Retail roundup

Catherine Eberhard

Summer is a great time for getting outdoors and enjoying nature. Many

people find the perfect escape from their hectic urban lives is a

peaceful day-hike or camping trip.

An excellent source for all your hiking and camping needs is Sport

Chalet at 16242 Beach Blvd. Half of the second floor of the store is

devoted to a selection of backpacking and camping supplies.

The first thing you need to do if you’re going to go on a hike is to

decide on your destination. Sport Chalet has a large assortment of trail

maps and guide books on popular places to hike and camp. It also has a

variety of free pamphlets on different whitewater or hiking trips and

general information on several beautiful places like Mammoth, Lake Tahoe

and Catalina Island. All of these places have great campsites, and

reading through Sport Chalet’s complimentary information can help you

decide on the perfect spot.

Once you know where you’re going, whether it’s a half-day hike in the

Angeles National Forest, or a weeklong camping trip to Yosemite, you’ll

need to gather all the necessary supplies.

Walking sticks, also known as hiking staffs and trekking poles to the

knowledgeable outdoorsmen, are useful in transferring the stress of

hiking from your lower body to your upper arms and torso for better

weight distribution. Sport Chalet carries an array of walking sticks in

carved wood or lightweight aluminum.

If you do plan on camping overnight, you’ll definitely need a tent. An

interesting new item I noticed at the store was the Quickdraw

self-erecting tent. This is a tent that literally puts itself up. All you

do is slide the strap off and release the tent with a spin and in three

seconds you have your home away from home without the stress of figuring

out all those complicated directions. Quickdraw tents are available at

Sport Chalet and prices start at $39.97 and increase according to the

square footage and sleeping capacity of the tent. Traditional tents are

also on sale and these take up less space and are better suited for

backpacking than the Quickdraw tent. Additional tent poles can also be

purchased.

Another necessary item if you’re going to be spending the night under

the stars is a warm sleeping bag. Sport Chalet has an entire wall of

sleeping bags to choose from starting at $19.99 for a basic fleece bag

and going up depending on the materials, size and warmth. Sleeping bags

that are light enough for back-country camping and include a sleeve on

the bottom that self-inflates into a sleep pad make for the most

comfortable nights.

For cooking in the great outdoors, check out Sport Chalet’s selection

of portable propane stoves. The Coleman two-burner propane stove and

grill is light and compact and puts out consistent heat with reliable

flame control. Plus, burners are shielded from the wind on three sides so

you can cook much the same as you would at home. A nonstick camping

griddle for making pancakes in the morning can be a nice luxury item and

there are plain grills for cooking over campfires. Lightweight pots and

pans, cutlery and cooking utensils designed for outdoor use can also come

in handy.

For those who don’t want to deal with cooking, Sport Chalet offers a

wide variety of prepackaged dehydrated meals like lasagna, beef stew and

fettuccine primavera. These meals just require adding hot water. Alpine

Aire Foods takes it one step further and includes a self-heating device

with each meal, so you don’t even need a campfire to have a hot meal.

Of course on any hike you always want to make sure to bring plenty of

water and nutritional snacks and don’t forget other camping accessories

like a compass, a first aid kit, waterproof matches and a good book for

reading by the campfire.

Once you’ve gathered all your cooking and sleeping supplies, maps,

food and other miscellaneous survival items you’ll need a backpack to

carry everything. Lightweight hiking backpacks with aluminum support bars

are perfect for carrying heavier items for overnight stays, and smaller

backpacks will get you through day hikes. Brand name backpacks like

Jansport and The North Face in several different colors and styles cover

an entire wall at Sport Chalet, so you’ll have plenty to choose from.

For mountaineers with children, a convenient item to have is the Kelty

convertible stroller pack. This is the ultimate back-carrier for carrying

children up to 45 pounds as it also converts to a stroller with wheels

when your back needs a rest.

All of the hiking and camping supplies mentioned above can be found by

visiting Sport Chalet. For more information call (714) 848-0988.

Once you have gathered together all of your camping supplies, set out

on a great outdoor adventure and forgotten about traffic, stress and

hassles at work. Enjoy the scenery of your hike, take in the fresh air

and listen to the sounds of nature. You are sure to return home

refreshed, re-energized and ready to take on new challenges.

* CATHERINE EBERHARD is a Huntington Beach resident and her column

focuses on local businesses. If you have items for Retail Roundup, e-mail

them too7 hbindy@latimes.comf7 or fax to (714) 965-7174.