44.0582° N, 121.3153° W
Chris Corbin runs the Corbin Brands social media shop based in Bend, Oregon. His client list includes Oberto Beef Jerky, Big Sky Brewing Company, Clif Bar Company, & Saucony Running. When not directing digital strategy, Chris can be found chasing wild Steelhead with a spey rod and his golden retriever Chimehuin.
1. Regarding your favorite outdoor passion, how did you get into what you do?
I grew up in the Ozarks and spent most of my waking hours playing outside. When I was six, my father hooked a smallmouth bass on a local stream and handed it over to me to do the dirty work. I can still remember how hard that smallie fought. The rest is history, I fished as much as possible, picked up my first fly rod at the age of 16, and moved West to study fly fishing, literally, at the University of Montana.
2. Tell us about the first time you had a successful adventure. i.e. your first amazing trip, successful hunt, or fishing trip.
Outside of feeling the tug of a fish for the first time (see above), I consider nearly every fishing trip a success. I love a day on the water, even if the rod never bends.
3. What’s the first thing you say to people when they ask why you do what you do?
I wish I knew the WHY myself. I don’t. I find it fascinating that one person can love what others consider crazy. My passion literally consists of wading in water and waving a stick over my head. What’s even more confusing is I never keep fish. It makes sense that people fish for food, when you think about evolutionary biology, but here I am swinging flies for 30 hours per fish and don’t even keep what I catch. Yes, you read that correctly. 30 hours per landed fish, on average.
4. How do you mix/balance your professional life with adventure?
I’ve successfully blended the line between work and play. Most of the brands I work with have a strong outdoor recreation drive in their company culture and branding, so on nearly every trip I’m simultaneously collecting content. I also use a day on the water to strategically reset my batteries. Clear my mind, think about ideas. I knew when my business accountant allowed me to deduct new waders, life was good.
5. What are the 3 pieces of gear you would never go without?
Well there is always a spey rod, reel, and a purple muddler minnow, but I think I’ll keep this broad. Leather work gloves, ENO hammock, and Big Sky Brewing Yeti Lowball.
6. What do you do to stay in field shape?
I do some type of full-body strength training 5 days a week for 15-30 minutes. This varies from body weight resistance training (pull-ups) and plyometrics at the local park to traditional weight training at the gym.
7. Do you have any advice for the guy or girl reading this who is considering a leap into your world?
It’s cliche but honestly, follow your passion. Life’s short, so you might as well do what you love.
8. What’s one thing we could do as a society to protect the environment vital to your passion?
Remove fish hatcheries and dams. With these two threats alone, it’s amazing that any wild Steelhead exist.
9. Tell us something that's true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
The world is not near as complex as we make it out to be. A simple understanding of human nature explains almost all behavior.
10. What is your favorite quote?
It’s a long one, but my all time favorite is The Man in the arena by Teddy Roosevelt.
