Fun In The Sun

By Sean Gregory

Now that summer vacations are upon us, it's time to get out of the house (or the office). Here are the latest gadgets and gear for those who like to rough it and some good books for those who just want to curl up and read about the boys of summer. --By Sean Gregory

TRAIL KICKS

Run through the woods with the Timberland Trail Lizards ($110; timber land.com) A thick rubber cap near the toe and saddle near the mid-foot help clear brush on the trail, while lightweight Gore-Tex stitching keeps water off your socks.

TUNES OR TASKMASTER?

Attach the circular Nike Philips MP3 Run ($299; nike-philips.com to your elbow and stick a wireless pedometer to your shoelaces, and the device will show how far and how fast you've run. Or hit a button to switch to music mode, and the MP3 player will let the Chariots of Fire theme inspire you.

LOCATION, LOCATION

It's easy to get lost while running--and singing--through the forest. The eTrex Legend C global-positioning device ($349; garmin.com will help you keep your bearings. The hand-held, color-screen eTrex can carry detailed maps of any area in the U.S.

BAG A REST

After a day of trailblazing, you should doze in style. Marmot's light, chili-red Atom sleeping bag ($229; marmot.com) easily stuffed in any backpack, gives your feet extra room at the bottom.

BOOGIE DOWN

Ride waves like the pros on the Taloa III boogie board from Morey ($216; moreybodyboards.com) It features a graphite rod that provides more power against rough surf, and a crescent tail that offers more control in the water. Beginners can try the Morey Baja ($62), which includes both a wrist leash--so your board won't sail away when you tumble under a wave--and a How 2 Bodyboard DVD.

RUNAWAY INFLATION

Take a deep breath, and plow down the river. The Fiji Travel Pack inflatable kayak ($120; sevylor.com is nearly 11-ft. long, holds 400 lbs. and comes equipped with a handy storage bag. A cheap alternative to lugging a kayak on your car roof, this one can even fit under the front seat, with your spare change.

CANDY CARBS

You deserve a healthy snack after sweating in the hot sun. How about a jelly bean? Yes, Jelly Belly promises that its new lime-green Sport Beans will combine 120 mg of electrolytes, vitamins C and E and carbohydrates that will "sustain energy level" while preventing dehydration. Jelly Belly is not alone: Blitz Energy Gum assures a boost, and Quench Gum, with its double-orange and fruit flavors, claims it will pump up your salivary glands.

SURF'S UP

Sick of wiping out? The Surf Diva School in La Jolla, Calif., runs week-long overnight camps for women. On the East Coast, the Next Generation Surf School in Cocoa Beach, Fla., offers coed day programs, and the overnight Surf Camp in Wrightsville Beach, N.C., also takes teens deep-sea fishing.

BOOKS HERE! BASEBALL BOOKS HERE!

Three Nights in August, by Buzz Bissinger, takes you inside the mind of Tony LaRussa, perhaps baseball's best manager

Sports Illustrated offers more than 50 of its best pieces in a new anthology, Sports Illustrated: Great Baseball Writing

Lefty, and leftist, Bill (Spaceman) Lee departed the majors in 1982, but in Have Glove, Will Travel, he is barnstorming again