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.

Posts

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX V2 Hiking Boot Review

Inov-8 Roclite Pro G 400 GTX V2 Hiking Boot Review

Founded in 2003, Inov-8 is a British company that designs and manufactures high-performance footwear and apparel for running, hiking, and other

May 25, 2023 : Brandon Chase
Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo Review

Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo Review

Gossamer Gear is an innovative outdoor gear company that has been providing lightweight, durable, and functional equipment to hikers and backpackers

Apr 25, 2023 : Brandon Chase
Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket Review

Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket Review

Cotopaxi is well-known in the outdoor industry as a socially conscious gear and apparel company. Named after the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador, the

Apr 20, 2023 : Brandon Chase
Ibex Woolies 1 Baselayer Review

Ibex Woolies 1 Baselayer Review

Ibex continues to make strides in its outdoor clothing offerings and has recently released a limited-time run of its discontinued-but-popular Woolies

Mar 16, 2023 : Brandon Chase
Inov-8 TrailFly G 270 V2 Review

Inov-8 TrailFly G 270 V2 Review

On New England trails, only the toughest shoes survive. Granite slabs chew though Altra soles, and Hokas don't stand a chance against the knobby and

Feb 21, 2023 : Brandon Chase
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Beats JMT Speed Record By a Day

Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Beats JMT Speed Record By a Day

Joe "Stringbean" McConaughy set an unsupported Fastest Known Time (FKT) speed record on the John Muir Trail (JMT) last week, completing the 221-mile

Aug 10, 2022 : Brandon Chase
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