Who can go ice floating in Rovaniemi, by age, height and weight
Ice floating looks easy, and for most adults it is. The operators still set firm limits on age and body size, plus a few health rules. These differ a lot between the lake floats and the icebreakers, and the difference decides where a family with younger children can go.
Why the floats set limits at all
A rescue suit is made for adults, in a range of sizes. If you are too small, the suit cannot seal properly and water gets in. If you are too large, it will not close. The limits follow the suits rather than any judgment about fitness.
The rest of the rules come from the setting. You climb in and out of a hole in the ice, lie in water around freezing and need to follow a guide's instructions. Nobody needs to swim, but you do need to move a little in the water and keep calm.
The lake floats with Nordic Adventures
Both trips on the frozen forest lake, the daytime float from ~$133 and the aurora float from ~$138, share the same rules. The minimum age is 14 years.
- Age 14 and over
- Height from 150 cm (4 ft 11 in) up to 210 cm (6 ft 11 in)
- Weight up to 110 kg (242 lb)
- Normal physical and mental health
- Able to follow safety instructions and move in the water
If you fall outside the height or weight range, the listing asks you to contact the company before booking rather than turn up and hope. Suits come in set sizes, and the guides need to know in advance.
Once you know you fit, the float itself asks little of you. Our step-by-step guide to what the float feels like follows the trip from pickup to the hot drinks afterwards.
Health rules and who should skip it
The lake listings say the float is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems. It is also not for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users, since the walk on the ice and the hole itself are hard to manage otherwise.
The aurora float adds one more line, that it is not for people with heart problems. Cold water and night air put extra strain on the body, and the operator draws the line there. If you have a condition, ask your doctor before you book, not on the ice.
No alcohol before the float. Guides can turn away anyone who has been drinking, and a refusal on the spot does not come with a refund.
Swimming skills help you feel at ease but are not required. The suit keeps you afloat on its own, and you spend the time lying on your back.
The two icebreakers have looser rules
The cruises on the Bothnian Bay take younger guests. The Polar Explorer from ~$363 lets a child into the water beside a parent once the child reaches 125 cm (4 ft 1 in). Everyone needs a passport, because the ship sails from Axelsvik on the Swedish side.
On the Icebreaker Sampo from Kemi, nobody under 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) gets a suit. The float is optional anyway, so a shorter child can stay dry on the ice and still enjoy the rest of the day.
Sampo's staff may check each person's condition before the float. The listing does not recommend floating in pregnancy and says the cruise is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility. Our side-by-side of the two icebreakers covers the rest of the day.
The rules side by side
| Tour | From | Minimum | Other limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytime lake float | ~$133 | Age 14, 150 cm | Up to 210 cm and 110 kg; no pregnancy or back problems |
| Aurora lake float | ~$138 | Age 14, 150 cm | As the daytime float, plus no heart problems |
| Polar Explorer | ~$363 | Children from 125 cm with parents | Passport needed |
| Icebreaker Sampo | ~$564 | 140 cm to float | Floating optional; not for reduced mobility |
Floating with children under 14
The Polar Explorer lets children from 125 cm float beside their parents on the frozen sea, with a shuttle option from Rovaniemi.
Families with younger children
If anyone in your group is under 14, the lake trips are off the table, however tall the child is. The icebreakers are the only floats on this site that take younger children, and the Polar Explorer has the lower height limit.
That choice costs more. An icebreaker day runs about three to four times the price of a lake float, and it fills a whole day with bus rides. Our guide to forest lake or frozen sea weighs the two settings, and the price comparison shows the full numbers.
Teenagers of 14 and over who reach 150 cm can join a lake float with their parents. The daytime trip suits them better, since the daylight makes the setting easier to take in and the air is a little warmer.
A mixed family can also split the stay. Parents and older teens take the lake float one evening, and everyone joins the icebreaker the next day. Our three-day Rovaniemi plan shows how the two trips fit around each other without clashing.
On the day itself
Guides watch each floater closely and can stop anyone who looks unwell or struggles with the suit. If you feel too cold, say so; climbing out early is normal and nobody minds.
Dress in warm layers that fit under the suit, as our guide to what to wear explains. And if you are still choosing your dates, the best weeks to float depend on when the lake and the sea freeze solid.