid. Your personal comfort level is going to play a huge part in determining whether or not you enjoy your trip to a colder climate - by doing all you can to ensure you'll stay comfortable, you'll be well on your way to ensuring you enjoy your trip, as a whole.