Brandon Chase

Brandon is a guide, writer, and endurance athlete from Maine. In a previous life, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State and had the opportunity to explore over 60 countries while serving at U.S. Embassies in Egypt, Cyprus, and Pakistan.   Along with a 98-day thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, he has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked the West Highland Way, fastpacked in the Himalayas, and trekked around New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.S. While abroad, he picked up an affection for endurance athletics and regularly competes in ultramarathons at 50k, 50 mile, and 100 mile distances around the globe. In addition to leading wildlife and rafting trips in the Pine Tree State, he is a guide and instructor forAndrew Skurka's backpacking trips and Plan Like a Pro course. He writes about his adventures here on TheTrek as well as TheStringbean.co and his personal blog, Fit For Miles

Posts

Long Trail Speed Records Dominate 2021  Fastest Known Time of the Year Awards

Long Trail Speed Records Dominate 2021 Fastest Known Time of the Year Awards

FastestKnownTime.com, curator of worldwide speed records, has published a list of the year's top achievements—known as the Fastest Known Time of The

Feb 21, 2022 : Brandon Chase
Inov-8 RocFly G 390 Trail Runner Review

Inov-8 RocFly G 390 Trail Runner Review

Inov-8 continues to, well, innovate in the space of ultra-durable, trail-tested footwear. Utilizing their proprietary graphene-infused mid and

Dec 2, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Nashville Pack & Equipment Company Tiempo Backpack

Nashville Pack & Equipment Company Tiempo Backpack

More than two years ago, Nashville Pack & Equipment Company released a frameless backpack called the Cutaway, which focused on minimalist

Sep 20, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Scott Jurek Ends Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Due to Injury

Scott Jurek Ends Appalachian Trail FKT Attempt Due to Injury

Updated 8/11/2021: Unfortunately, Scott Jurek was forced to suspend his speed record attempt due to injury. According to his Instagram, Jurek

Aug 11, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Wildfires, Reroutes, and Records: The Future of PCT FKTs

Wildfires, Reroutes, and Records: The Future of PCT FKTs

On July 22, 2021, activist and ultrarunner Timothy Olson reached the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail having set off from the Campo and

Aug 4, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Losing Light: Joe McConaughy’s Long Trail FKT Documentary

Losing Light: Joe McConaughy’s Long Trail FKT Documentary

On June 10, 2020, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Joe "Stringbean" McConaughy set the self-supported Fastest Known Time on Vermont's

Jun 7, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Q&A with Joe “Stringbean” McConaughey: Smashing the Arizona Trail FKT

Q&A with Joe “Stringbean” McConaughey: Smashing the Arizona Trail FKT

Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy once again set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) speed record on a long-distance path last week, this time taking on the

Apr 21, 2021 : Brandon Chase
Merrell MQM Flex 2 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Merrell MQM Flex 2 GTX Hiking Shoe Review

Merrell is no stranger to the outdoors, having produced highly-acclaimed hiking shoes and boots for many decades. In recent years, hiking footwear

Nov 19, 2020 : Brandon Chase
Gear Review: Leatherman Signal and Free T4

Gear Review: Leatherman Signal and Free T4

Leatherman multi-tools are widely regarded as some of the highest-quality and best-value appliances on the market. Since 1983, Leatherman has been

Jul 13, 2020 : Brandon Chase
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Sets the Self-Supported Long Trail FKT

Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Sets the Self-Supported Long Trail FKT

Updated 7/5: Due to a technicality in the FKT rule book, Stringbean now holds the "self-supported" FKT, and the previous unsupported FKT stands from

Jun 15, 2020 : Brandon Chase