Okay, so I am going to sound a bit odd when I say that I have a real thing for baselayers. And it’s not just the practical side of baselayers that I love, but the look and feel. I could easily be classed as a baselayer geek!

Being on the thin side, I have discovered over the years that layering up many lighter tops keeps me a whole lot warmer than one bulky layer. The science behind this is that a layer of warm air is trapped between each thin baselayer, helping to maintain core body heat. And it does work. When I go walking or cycling in winter, I wear a vest layer, t-shirt and a couple of long-sleeved layers for warmth.

Modern baselayers also offer an extra bonus of wickability. This means they allow sweat to escape from your body, preventing that horrible damp and chilly feeling that you get if you wear non-wicking layers such as those made from cotton.

But I also like a baselayer to look funky and feel lovely against my skin. I am a huge fan of Helly Hansen, especially their bright colour and flowery design tops for women. The Helly Hansen range fit me really well, too. Icebreaker tops made from Merino wool are fab, too. But no baselayer I have ever worn feels as sumptuous as PureLime’s seamless baselayer.

New to PureLime baselayers

The PureLime tops are new to me. (Thanks to the company for sending me one to try). They are made in Scandanavia which might explain why I am not familiar with the brand (and also why their models as so slim and busty!).

PureLime states: “Baselayers don’t have to be black and uninspiring.” I couldn’t agree more and the bright pink long-sleeved baselayer that they sent me is certainly not uninspiring!

The baselayer also has a clever seamless design, which means it is ultra soft against the skin. If you’re like me and occasionally – especially when you’re hot and bothered –  get irritated by labels and scratchy seams, the PureLime tops are a dream come true.

Pulling on the PureLime top feels like you were putting on your pyjama top!

The tops are made from a material called Tactel, which is supposed to be “temperature-regulating”. This means it will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer. There is added elastane for support.

Test running and walking the PureLime baselayer

I hate to be hot and sweaty when doing an activity so I’m always acutely aware of clothing that makes me feel hot and sweaty. In contrast, the PureLime kept me warm and cool when required. This does sound strange but the Tactel did seem to work.

So on a run on a chilly day I wore the baselayer over a running vest. Despite a chill wind and occasional rain showers, the PureLime top managed to maintain my core body temperature so that I wasn’t too hot or cold. I have no idea how this worked but it did. Normally I’d be stripping off the long-sleeved baselayer when I felt too hot and then stopping to put it back on when the rain came on, but not during my run with the PureLime top.

Then, on a mountain hike I wore the PureLime beneath another baselayer and a waterproof jacket. I felt my body stayed at a perfect temperature and although I did sweat during steep climbs I never felt the chill of drying sweat on my skin. At the end of a walk I would normally need to strip off my baselayer to stop myself becoming suddenly chilly but not with the PureLime.

Again, on a rainy and windy day I wore the PureLime beneath a lightweight running jacket for an hour’s run. I never once felt too hot or too cold and the sweat somehow evaporated!

The PureLime top also made a great outfit for yoga. It is nicely tight fitting and supportive but also stretches to work with you body in all kinds of yoga poses. Additionally, the top stays in place even when you’re doing a headstand. So if you’re not keen on your torso being on show during activities this is a great top to choose.

Is this top made of miracle fabric?! I can’t explain the way the PureLime works in all different conditions but it does.

I have only worn the top for a few weeks of activities so I can’t vouch for its longevity just yet.

The PureLime Shop range includes sports vests, crop tops and even pants and G-strings.  There are lots of colours to choose from, such as bright green, army green, lime green, bright turquoise, hot pink, electric blue and ultra violet, and in sizes S/M & L/XL. RRP is from £6.99 (G-string) to £26.99 (long-sleeved round-neck top). I know what is going on my Santa list!