RETAIL ROUNDUP:Go take a hike -- but have all the supplies

COSTA MESA -- Don’t get me wrong. I too enjoy a luxurious jaunt to a nice resort for a day by the pool. But the pool can get boring and who wants to sit in a hotel room when you could be out hiking or camping.

I’ve been on a big nature kick lately, but, to be completely cheesy, my love for the outdoors springs eternal.

So my suggestion is to get outside, peel yourself off the couch or desk chair and take advantage of some of our fabulous local day hikes.

Are you a gym rat?

There’s no better feeling than getting exercise outside. Do you really like running or climbing to nowhere while watching muted TV with subtitles? I didn’t think so.

But before you go, make sure you have everything you need. If you want to start taking hiking trips more regularly, as I suggest, you need to make sure you have certain gear to keep you comfortable, safe and prepared.

At Adventure16 at The Camp in Costa Mesa, keeping outdoor enthusiasts equipped is the plan. The store has everything from tents and backpacks to clothing and bug spray.

Store manager Rolf Abro likes to guide any level of hiker who comes in the store to items they might need or want.

The first question he asks is about footwear. And I’ll preface this by saying what you wear, need and want to have can be largely based on what type of hike or trip you’re taking. But in any case, for a nice hike in our local Santa Ana Mountains — trailheads are as close as 20 minutes away and the hikes and views are spectacular — a pair of good trail running shoes will suffice for most people.

Why not just a pair of regular sneakers?

“Footwear is the most important,” Abro said. “Can you do the hike in a pair of tennis shoes? Sure, but you run the risk of injuring yourself, or worse.”

The trail runners look much like a regular running shoe, but have a support plate built in the bottom so the shoes can’t be twisted and turned like regular tennis shoes.

At Adventure16, a pair can be picked up for about $85 to $120, which is comparable to a pair of good tennis shoes.

If you have an old injury or weak ankles, then you might want to think of going to a boot, which can help prevent injury, Abro said.

Socks and clothing can also be important. Wearing cotton socks, shirt and jeans can be fine, but could get uncomfortable because the material has a tendency to sop up moisture. When moisture is sweat, it can get gross, not to mention uncomfortable.

Abro suggested merino wool -- it feels more like a soft cotton than wool -- or a synthetic fiber option that moves water away from the body.

The other advantage to having this kind of material is it will help keep you dry in case you get lost or stuck somewhere overnight.

“If things get funky and you get lost, God forbid, and you have to spend the night somewhere, you don’t want a soaked cotton shirt on,” Abro said. “Hypothermia can set in at temperatures you don’t even think about.”

According to the Princeton University Outdoor Action Guide, it’s possible for hypothermia to set in at temperatures as high as 60 degrees.

If you’re carrying a day pack, which Adventure16 has plenty of, you should think about carrying a lightweight or fleece jacket to keep warm.

All in all, it’s all about layering, Abro said. That way the hiker can maneuver the layers as the conditions require.

Be sure to have a hat, sunscreen and bug juice. Abro said hikers should first apply bug juice, wait 30 minutes, then apply bug cream or spray.

Another important tidbit is to actually know something about where you’re going. Novel idea, right? But checking weather conditions and learning about the history of the trail can mean a happier trip.

There’s a slew of books out there. Adventure16 has quite a few. A great book I plan to use all summer is Day Trips With a Splash: California Swimming Holes. Now I have yet to use it, but it provides hiking guides, information about each spot and includes all of California.

A book that has already paid for itself is Backcountry Adventures Southern California: The Ultimate Guide to the Backcountry, which is valuable for anyone with a sport utility vehicle. It has amazing roads and camping spots that are off the paved roads.

Whether you’re going for a night at Leo Carillo for a low-key trip or backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, the point is you’re going and you’ll love it.

“As the world becomes more and more of a rat race, getting outdoors can reconnect you with who you are and what you’re about,” Abro said. “It just reconnects you with where you came from.”

On another note, I plan to do lots of camping and hiking this summer, but it won’t be while taking vacation days at the Daily Pilot. Today is my last day with the paper and I want to thank everyone from the Pilot and all the readers for making this job great. I’ll see you around town or on the trail!

Ten essentials for every hiking and camping trip:

Full 1-quart water bottle

Waterproof matches or a lighter

Compass and map

First-aid kit

Whistle with a neck chord (three long blows is the universal signal for “I need help!”)

50-foot nylon cord, which can be used to create a makeshift splint or hang laundry

Pocket knife

Emergency blanket

Energy bar

Sunglasses

Sunscreen

Flashlight and extra batteries