I've been looking all over Manila for Philippines fighting sticks, made from a special tropical…read morehardwood. I found them at Metro Department Store in Cebu, but figured they'd be just as easy to find in Manila. I'd been all over town, and finally found a beautiful set at Chris Sports. This is a small, but very complete sporting goods stores. The other ones I found were either outdoor gear or tennis shoes. And there were so many helpful employees, nine of them. Like I told them, in the US they'd be lucky to have 3 people working at a store of that size.

Toby's Sports is one of the biggest retailers of sporting goods in Metro Manila. You will find…read moretheir stores in leading shopping malls here in the big city. Whatever type of sports and fitness apparel or equipment you need, there's a big chance that you can find them at Toby's Sports, particularly in their big branches at SM Mall Of Asia and Glorietta. If you're a die-hard UAAP fan, you can also get genuine UAAP apparel and accessories from Toby's. My branch of choice is in SM Aura Premier. Although the store is smaller compared to other Toby's Sports branches, I like it here because the display racks are clearly organized by theme or sport. The last time I visited was when I bought swimming goggles for the summer. They have a wall of different types, brands, and colors of goggles. The choices can be a bit overwhelming. It's a good thing that a salesperson approached me and guided me on what type of goggles would best fit my needs.

You can buy everything inside a health store and you still wouldn't be healthy without exercise…read more And if you're not naturally athletic and the thought of free running is making your joints ache then it's best to buy equipment that will help you achieve your goal. Welcome to Toby's- your one-stop fitness store filled with the latest exercise equipment in Manila. I've made a little home gym from buying their merchandise and so far it's been a worthy investment. I have a couple of weights, a yoga mat, a medicine ball and boxing gloves all purchased at reasonable prices. I wish somebody would give me a P10,000 gift certificate in this store because there's so much here that I want to take home. (Okay, maybe I'm being cheap, let's raise it to P25,000) I don't know what else to say except that I hope my wish comes true because Toby's is great and I'm a fan.

A good friend asked me to accompany him to buy his very first folding bike. I personally do not…read moreknow anything about folding bikes, but only mostly about mountain bikes because I used to ride one. Braving the trip to Quezon City, we left early, hoping to have lunch at nearby Maginhawa. We got there and we were amazed to see that even if it was relatively early, the shop was already packed with customers, staff busy tuning and attending to customers who came before us. Our turn came and one of the staff keenly listened to my friend's specifications and concerns. After about 10 minutes, the boxes arrived and despite asking for a certain color, he brought another color as option. Good thing he did so because my friend chose the second bike. Haha! We could have assembled it ourselves if we knew how, but they gladly did it for us. We were so giddy while waiting for the bike to be finished that the gentleman in charge gave us a generous discount. We felt so accomplished after with the newly bought bike, and had extra cash from the discount enough to buy both of us a full meal.

Glorious Ride Bikeshop in Sikatuna is the best all-purpose bike shop in Quezon City. They…read morespecialize a bit more on mountain and trail bikes, but they carry road gear and accessories as well. The store looks deceptively small from the outside. Once you step inside however, you'll be left speechless as you're greeted with a visual feast of bike parts and accessories. The staff are courteous and will immediately greet and assist you. What I like about them is that they are genuinely helpful. They don't follow you around making you feel like a criminal. The store has three floors. The ground is dedicated to small parts and accessories like saddles, action cams, cranksets and others. This is where they service and assemble bikes too. The second floor acts as the stock room for built bikes, while the last floor is dedicated to a wide array of bike helmets and shoes. Check them out!

We all like seeing items which are at a discounted rate. Whenever we see the word SALE on a store,…read morethere's an urge to check what's inside and see what items we can possibly consider a "steal." However, I'm not a fan of weekend sales in malls because I really don't have the patience to walk around a crowded area and bump with other people rushing from one store to another. That's why nowadays, outlet stores are a big blessing for people like me who are into anything cheaper! Luckily, there's an outlet store we found in Marcos Highway called The Playground which sells sneakers and sports apparel at discounted prices. The Playground carries mostly Nike products. They've got Nike sneakers, bags, socks, clothing apparels and a ton more. But they also carry brands like Onitsuka, Asics, Converse and Vans, to name a few. Actually if I'm not mistaken, they might also have New Balance in stock. What I liked about The Playground is that they offer items which are kind of freshly released in the market at a discounted rate. Imagine being able to score a pair of Nike Flyknits which was released 1-2 months ago at 30-40% off? What a steal, right?! Plus, if you frequent their Facebook page, you get acquainted on their newer items. If you're lucky, you might even get a Nike Roshe almost half its selling price in malls! Also available at The Playground are basketball shoes so girls, you might want to bring your boyfriends here. When we visited the shop together with my older brother, both of them looked at the shelves of shoes in awe! They couldn't help but try on a few pairs, and I was originally the one who wanted to buy my very first pair of sneaks. The only problem with The Playground is the availability of sizes, which is actually the more common disadvantage of most outlet stores. Some models would have the smallest and biggest size available but none for those in between. So sometimes you also need lady luck on your side. I wasn't too fortunate when I dropped by. The black Roshes I wanted didn't have my size. Boo! I also asked the store's staff when they would get new deliveries and she said they usually have fresh batches on Tuesdays. I'm guessing patrons of The Playground already know this so you're gonna want to come in just a couple days after that if you wanna score good items.

I got my Nike Free pink running shoes here at a very good price. I'm no sneakerhead but I think…read moreit's a pretty good pair with great fit and traction. It's super comfortable, light, flexible, and well-cushioned, and I got it at around 3K from an original price of around 5,000. Good deal, right?? This place has so many good shoe options, although their men's shoes are often more well-stocked. Watch out for their seasonal sales and when they get new stocks at the start of each month! They also have lots of exercise wear sold at a discount. It's good to buy here if you want to build on your basic outfits without breaking the bank. I'm eyeing a couple of running shorts here that are about 60% off (yes, 60) the ones at the Nike store! There's always a lot of that around. I like that they sell quality, stylish things despite being an outlet store.

When I started boxing a few years ago, I only had one requirement: pink boxing gloves. I want to be…read moretough, but still be very feminine so I thought it would be cool to have pink gloves. In a world of mostly manly colors of blacks, reds and blues, pink gloves were a rarity. It was only until my friend recommended K-1 Extreme Sports which carries Twins brand that I was finally able to find what I was looking for. And they didn't just have the right color but the right size for me as well. I love that their staff is so knowledgeable about the products and they were able to help me fit the gloves and get the right weight for my skill level. K-1 Extreme Sports also carries several other sporting goods brands such as Atama, Keiko Rama, Koral Fight, Venum, Fairtex, Tapout and more. They specialize in boxing and MMA gear so you'll find different types of grappling gloves, hand wraps, shorts, rash guards, kimonos and other essential fighting gear. They also have sparring equipment like headgears, abdominal guards, belly pads, Thai pads, punch mitts and more. For anyone who is into contact sports, this is the perfect place to get your gear.

I had the impression that, during the early stages of my relationship with SO, I always had to…read moreimpress him. During that time, I would sneakily peak on what he's browsing on his phone or what's going on in his newsfeed. I found that he's really into this certain blue Roshe sneaker and I thought to get it for his birthday then. Long story short, I didn't find it. But I ended up in Sole Academy and got him an Internationalist with the same color scheme. Did he like it? He was ecstatic. He wasn't expecting it at all and when I told him the story of how I looked far and wide, high and low for that Roshe, he was touched and simply said that, whatever it is as long as it came from me, he'd treasure it. :) PROS: They're very active in social media! Make sure to follow them to know when Sole Academy releases new selections. Hurry though, because they run out quick, especially the Roshe and Airmax. Sneakerheads line up and buy a load, so if there's one you really like, you may order/reserve online or make sure you're first in line; Their store's interiors is so beautifully designed that I literally gasped upon entering. And so many handsome shoes!; They have a lot of exclusive selections that you literally cannot find anywhere else. CONS: You may get lost in the jargon or be mesmerized by their ultra-hip store. Don't worry though, their staff's so friendly and helpful, they won't make you feel like a noob. TL;DR: It may be for you or for your sneakerhead significant other/friend/whoever, but whatever lifestyle brand apparel you're looking for, follow or visit Sole Academy for their amazing and expansive choices.

I am really obsessed with shoes. I consider shoe buying as one of my guilty pleasures. It's the…read moremain reason why I am having a difficult time saving money. Every time there are new shoe trends, I would immediately go to the nearest shopping mall to buy myself a new pair. One of the shoe stores I regularly visit is the Sole Academy branch in Katipunan. Whenever I am waiting for my sundo, I just go here to check out new shoes that I may want to buy. The best thing about Sole Academy is that they sell more than one brand of shoes. They have Vans, Nike, Adidas, Puma, and many more. I think every person who visits this place is just tempted to buy a new pair of shoes. It's like a haven for all shoe lovers out there. They also have seasonal sales, which is really great if you wish to save more money. If you don't have time to visit this store, you can always go to their website to buy their products online.

There are many establishments that sell sporting goods and apparels. But when it comes to my…read morebadminton equipment, I usually go to Juego in Greenbelt 4. This store has a complete line of accessories from shuttlecocks and rackets to grips and badminton apparel. Based on my experience, this store carries several brands of badminton shoes, including Yonex, Babolat, Li-Ning, and Kason. Badminton enthusiasts, and even those who are just starting to play the sport, know the value of wearing the right kind of footwear. Badminton shoes need to be lightweight with ample cushioning, particularly in the ankle area, and with thinner non-marking rubber soles that have good traction and grip. So I really appreciate the time and guidance that the staff at this Juego branch gives to their customers, specifically to those buying their shoes for the first time. I also respect the fact that they sell locally-made shirts and shorts at very affordable prices. Although this store specializes in badminton goods and apparels, they also have items for tennis, volleyball and basketball. It is also worth noting that this Juego shop is small, so it could be quite difficult to try on badminton shoes for someone who's big and tall as me. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance from the staff.

Urban Athletics is an athletics store that doesn't really focus on one particular brand or sport…read more It drew my attention cause I've been looking for a new pair of shoes to repair the old ones that I ruined. They have a lot of different shoes to choose from. I saw basketball shoes and shoes for skaters when I walked in. I didn't have the time to check out what else they had but I bet that they have a huge collection. I was drawn to the store because they had this huge TV that greeted passerbys. I got to see one of the shoes that I was looking for and decided to walk in. Effective marketing I would say. That said, the staff was friendly enough and knew enough to give me good answers when I asked questions. If you're on the search for a particular shoe and you can't seem to find it anywhere else, then Urban Athletics would be a great option I feel. The price of their shoes are the same anywhere else, or at least I didn't notice a difference.

Urban Athletics was the shoe store I would frequent before becoming a patron of Sole Academy…read more Located at Greenbelt 3 in Makati, I would make sure to drop by their store and check the latest sneakers available. I love that they have a wide range of stuff in the store compared to Sole Academy that has limited goods. Urban Athletics doesn't just sell sneakers, but goods like bags, sunglasses, flip flops, headgear and many more. They have stocks of famous brands all over the store. I usually drop by here when they have new arrivals since the chances of me getting my size is still high. The staff is accommodating even if I fit a couple of pairs before deciding which pair to get. Urban Athletics has limited branches though in the city so if you want to check them out, do drop by their Greenbelt 3 branch instead.