Wednesday, April 18, 2001 | 8:45 a.m.
Looking to get a jump- start on the hot outdoor item for the summer?
Last year it was easy. For the post-Ronald Reagan-era group, the ubiquitous scooter was all the rage. The thin, two-wheeled metal board with a steering handle could be found zipping along just about any residential street.
This year, however, there isn't one clear-cut choice, said managers of several of Las Vegas' sporting-goods outlets.
"I know scooters are done," said T.C. Cabello, store manager of Sports Authority on South Decatur Blvd. "For the summer we haven't had any trends hit."
Instead, look to old favorites, such as disc golf and skateboarding, to find favor at the checkout line, they said.
"Disc golf is huge. We can't keep the product on the shelf," said Alex Gutschetl, store director of Copeland Sports on North Rainbow Boulevard.
Played like standard golf, only with flying discs that are smaller and heavier than a standard Frisbee, disc golf has gained in popularity in recent years. There are even four public courses in Las Vegas, the biggest at Sunset Park.
"I noticed more and more people coming out and giving it a try," said Jeff Kennedy, an avid disc golf player for more than 20 years. "That's the nice thing about it: You can come out and spend an hour on it or the whole day."
Another reason for its popularity? It's cheap: The discs typically range from $8 to $12. Although there are four types of discs each designed to float various lengths Kennedy said the casual golfer can get by with only two.
"Basically, you want to have a driver, which has a more balanced edge to it with less air resistance so it'll go further," he said. "And a putter/approach disc, which has a more rounded edge to provide a little more control for the shorter distances. That's all you really need."
At 44, Kennedy says he plays disc golf to stay in shape, often participating in tournaments around the Southwest.
For the younger crowd, however, there are skateboards.
Popping in and out of public favor with the frequency of miniskirts, skateboarding is on an upswing. The activity has proven so popular that the city of Las Vegas recently opened a skate bowl area at Mountain Ridge Park, off U.S. 95 and Elkhorn Road, which is one of several planned for area parks.
"I don't think skateboarding ever went out," Brad Phillips said. "It's just the media finally recognized it."
An avid skater for five years, Phillips, 19, said he and some friends drove in Friday from Cedar City, Utah, to check out the new park.
And judging from the crowd at the skating area recently, he's not alone.
"Skateboarding is very big. At my store it never turned off, even with the scooter boom last fall," Gutschetl said.
Price, again, can only help the sport. The boards can either be custom-made for around $120, Gutschetl said, or a premade board costs about $60.
"Shortys and Element are two of the most popular brands," he said. "These companies produce boards with graphics on them, which is very popular. And professional skaters use them, so they attract kids."
But not all popular activities will be on land. As the mercury rises, water sports will become bigger -- among them, wakeboarding.
While not a new item, Gutschetl said wakeboards, which range from $250-$400, have found increased interest among snowboarders looking for a summer alternative.
"It gives them something with a similar feel," he said.
Also popular are "towables," inflatable devices such as rafts that are towed behind boats. These can range in size from a one- to five-seater, and are priced accordingly, from at $40-$200.
For adults with a little extra cash to spend who are looking to get out of the city, there's always the popular GPS (global positioning system unit).
Ranging from $100-$300, it may seem pricey, but for some it's invaluable.
"I think most outdoorspeople will benefit from having a GPS," said Robert Earle Howells, editor of the Santa Fe, N.M.,-based Outside Buyer's Guide, published annually by Outside magazine. The issue hits newsstands in May.
Among Howells' top GPS choices: the Garmin eTrex, "a tiny little thing that weighs only 5 ounces"; and his personal favorite, the GeoDiscovery Geode, a plug-in GPS for the Handspring Visor.
"The Visor is like a Palm PDA, but designed to accept all sorts of plug-ins," he said. "(Which) means your address book can also be a GPA, and you can download all sorts of data from the Web. Very cool."
Other magazine selections that Howells chose as personal favorites range from the $209 Mini-Scope 8 x 22, a pair of binoculars that "packs power and clarity in a 3-ounce package," to the $4,335 Cannondale Raven, a mountain bike for ski areas that has "amazingly cushy full suspension, including a bizarre-looking front shock absorber called the Lefty.
"If money's no object, this is a good object to throw your money at."
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