Attention all SportLocker readers! In case you didn’t know already, it’s bloody cold out there!

So you can imagine how one of our writers felt when he had to brave the weather for his weekly football jamboree last night.

But thankfully, our good pals (well, acquaintances) at Nike sent Sam Van Gelder their new Hyperwarm baselayer top from their Nike Pro Combat range to keep him snugly – sweet!

And here’s what he found:

The Top: Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm
Price (RRP): £40.00
Material: Main Body Fabric: 100% Polyester. Mesh Fabric: 90% Polyester, 10% Spandex. Stretch Jersey: 84% Polyester, 16% Spandex
Who wears them: Wayne Rooney, Andres Iniesta, Wesley Sneijder (and many more)

Before I talk about how I avoided frostbite, first have a read over the technology packed into the baselayer, and what it can offer your everyday footballer:

• Superior Warmth
• Dri-FIT brushed fabric keeps warm air in and cool air out while also wicking away sweat
• Insert mesh construction provides ventilation and breathability where you need it most
• Stretch jersey panels at side seam
• Strategically Placed Flat-Lock Seams
• Help reduce irritation caused by chaffing
• Eliminates seam stacking with other garments increasing comfort

So to put in Layman’s terms, the Nike Pro Combat Hyperwarm is designed to help keep you warm, even when it’s not. This is achieved by a body-skimming fit which allows for a thin layer of air to be trapped next to the skin to help keep you warm.

Play time!

It was then time to get out on the pitch (or should I say rink?!).

I wanted to test the top to the full, so I donned a SHORT-SLEEVED football shirt over the hyperwarm baselayer and nothing else (well apart from shorts, socks and boots/skates, of course). But no gloves were used in the making of this feature.

And forgetting the fact that not much football was able to be played on a truly appalling surface (it had about as much grip as Sepp Blatter has on life)(as much friction as an animated banana skin/tank of lubricated eels)(I’ll get my coat), the top was a lovely addition to my football attire. It did the job of keeping me warm perfectly, whilst also maintaining comfort.

Russian Winter stylee

What’s more, I felt I was able to move freely and even felt more energetic because I wasn’t as cold as my teammates! To be honest, I felt warm enough to play during the height of a Russian winter.

So I left for home, with no feeling in my feet, but plenty of feeling in my upper body. And despite not looking as trim as Iniesta & co in the top itself, Nike get a massive thumbs up and rather ironic tick for making what has to be an essential in football gear during this harsh winter.

Gone very much are the days where you could get away with just a vest under your football shirt. Nike Pro Combat is the way forward people!