Even the Heat Can’t Stop the Fun at R.O.X. Outdoor Festival

Thousands of athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, tourists, fitness buffs and curious passerby got the chance to experience a taste of outdoor lifestyle during the R.O.X. Outdoor Festival 2016 last April 16-17 at the Bonifacio High Street.

Attendees of the free event also get to watch the country’s top climbers outdo each other during the Zero Gravity National Lead Climbing Competition. A 40-foot wall was especially built for the contest.

Leading outdoor brand Mountain Hardware also held the grueling Last Man Standing contest that saw contestants try to outlast each other while standing on a small platform and surviving several posture challenges.

(Blind runner, Aga Casidsid)

R.O.X. Outdoor Festival Activities

Even with temperatures peaking at 34 °C, the heat can’t stop people from joining dozens of fun activities presented by the country’s top outdoor brands. Below are some of the fun things we did during this two day event:

Salomon City Trail Course

Test your running speed by running in a three-loop course with wooden bike ramps as obstacles. Its a great way to be introduced in the ever growing sport of trail running.

The North Face Mountain Training

A cross-fit workout where you have to make a variety of movements like flipping tires and jumping in its circle, core-related workouts, straddle hops, battle rope exercises, heavy bag lifting and finally burpees.

Columbia Rope Ascent

Here you will learn the basics on how to put on rock climbing gears and the proper techniques on how to ascend using a rope. It took us some time to learn the tricks, luckily our instructors were patient.

Slacklining

Trying to stay balanced on a slack line was no easy task. You really have to be able to shift your weight given any situation. The challenge was to hold on for 30 seconds. Unfortunately, we barely even made it in ten.

Columbia Bamboo Bikes

There was also a demonstration on how bamboo bikes are made from scratch. According to Paolo Abrera of Coumbia Bamboo Bikes, bamboos are a great material for bike making because its readily available, tough but lightweight and eco-friendly. A do-it-yourself bamboo bike usually takes three to four days to finish.

Other Fun-Filled Activities

Aside from competitions and experiential outdoor activities, R.O.X. has also prepared different seminars and workshops to educate people about the great outdoors. One exemplary crash course was that of Dr. Ted Esguerra which discussed outdoor survival.

A photo contest with the theme “Taken Outside” showcased some of the best images of the country’s outdoors from its rolling hills, breathtaking mountains, serene beaches and ruggged trails.

The activities continued even at night with an outdoor film show and a concert by Up Dharma Down. There was never a dull moment all throughout the event and was worth our time.

Recreational Outdoor eXchange (R.O.X.)

You can check out R.O.X. at R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street Manila, R.O.X. Solenad 3 Nuvali, Laguna, R.O.X. Marquee Mall Pampanga, R.O.X. Camp John Hay Baguio, R.O.X. Ayala Cebu, R.O.X. Abreeza Davao, R.O.X. The District Cagayan De Oro, and R.O.X. The North Point Bacolod. You can also follow @roxphilippines on Facebook for news and updates on your favorite outdoor brands!