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

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
Gear Review: Somewear Global Hotspot

Gear Review: Somewear Global Hotspot

One of my favorite pieces of adventure technology in recent years has been the two-way satellite messenger. With its ability to provide tracking and

Apr 17, 2020 : Brandon Chase
How to Optimize Your Research for a Thru-Hike

How to Optimize Your Research for a Thru-Hike

When I decided I was going to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2018, I threw myself headfirst into researching every facet. I wanted to know

Feb 28, 2020 : Brandon Chase
Gear Review: The Cutaway by Nashville Pack and Equipment Company

Gear Review: The Cutaway by Nashville Pack and Equipment Company

There is an undeniable influence on thru-hiking from the ultrarunning community, as evidenced by the growing use of  items such as trail running

Sep 20, 2019 : Brandon Chase
Best Sections of the Appalachian Trail to Hike in Spring

Best Sections of the Appalachian Trail to Hike in Spring

Springtime on the Appalachian Trail—can it get any better? I submit that it cannot. Nestled between the subzero temperatures of mountain winters and

Mar 11, 2019 : Brandon Chase
Reaching the Roof of Africa: How to Hike Mount Kilimanjaro

Reaching the Roof of Africa: How to Hike Mount Kilimanjaro

Towering 19,341 feet above the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and the highest peak in Africa. The

Oct 11, 2018 : Brandon Chase
Longer Hikes and Fewer Crowds: The Best of Acadia National Park

Longer Hikes and Fewer Crowds: The Best of Acadia National Park

Occupying approximately 47,000 acres across Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula in Maine lies Acadia National Park. Although one of the

Sep 28, 2018 : Brandon Chase
How I Saved Over $2,000 On My Appalachian Trail Gear

How I Saved Over $2,000 On My Appalachian Trail Gear

When considering the total cost of a thru-hike, one must factor not only the amount spent while hiking but also the expenditure on gear beforehand.

Sep 7, 2018 : Brandon Chase