Inspired by a kid's discomfort with long johns, this could you be your answer to a cold derriere

Minnesotans are all too familiar with cold winter weather, and we're always on the lookout for ways to stay warm without giving up comfort or mobility. We shell out cash for fancy heat-trapping technologies in our jackets and gloves, heating pads at home and heated seats in our cars — anything to avoid wearing, say, an ugly, bulky pair of long johns.

Kevin Zinniel felt the same way as a kid growing up near Minneapolis. He wanted to go outside and play boot hockey, but his mom wouldn't let him if he didn't put on a pair of long johns to keep him warm. They bunched up at the knees and drove him to distraction. One day, Zinniel had enough and took a pair of scissors to the offending garment, cutting them off at the knee. Long johns were dead, long live Short Johns.

Today, Zinniel has brought a refined version of his childhood innovation to the market as Sir Short John, a modernized take on traditional long underwear for winter athletes and chill-prone homebodies. Using waffle-knit cotton, Sir Short Johns are designed to hug your legs and midriff to hold in body heat without being thick and obtrusive. Short Johns are offered as a unisex product, either with or without a fly, and arrive in a compostable mailer envelope to be eco-friendly.

Find the $35 garment at sirshortjohn.com