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.

I started scaling mountains recently and I enjoyed the rush reaching the summit gave. It was really…read moreexhausting and physically demanding but I'm glad that I was able to survive. My companions for that trip were already experienced hikers and mountaineers. They all have their gear, clothing and equipment specifically prescribed for those kinds of activities. I was in a light shirt and board shorts. I got by but I knew I had to do about my wardrobe and my personal equipment should I choose to embark on a similar adventure which I probably would. I passed by Habagat yesterday and got the chance to make a checklist of the things I would probably need in future hikes. The sales people were very friendly and helpful in explaining the uses and benefits of the accessories and other paraphernalia that I wasn't familiar with. I got myself a versatile scarf and dry bag from the wide range of hiking and mountaineering equipment that store offers. I won't say that I'm now fully prepared for my next hike but at least I now know where to get the gear that I would need to make my experience easier and more enjoyable.

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.

In The Neighborhood,…read more In the neighborhood, it's sometimes difficult to find a music store with reliable supply of sturdy strings. Sometimes you find yourself missing a D string but don't exactly have a spare. I tried checking out the supply in RFC because theirs is the nearest, to no avail. RFC is great, don't get me wrong. But most of their stock is a blast from the past and most definitely outdated. I tried looking at the SM Center nearby, but they didn't have a music store at all. So I went and looked around the Las Pinas Starmall area. Lucky me, the Feelmore had some good enough stock of nylon strings. And they were on discount! I bought 2sets of course.

My siblings grew up playing tennis when Bonifacio Naval Station was still a Philippine Navy Base…read moreinside Fort Bonifacio. Every weekend, my father would get us out of bed, on to the car and in the courts as early as 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning. And Toby's was always our go-to place for tennis supplies...racquet strings, overgrips and down to tennis balls. Everything we every needed was always there, and in stock. The staff are attentive and even offer advice to your equipment needs. And the price is always reasonable and the products are of great quality. Of course, Toby's doesn't just stock tennis gear. You can also find items here for other sports or for fitness. I always make it a point to browse what's in store...often helps to see what's new with the sports I play, as Toby's stock is always up-to-date with the times. Don't look any further than Toby's for your sports and fitness needs...

Toby's Sports is probably the biggest store in Alabang Town Center. I mean, when the new wing…read morefinished renovation and this store opened, I was in awe. I don't think I've ever seen any sporting goods store that was as impressive as this one. They have good quality brands and stock almost anything you could possible ever need. I think every single foot of their wall is covered with a shoe, no pun intended. They have shoes from most of the well known brands like Nike, Adidas, Onitsuka Tiger, and so much more. Not just that, but they also have other active lifestyle brands like The North Face for example. It doesn't even end there. They have a lot of equipment that can help a person with their own personal gym. Weights are just some of the things that you'll find at Toby's.In a nutshell, if you're an athletic or active outdoorsy type of person, there's a strong chance that you'll find what you're looking for right here.

Staff at this branch are very helpful. Following you around the store asking you questions about…read moreevery item you take a look at. Selection is quite Nice to. They have a nice selection of workout gloves with wrist protection. They sell lower end versions of hayabusa boxing gloves.bulls boxing gloves and hand wraps. For any of you looking for training gear for basketball or soccer they have a wide variety of skillz gear. If you're in the area this is a good sports store. Small but has a good amount of gear

I've underestimated the importance of good, microfiber towels…read more A few Christmases ago I was gifted with an Aquazorb towel by one of my good friends. I was really, really pleased by its "performance". It's a microfiber towel so expect it to be way lighter than most towels, and it absorbs liquid very well. What's great about their towels is that they come in all sorts of sizes for various types of activities (i.e. yoga towels, beach towels). They are great for travel as well, because of being so lightweight. Their towels make me want to go out and get physical!... Okay too much enthusiasm. But really. I do need some sort of physical exercise to spice up my sedentary lifestyle. I used to be able to see this brand only at Rox at BGC, but I was so pleased to see that they've branched out to having several kiosks in major malls such as Megamall, and here in Glorietta.

Years ago, I attended a Christmas party with friends wherein we all had to bring a wrapped gift for…read morethe Kris Kringle game we were going to play. When all the wrapping paper was torn and all the gifts were exchanged, we all realized one thing - Aquazorb towels, in all colors and sizes, was the Kris Kingle Gift du Jour. And rightly so! I love Aquazorb towels and I have been a long time fan of the brand. Locally made, these lightweight and incredibly soft, quick-absorbing and fast-drying towels are the best things ever. Since they're so lightweight, you can fold them up and they won't take so much space in your bag. That's why they come along with me in every out-of-town trip I go to. Aquazorb towels are also available in different sizes - from the extra large to the normal-sized ones, to medium-sized ones that are perfect for the gym, to small facial or hand-towel sized ones. They've even got bathrobes and bath slippers too! I said it once and I'll say it again - Aquazorb towels are the best things ever!

There are many stores that sell Li-Ning sporting goods, but I still like to visit their standalone…read moreshop in SM Mall of Asia. The store offers more choices. It's perfect for very finicky shoppers like me who want best performing shoes and apparel when playing badminton. Li-Ning satisfies my need for good quality sports products at affordable prices. I always look for good value for my money, especially when it comes to a hobby sport like badminton. I have tried other brands before, but I was not very happy with their performance. My first badminton training shoes were actually made by a well-known brand and, in just two months, the sole in one shoe decided to separate from its toe box, making it look like a huge flapping tongue whenever I took a step. Li-Ning has different equipment and accessories for many other sports like basketball, volleyball, and running. They also sell jerseys, jackets, and backpacks. But the only reason I visit their shop is to buy badminton training shoes, shuttles, and rackets. I got my two favorite badminton rackets from this store.

A few years ago, due to humongous losses from prolific counterfeiting of Levi's Jeans, the Levi's…read morebrand's main offices, factory, and warehouse in Pasong Tamo Extension closed down. They were at a large lot right across a long-abandoned building, which is now Alphaland Mall. Why is this important? Well, that was where you could go to buy original Levi's jeans and apparel at criminally huge discounts. Not as cheap as the counterfeits, but these were originals, and were worth having. Those days are gone. Or are they? Thankfully, original Levi's jeans, apparel, accessories, and yes, even Levi's Dockers pants and shirts can be had at factory outlet prices, at--- you guessed it, a Levi's Factory Outlet. Ironically it's right at the mall that's across the street from where Levi's warehouse and offices used to be. Up in the second floor of Alphaland Mall is where you'll find the store. The store is staffed usually by a couple of dudes who look like they moonlight as bouncers (and maybe they do!). I was pleased to discover they're the gentle sort, and the curious thing is, these "bouncers" are actually pretty good um... "seamsters"(?) as well (more on that shortly) The store does live up to its "factory outlet-ness" since it's full of different Levi's jeans in all sorts of sizes, colors, and styles, usually at 50-70% off the original price. Some of the sizes may be a tad large for the average person, so you'll have to make alterations... but where? Right at the store, where else! For a measly P100, you can have your pants and jeans' hems shortened to the right length. I'm not sure if they can make more complicated alterations, but you'll be pleased to know that they will do alterations on jeans and pants that are NOT a pair of Levi's or Dockers. All it takes is ten minutes, because usually there aren't that many people having alterations done, which is kinda unfortunate, since they do a decent job for a rock-bottom price. I'm no "fashionista" or whatever you call it, just don't expect the styles to be the latest ones you'll see in mainstream Levi's outlets. You may also have to dig a bit for the size and style you're looking for, but at P1600 to P1900 for original Levi's 501 Button-fly jeans, the effort should be worth it.