Brandon graduated from Duke University, receiving degrees in Environmental Science, Geology, and Psychology; he then promptly moved to California to climb in Yosemite and backpack throughout the Sierra Nevada. He has hiked and climbed in 48 States and 20 or so countries. Brandon has summited Denali and Ama Dablam, pioneered first ascents in the Indian and Chinese Himalaya, and topped out a few El Cap routes. Kayaking in the Sea of Cortes for a month was a lifetime highlight. When his shoulders said no more climbing for a while, he decided to abuse his feet, and thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail with only 4 months off in between. Today he lives in the Colorado mountains when not traveling and playing. Brandon remodels historic homes and landmarks, and he trains and advises adventure athletes. He hikes, runs, and climbs in the mountains to stay sane.
Author Profile
Brandon Lampley
Review Editor
Showing 1-15 of 55 by Brandon Lampley
The Best Ultralight Backpack
Keen to make ultralight backpacking more enjoyable? For over 11 years, we've purchased and tested almost 50 of the...
Best Buy
Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50 Review
One of the most adaptable and comfortable ultralight backpacks we tested, this pack offers great value and great...
How to Choose an Ultralight Backpack
Looking to dial in your ultralight system or are new to the game? No matter if you've been hiking for decades or are...
How to Choose Hiking Shoes
Want some help finding the right shoe for your feet and trail objectives? This article dissects the key considerations...
Osprey Exos 48 Review
For an easy-to-use, popular introductory ultralight pack, it easily offers the most bang for your buck, making it the...
ZPacks Arc Blast 55 Review
This pack shines in its combination of lightweight materials, thoughtful and specific feature set, and carbon fiber...
Big Agnes Scout Plus UL2 Review
The Big Agnes Scout Plus UL2 is a large, A-frame style tarp tent. For its weight, it's the roomiest fully-enclosed...
Adidas Outdoor AX2 CP Review
We wore the Adidas Outdoor AX2 CP on a variety of short hikes as well as dry trail and muddy trail runs. It's super...
Salewa Wildfire GTX Review
The Salewa Wildfire GTX is a shoe that bridges the hiking shoe and approach shoe categories. The third lightest...
The North Face Hedgehog Hike GTX Review
The new North Face Hedgehog Hike GTX delivers good rough terrain performance and carries light and medium loads well...
The North Face Resolve Review
The North Face Resolve Jacket is a good entry-level rain jacket for casual use and the occasional hiking adventure...
Ultimate Direction Fastpack 30 Review
One of the most unique ultralight packs we tested, the Fastpack 30 allows you to go hands free while running, keeping...
REI Flash 45 Review
The REI Flash 45 is one of the most affordable packs we tested, but it unfortunately performed so poorly we have a...
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider 3400 Review
A durable, simple, and impressive pack that delivers a lot of volume relative to its weight. The pack's simple design...
JanSport Katahdin 40 Review
The JanSport Katahdin 40 is one of the two smallest backpacks we tested in our ultralight backpack review, and it also...
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