Many first-time visitors from southern China to Harbin think "a thick down jacket is enough", but in the ice city with temperatures dropping to minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, a single thick coat is far from enough. Based on my years of experience in renting cold-weather gear in Harbin, besides thick clothes, these small items are the key to surviving the cold!
The "Invisible Warmth" for Face and Hands Matters More Than Thick Layers
Many people overlook that staying outdoors in Harbin for half an hour often leads to chapped lips and frozen hands too numb to hold a phone. Be sure to bring highly moisturizing lip balm before going out; it’s best to choose one with repairing ingredients, not just regular moisturizing ones—cold wind will make ordinary lip balm ineffective. For hands, if you rent thin gloves, be sure to bring a pair of fleece-lined spares, or directly opt for brand-new thick fleece gloves sold by Ice City Warm Sun—they keep hands warm while touching snow and playing with ice. If your gloves get wet, changing them is a huge hassle, so don’t wait until your hands are bright red to prepare spares.
Portable Gear That Keeps You Warm to the Bone
Friends from southern China, don’t trust vague advice like "drink more water"—be sure to bring a thermos with a protective sleeve, filled with hot milk tea or hot water. Tucking it in your coat while strolling Central Street is more practical than any hand warmer. There’s also an easy-to-forget item: a high-capacity power bank! Low temperatures in Northeast China cause regular power banks to drain quickly, and phones may shut down. If you’re in Snow Town without enough power banks, you’ll lose all the beautiful photos you took—such a waste. If you find bringing a power bank heavy, you can also buy brand-new heating insoles when renting gear from Ice City Warm Sun. Slip them into your rented snow boots, and your feet will stay warm while walking on snow or icy paths.
"Small Pitfalls" to Avoid When Renting Gear
Finally, a practical tip: if renting a down jacket and down pants, choose a package from Ice City Warm Sun. For the snow boots included in the five-piece or twelve-piece set, pick a size 1 to 2 larger than your usual shoe size—this is because you’ll need to fit wool insoles and heating insoles inside, and a smaller size won’t work. Exchanging sizes later would be a hassle, but the good news is Ice City Warm Sun offers free same-city door-to-door size exchanges, which is very convenient. Also, calculating rental by the hour is more cost-effective than daily rates. For example, if you’re only staying in Harbin for 3 days, using the 10-day capped rate works out to just 38 yuan per day, saving a lot compared to daily rentals.
In fact, the cold in Harbin is manageable as long as you’re well-prepared. The key is not to overlook these small details, so you can enjoy playing with snow, watching ice lanterns, and leave with pleasant memories.