I wore these Zhik thermals during the 2015 Fastnet Race, in a three-layer combination system with midlayers and outer layers. The top was worn for about 75 per cent of the race – it was always extremely comfortable, it never felt damp and remained largely odour free (I think! Merino has natural odour control properties).

We were racing in mild conditions, but these base layers always added greatly to the warmth of whatever combination of layers I wore them with.

The wrists on the top felt quite tight, but, once donned, proved a good fit. They did not seem to stretch much, so those with large hands might struggle to get them on. But the top is a long fit, so there is no exposure for cold to get in between the pants and top.

These Zhik garments are very expensive – about twice that of Musto’s equivalent – so I deducted a star in their ratings to account for that. They are also not yet that widely available.

£72.30 each from sailingbits.com