Sasha Brown
Title: Writer & Gear Tester
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Expertise & Background
- Topics of Expertise: Trail running, backpacking, bikepacking, hiking, mountain biking
- Years of Writing: 12+
- Years of Gear Testing: 12+
Why I Chose This Career
I've spent my life playing in the mountains, and my husband Brian and I have chose to spend our lives exploring as much as possible. Our adventures require gear, and we are often in harsh—though beautiful—locations, so gear testing felt like a natural fit.
How I Began My Career
In 2012, I was selected as a Trail Ambassador for The North Face in Canada. In that role, I tested TNF trail running gear and wrote about it for Canadian Trail Running. My relationship with Switchback Travel started a few years later, after I discovered their great beta on trails on Norway’s Lofoten Islands. My husband and I started testing gear for Switchback shortly after that, and the rest is history.
Recent Articles
Best Trail Running Shoes of 2025
Last Updated: December 6, 2025
Running on varied, challenging trails is a welcome break from the monotony of pounding pavement or the dreaded treadmill. Better yet, trail running requires minimal gear...
Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler Review
Last Updated: December 2, 2025
The Yeti name carries a lot of weight in the cooler market: Their coolers are effective insulators, hold up very well over the long term, and feature the brand’s polished look. The Roadie 48 is a popular midrange size with a smaller footprint than the Tun
MSR Guardian Purifier Review
Last Updated: August 14, 2019
MSR has been a longstanding leader in the world of backpacking filters, so it’s no surprise their Guardian has become our go-to pump for trips abroad. We took this hybrid filter and purifier along to Peru’s...
Lowa Renegade GTX Mid (Women’s) Review
Last Updated: March 1, 2022
Lowa has been making boots since the early 1920s, and the Renegade is their flagship model designed for covering serious ground over rough terrain with a full pack. I wore the women’s version of the mid-height...