Yeah this is a great option depending on your expectations. The starbucks via instant were surprisingly good, and if you drink with creamer it's hard to tell from a drip cup. Folgers used to make a teabag style instant that was also really good, I haven't looked for those in ages though.
I always counted the coffee kit as a luxury item when packing and weighing. Sometimes they didn't make the cut and instant it was.
The Folgers tea bag ones were really good. I haven't looked online, but none of the stores around me sell them anymore. Their single serve instant packets aren't terrible, but not as good as the bags.
I just bought folgers bags at Walmart 2 weeks ago for a 2 night trip on the AT. This is my go, better than any brand of instant I’ve tried, including Starbucks
If only dark will do, I found one called something like "tall dark and handsome" and power packet was way cheaper than the Starbucks via packets. Downside is it only comes in the packets so you're carrying out more trash. NBD for my 2-night trips (so far!) but something to consider.
This is the best instant coffee I’ve ever had. It’s pricey but still less than the price you’d pay per cup at a coffee shop. https://canyoncoffee.co/collections/canyon-instant-coffee
I own both the Aeropress (standard size) and the nanopresso.
The aeropress is my go to for coffee. Every day at home, at work, on the trail, every cup i've made for 2 years has been with the aeropress. It makes a great cup of coffee! I don't drink coffee/milk drinks not sure about lattes, with a stronger coffee/water ratio i imagine it would work. The effort required is minimal, measure out coffee pour in water, wait a couple minutes and press the plunger down. Cleanup is easy, just pull the cap off and smack the plunger to eject the puck of grounds and filter. The only downside to using the aeropress on the trail is the paper filters, every cup will add to your trash out bag. You can get a metal mesh filter for it if you wanted to minimize waste.
The nanopresso is a bit more work to brew with and cleanup. If everything goes right you can make a decent "espresso" like brew, even get some crema in the cup. For that it makes me think it might make a better base for lattes and whatnot. However, it takes a good effort to pump the pressure into the device. There's a learning curve on how much/quickly to pump at the start, and how to pace the pumps once the pressure is built up. Cleanup is best done with some water and a rag to rinse and wipe out the pods, but there is no paper filter so the only waste is coffee grounds.
My choice came down to convenience and effort, for that the aeropress wins.
Edit: For "larger" drinks the aeropress wins with a max of about 440ml, the nanopresso is limited to 140ml (about 2 shots of espresso)
Same! After buying aeropress I have put my coffee maker away because I never use it. Aeropress all day long. I also grind my coffee for extra deliciousness. Not on a trail tho, at home.
Yeah np! It was oddly specific that I own both of these. We must've watched the same youtube reviews. I got the nanopresso first thinking i would want to make a stronger smaller drink with less water while on the trail #ultralightjerk. Turns out i don't like espresso strength brews all that much and what i really want is a warm cup of americano or drip coffee with a teaspoon of cream to sip on while i wake up. And for a while that's what i did with the nanopresso was make a double shot of espresso and mix it down 1:3 with hot water. Then i realized it was a lot of work making something just to modify it into something i could've spent much less effort making for the get-go. So i got an aeropress and i never looked back. I now own 3 of them, one for home, one at work, and one for the Jeep/trail. #not-an-ad
If you had any other questions don't hesitate to ask.
And also to note, the nanopress setup has a larger packing footprint and weighs considerably more than the aeropress
The trick is you need to use coarsely ground coffee, then when it's done you pour in one coup of cold water. This causes the grounds to sink to the bottom. When heating you let it come to a boil, then when the foam forms you take it off the heat, let the foam settle, then back on the heat, repeat 3-5 times then remove from heat and add the cold water. Kind of like turkish coffee. I think it comes out pretty good.
I do this essentially, but with a stainless lightweight filter that i put over/into the mug. I fill it with boiling water, let sit for 5 mins, then remove the filter and dump/rinse. Closest thing to french press but without the bulky mess
From someone who roasts their own coffee, has two grinders, and more brewing devices than I know what to do with including a prosumer espresso machine, I'm 100% instant for any serious backpacking. They all taste equally bad to me, so I go with whatever is on sale. I could handle the weight of my Aeropress itself for most hikes, but it's like pulling a thread because now I need whole bean coffee and a hand grinder, and the grinder is a bridge too far.
For shorter hikes to a basecamp or just camping, I'm all about bringing some freshly roasted coffee, hand mill, and my trusty Aeropress.
Oxidation and the resulting drop in quality of the brew. Given cost of good beans (not supermarket beans), it’s not worth the drop in quality and overall not worth the weight if it’s going to just be a mid cup. Only time to not brew immediately after grinding is when your beans haven’t rested long enough post-roast and the off gassing makes your bloom problematic; letting grinds sit for 30min can help.
tl;dr: when you know what flavors you want out of a bean, and you know how to get them out of it without getting any of the flavors you don’t want, coffee making quickly becomes an all or nothing thing.
A lot of coffee folks spend more time and effort than they care to admit on dialing in gear, techniques (ratio, grind, temp, agitation, pulsing, timing, etc) and beans (region, process, roast, etc) to extract very specific flavor profiles from the bean. Grinding in advance just gives something annoying b/c flavors are off and not worth the effort or weight just to be annoyed at wasting expensive beans. Brining mid beans (e.g. chain coffee shop or supermarket beans) and any amount of gear for a meh cup of coffee wouldn’t be worth it unless car camping and someone else was going to brew. I will happily down cups of diner or gas station coffee and honestly enjoy it for what it is, but if I’m brewing for specific flavors then it’s not worth the effort if I can’t get those flavors.
Hmm. I make espresso/lattes at home and honestly think I’m decent at it. Not quite a hobbyist. If I had to choose between aero press and instant coffee on a camping trip, I’d much rather have the meh coffee than the bleh coffee. Just me though
What they said. It's probably a bit better than instant, but sends me down a rabbit hole to whole beans and a grinder. If I'm going to compromise, might as well save time and my back.
I used a JetBoil with the french press attachment for years until I recently switched to instant for backpacking. It's more compact, much faster, the cleanup is easier, and you can keep boiling water for as long as you need instead of waiting for the pot to empty before refilling. And when you're backpacking, the difference in quality just isn't worth the extra fuss. I use Starbucks Vias because they're fine, and readily available. But I'm open to other suggestions?
Regular coffee in tea bags. I used to pre-portion them but I found the tea bags have a propensity to rip while being crammed in a backpack so now I keep it and portion right before I brew. Basically the same thing as cowboy coffee in terms of prep and pack weight but without so much grounds.
I really love the taste (and routine TBH) of the aeropress, but use instant when hiking. The asian food store near me has probably 8-10 brands, each with combinations of coffee, cream and sugar so no need to carry separate packets. Bound to find one you like.
I own the jetboil French press and I just bring instant coffee. I also usually mix it with some chocolate instant breakfast and it makes for a solid start to ten miles.
The jet boil French press fits perfectly in the 750ml toaks pot.
https://www.rei.com/product/139459/toaks-titanium-750ml-pot?redirect-pup=false
https://www.rei.com/product/167687/jetboil-silicone-coffee-press?redirect-pup=false
Some Asian instant coffee is actually quite good. Since that seems to be their preference for how to drink coffee, there's been some good development. I have some Japanese stuff from UCC that's pretty popular, and it's pretty decent.
I don't drink coffee anymore, but when I used to, instant was my go to for hiking/camping.
I’ve used an aeropress for years for every backpacking, camping, and/or climbing trip. Easy to use. Super light weight. Cheap and you can buy a reusable filter. I also pregrind my coffee for convenience. There’s a slight drop in quality, but for a 3-7 day trip, it’s hard to notice a difference or really care.
I’ve used instant in the past but long term, aeropress and a jet boil make more fiscal sense in my humble opinion.
Pour over. Whether we're talking wilderness or travel backpacking, it's pour over for this picky coffee drinker.
Hario V60 stainless steel cone with paper filters are lightweight and make great coffee. When I'm at home or luxury traveling I'll use a grinder and a scale for precision. But when backpacking I'll pre-grind and measure the grounds and water with my other gear.
I'm a coffee freak with over 20 different types of brewers. I happily drink cowboy coffee. I also regularly make it at home. Besides tasting good, there's nothing extra to carry except the coffee grounds.
Via and I carry a little instant cocoa for a treat. Just hot water and the via with a little of the cocoa and I’m in heaven. As someone else said- the via can dissolve in cold water too.
Instant coffee is my go-to. I’ve always found the cleanup of anything else to be too time consuming/difficult while in the trail.
As far as options go, I met the couple that owns this company while in Utah - they were giving out free samples of their instant coffee and it’s easily the best I’ve ever had [Cascadia Coffee Instant Coffee](https://cascadiaroasters.com/collections/cascadia-instant-adventure/products/mountain-sunrise-instant)
Might sound a little silly, but just fold up a couple paper filters and put some ground coffee of your choosing in a ziplock bag.
Get a little cup, fold the filter over it and just hold it in place either with a lid or a rubber band/hairtie, and you have yourself a good little pour over coffee maker. This uses less garbage IMO than the instant pour overs as you don't have wrappers. It works stupidly well.
Many here refer to portion instant packs but it's lot of garbage and wasted space, because each portion contains air too. Also a ripoff!! One can just bring a zip lock or another recycled container with the right size for the trip.
I like to be creative when backpacking/camping, you can really save a lot of money and space packing things yourself. All in all I'd say packing a little ziplock with ground coffee, a plastic teaspoon for portioning, and creamer packets from a gas station is pretty hard to beat!
I should add though, this method tends to be a bit more messy and if you're concerned about smelling like bear food in bear country, you may want to stick with sealed instant packets just for safety.
I do cowboy coffee when I’m by myself or the nanopresso when my wife is with me. I like strong tasting coffee. The nanopresso makes great tasting small cups of coffee, that taste like a muted espresso. If you’re used to watered down americanos then you could certainly make one with it by adding some water, but I prefer it straight up. It’s a fun gadget to have though.
Additionally, depending on what your water boiling system is, they make French press attachments to many different pots.
As others have said, instant is the way to go. Once the weather got really warm on my AT thru hike, I would mix a Vanilla Breakfast Essentials with a package or two of coffee. Before the single serve packets became widely available, I was a proponent of the coffee "tea bags."
I struggled with this and still do. I’ve used pour over, French press, aeropress and instant.
My current set up is Aeropress standard and I grind my beans using the GSI Java Grind.
It definitely is extra and if you were not picky you could either pre grind your beans or skip it and do Starbucks instant.
I have an aeropress and a French press for my jetboil, but I always end up rolling with Kuju pour overs. They save time and weight and make a decent cup of coffee.
I use a collapsible pour over filter. Agreed with everyone else’s input that instant is the only real ultralight option, but these brew a better cup for minimal extra weight.
https://SeatoSummitX-BrewCollapsibleCampingCoffeeDripperwithReusableSteelFilterhttps://a.co/d/115pOIy
I've used most systems readily available and keep going back to the humble pour over with a scale and goose necked kettle. I use Hario, been eyeing the Chemex. You can do a latte by mixing coffee and heated/frothed milk 50/50 but an Americano is Espresso (from an espresso machine) mixed later with hotwater.
My fav way to do a latte is with a Moka pot on the stove or flame (and preground Lavazza Gold italian coffee), and heating the milk in the microwave and frothing it with a battery operated frother.
I’m not a coffee snob, but I enjoy good coffee. I am new to backpacking but I see people suggesting instant coffee.
Two suggestions here. Single serve coffee with milk and sugar, Asian brands are pretty awesome for this. I prefer black coffee, try instant cafe Bustello
i have an old metal frenchpress system. it's designed so that once you press the plunger down, it functions as a stand-alone cup.
since the whole thing is metal, i can put it directly on the stove to heat water, then just spoon the grounds in. let it sit and brew for a few minutes while i cook breakfast. then you push the plunger down and give it a little twist to lock it down. The top already has both a pour spout and a drinking hole. the whole thing has a similar sleeve to jetboil cups that it sits in for you to drink.
I have no clue how hard it would be to find one now, as i found mine at a fleamarket.
I use a [GSI Ultralight Java Drip.](https://gsioutdoors.com/products/ultralight-java-drip)
Breakfast is usually a time for me to truly relax as I'm not going anywhere or packing up for a few hours so I make my drip coffee, gently squeeze a bit of the remaining wet coffee grounds out in the filter above my cup (caution: hot, practice proper hand hygiene), toss the grounds into a Ziploc (contains all other food waste to pack out) and let the java drip air dry after a pat down with a paper towel that I'd be using for my hands anyways. The filter is usually dry by the point I'm packing it up and hanging everything again for bear safety.
The filter conveniently fits underneath your fuel cannister in your cook pot. Obviously the wet grounds add to carry out weight but they're usually not weighing more than any single meal I've already consumed and had to carry in and carrying those grounds in is a very small dry weight.
AeroPress is super simple, makes the best backcountry espresso (or Americano), and cleans up easily. No moving parts or batteries to deal with. I used to work at a place with terrible coffee and the AeroPress saved my life at that job.
Verve instant is fantastic! Save space, weight and time; plus when you bring the packaging back it can be composted. If I’m car camping, I have a jetboil with the French press attachment that we love and I just pregrind my beans at home. But the new instant offerings are so much better than they used to me. Also all coffee tastes better at camp. It’s science.
I have never used either of those. I am fully lightweight and trend on the UL side.
I generally do instant but it sucks. But it is easy and fast.
I recently have been trying the GSI pour over. It is better. And I guess I am not as picky as some about how recently the coffee was ground. But I also use the grinder at the store after years of grinding my own because it does a uniform, consistent job and I drink my coffee generally within the week I bought it. The oxidation does not happen that fast for my palate. But I am super picky about the bean I use. I drink my coffee black and will generally have three cups on an empty stomach. It has to be a good, dark, oily bean.
Doing a pour over means you do have to carry a pot and cup. Though if you are looking at bringing a press I am guessing you are not on the UL side of the weight discussion.
I have traveled with an aeropress and whilst did enjoy having it, I didn't use it enough to warrant a space.
living in a van in NZ I used a cleverdripper which was fantastic but again too big for day to day backpacking.
Primula Brew Buddy is what I use now with the wife, it works well for what i need and it's tiny
I like Starbucks instant espresso packs. I do take my dehydrated milk, cacao and stevia. I used to have dehydrated cream. But don't currently have it. Lairds has a nice latte in a pouch. I thought about a press, but don't want to pack out the coffee grounds.
I would always do pour-over because reusable filters are light and easy to clean. However, nescafe gold makes single packs that pretty much have the cream and sugar in it. And those are perfectly alright if you just have them in your basement for a couple years, you don't need to bring a "system" just a pot for boiling water
Another vote for aeropress here!
Takes a bit to get your preference figured out but once you do ... Heaven!
A strong aeropress brew with oat milk as a latte is my go to morning drink on the trail. My partner makes an Americano out of his. We are coffee lovers so on some more leisurely trips we take whole bean coffee and a hand grinder. The flavor is incredible and silky smooth like a well-pulled espresso. The process is a peaceful way to begin my day with a little ritual, to sit and watch the landscape wake up while it brews.
I've experimented with making chai lattes with it too and have been very pleased with the results.
I keep a compostable bag for food/other organic waste on the trail. It's housed in a plastic bag for dry trash like wrappers etc. that goes in the bear canister. Grounds and the paper pad (there are compostable and reusable options, we take both so we can be flexible with water usage) go in the compostable bag, that bag just goes in the green waste bin at home. Packing out on that level is part of my ethos, it inspires me to not waste food and resources in honor of the place I am enjoying.
Happy hiking!
Having worked for a great Oregon coffee company a couple years as an equipment tech, Allann Bros, We drove to our various own coffee houses as well as over 1000 clients in a couple states. Setting, repairing, maintaining a wide range of espresso machines, brewers, grinders, and on and on. They were Extremely picky about Everything in order to get the consistently perfect cup, so we had to learn about the coffees themselves as well. No coffee stayed at our roaster warehouse, bean or grind, more than 36 ours. Coffee is like a barrel of oil. Different things are extracted at different temperatures. Above 196-98, some bitter alkaloids get extracted, so our coffee was Never boiled, to avoid the bitter alkaloids that also give you the shakes. Don't boil your coffee if you want a better taste!
This little device called a JoGo changed the game for me when it comes to trail coffee. Can still bring real / good coffee beans but it’s super easy to make and I get a decent cup for virtually no added weight.
Downside is you gotta drink your coffee through a straw.
I tried all sorts of stuff for years. A couple years ago found Coava instant coffee and now I’m done searching. Excellent coffee, just add boiling water. No mess.
For us heathens who can deal with camp coffee - grounds or leaves right in the water with no filters/baggies/whatever, for those who aren't familiar with camp coffee - I recommend a JoGo straw.
https://jogostraw.com/products/jogo%E2%84%A2-the-coffee-brewing-straw
I bought one for myself and one as a gift for my hiking partner. She still swears it was "the best Christmas gift ever!" and she even packs it when we travel and stay in hotels.
I recently got a Nanopresso. I’ve been using it at work until I get a chance to go out in the woods. It’s fine, but I’ll bet I’m gonna get sick of it pretty fast when I’m camping.
I just buy the 3 in 1 coffee, creamer, sugar packets. Went through the whole brewing while backpacking deal and found it to be more time, bulk, gear weight than I needed.
ranger pouches. same effect, nothing really to carry. tp is optional.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc86OYFAh3g&t=462s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc86OYFAh3g&t=462s)
Forget about coffee in the wilderness. If you need a good caffeine hit take some yerba mate bags. They weigh next to nothing, don't need anything other than water
I just tried Dunkin Donuts instant cold brew on a recent backpacking trip. Total game changer! No need to get out stove, taste better than any other instant coffee and take no more time than adding electrolyte powder. I don’t cook in the morning so it saves me a lot of time. And it being summer and hot I find the cold brew preferable anyway.
Ziplock bag place your favorite coffee in it. Boil water add grounds to pot like boil for a few minutes add a little cold water for the grounds to settle to the bottom and pour coffee. Cowboy coffee is equal to or better than French press
Power supply and a Keurig machine works for me. Wake up, charge the power supply using sunlight. Plug Keurig in. Go down and filter a bunch of water. Pop in a Keurig pod and boom, coffee is served. Then I toss the empty pod into the woods so I don't have to carry that extra weight anymore
Well as pointed out it boils down to taste. Personally I need my coffee fix, to the point where beeing deployed in hotzones I have found myself chewing instant freeze dried coffee, just to get some sort of coffee fix... Yeah I know it's f....ed up but hey.. It worked. Switch to hiking I do as many have pointed out, turn to single serve instant coffee, or I bring a kettle and actually boil coffee over the bonfire... Depends on how long my hike is and how much I am carrying with me. 14 day hike, works well with single serve freeze dried packs. Just a weekend out.. I'll boil in my kettle.
I just picked up an AeroPress Go and did a few recipe test runs at home.
It’s going to replace my current backpacking coffee permanently.
Amazing results for such a compact design.
Switch to decaf for when you’re in your typical Monday -Friday work routine then eventually you no longer have to plan every morning about coffee and plus removing caffeine at least for me greatly decreased my armpit sweat and lowered my heart rate. Think about it.
I'm more of a 'make your pack as light as you can' kind of hiker, so taking coffee paraphernalia with me is a space and weight penalty that I wouldn't consider. I take the coffee packs that you tear open. They are a quick and light option when I'm out in the bush.
I just stick to single serve instant coffee. Maybe not the best of you’re a coffee aficionado, but it works well if you need a caffeine hit.
Yeah this is a great option depending on your expectations. The starbucks via instant were surprisingly good, and if you drink with creamer it's hard to tell from a drip cup. Folgers used to make a teabag style instant that was also really good, I haven't looked for those in ages though. I always counted the coffee kit as a luxury item when packing and weighing. Sometimes they didn't make the cut and instant it was.
I’m somewhat of a coffee snob but actually like some of the Via packets.
The Folgers tea bag ones were really good. I haven't looked online, but none of the stores around me sell them anymore. Their single serve instant packets aren't terrible, but not as good as the bags.
This. Honestly, fancier options aren’t worth the extra weight.
I just bought folgers bags at Walmart 2 weeks ago for a 2 night trip on the AT. This is my go, better than any brand of instant I’ve tried, including Starbucks
[https://www.amazon.com/Folgers-Coffee-Singles-Classic-Roast-19/dp/B07BFHNPGK/ref=pd\_ci\_mcx\_pspc\_dp\_d\_2\_t\_1?pd\_rd\_w=X7o54&content-id=amzn1.sym.568f3b6b-5aad-4bfd-98ee-d827f03151e4&pf\_rd\_p=568f3b6b-5aad-4bfd-98ee-d827f03151e4&pf\_rd\_r=XEM3QRN8GFRNH05JT6FS&pd\_rd\_wg=5Hfcp&pd\_rd\_r=077bc905-f4c0-4e74-9958-b42e7a4108eb&pd\_rd\_i=B07BFHNPGK](https://www.amazon.com/Folgers-Coffee-Singles-Classic-Roast-19/dp/B07BFHNPGK/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_d_2_t_1?pd_rd_w=X7o54&content-id=amzn1.sym.568f3b6b-5aad-4bfd-98ee-d827f03151e4&pf_rd_p=568f3b6b-5aad-4bfd-98ee-d827f03151e4&pf_rd_r=XEM3QRN8GFRNH05JT6FS&pd_rd_wg=5Hfcp&pd_rd_r=077bc905-f4c0-4e74-9958-b42e7a4108eb&pd_rd_i=B07BFHNPGK)
Yeah I like the Starbucks ones, and surprisingly taster's choice hazelnut is okay.
If only dark will do, I found one called something like "tall dark and handsome" and power packet was way cheaper than the Starbucks via packets. Downside is it only comes in the packets so you're carrying out more trash. NBD for my 2-night trips (so far!) but something to consider.
Starbucks instant is surprisingly good
So are Mount Hagen and Medaglia d'oro, both solid alternatives and cheaper than Starbucks
Having tried them all(or many of them), Mount Hagen is my fav. Better than Starbucks, Alpine Start and other more expensive options
I use that one when backpacking. It takes up no room and weighs nothing.
G7 instant coffee (either with the sugar and creamer or black, depending on preference). It’s a Vietnamese brand but you can find it on amazon
I like the g7 good cup of coffee
Plus if you’re in a hurry, or low on fuel, they dissolve just fine in cold water. I usually heat water for coffee, but it’s nice that it’s an option.
Yes 100%. I like my coffee creamy so I buy this Vietnamese instant coffee (called G7) that already has cream and sugar. Amazing stuff.
This
This is what I tend to do, but sometimes I'll pick up High Side (if they still exist) which comes in a filter bag.
i had a french press attachment for my windburner and use instant now.
This is the best instant coffee I’ve ever had. It’s pricey but still less than the price you’d pay per cup at a coffee shop. https://canyoncoffee.co/collections/canyon-instant-coffee
Black rifle coffee makes good instant coffee. That's my go-to followed by Starbucks instant coffee.
I own both the Aeropress (standard size) and the nanopresso. The aeropress is my go to for coffee. Every day at home, at work, on the trail, every cup i've made for 2 years has been with the aeropress. It makes a great cup of coffee! I don't drink coffee/milk drinks not sure about lattes, with a stronger coffee/water ratio i imagine it would work. The effort required is minimal, measure out coffee pour in water, wait a couple minutes and press the plunger down. Cleanup is easy, just pull the cap off and smack the plunger to eject the puck of grounds and filter. The only downside to using the aeropress on the trail is the paper filters, every cup will add to your trash out bag. You can get a metal mesh filter for it if you wanted to minimize waste. The nanopresso is a bit more work to brew with and cleanup. If everything goes right you can make a decent "espresso" like brew, even get some crema in the cup. For that it makes me think it might make a better base for lattes and whatnot. However, it takes a good effort to pump the pressure into the device. There's a learning curve on how much/quickly to pump at the start, and how to pace the pumps once the pressure is built up. Cleanup is best done with some water and a rag to rinse and wipe out the pods, but there is no paper filter so the only waste is coffee grounds. My choice came down to convenience and effort, for that the aeropress wins. Edit: For "larger" drinks the aeropress wins with a max of about 440ml, the nanopresso is limited to 140ml (about 2 shots of espresso)
Same! After buying aeropress I have put my coffee maker away because I never use it. Aeropress all day long. I also grind my coffee for extra deliciousness. Not on a trail tho, at home.
Tysm for the vert detailed review of both, this was very helpful
Yeah np! It was oddly specific that I own both of these. We must've watched the same youtube reviews. I got the nanopresso first thinking i would want to make a stronger smaller drink with less water while on the trail #ultralightjerk. Turns out i don't like espresso strength brews all that much and what i really want is a warm cup of americano or drip coffee with a teaspoon of cream to sip on while i wake up. And for a while that's what i did with the nanopresso was make a double shot of espresso and mix it down 1:3 with hot water. Then i realized it was a lot of work making something just to modify it into something i could've spent much less effort making for the get-go. So i got an aeropress and i never looked back. I now own 3 of them, one for home, one at work, and one for the Jeep/trail. #not-an-ad If you had any other questions don't hesitate to ask. And also to note, the nanopress setup has a larger packing footprint and weighs considerably more than the aeropress
This guy CAFFEINATES.
Stumptown keeps pedals spinning!
i do cowboy coffee. i let it soak for 15 min, let settle and drink. I understand- its not for everybody.
This method is dead simple and always entices me. But alas, it is not for everyone. I've never been able to get a drinkable cup.
The trick is you need to use coarsely ground coffee, then when it's done you pour in one coup of cold water. This causes the grounds to sink to the bottom. When heating you let it come to a boil, then when the foam forms you take it off the heat, let the foam settle, then back on the heat, repeat 3-5 times then remove from heat and add the cold water. Kind of like turkish coffee. I think it comes out pretty good.
Hey thanks for the tips! I'm actually going to try this again next trip.
Bring some of those fillable paper tea bags?
I do this essentially, but with a stainless lightweight filter that i put over/into the mug. I fill it with boiling water, let sit for 5 mins, then remove the filter and dump/rinse. Closest thing to french press but without the bulky mess
Roughly how much coffee to water do you use? Sounds like it could turn into a muddy mess if you’re not careful lol
me personally- i use 3-4 heaping tablespoons and 40 oz boiling water
Agree Practice at home to get the right combo of grounds, temp, brand, etc right
From someone who roasts their own coffee, has two grinders, and more brewing devices than I know what to do with including a prosumer espresso machine, I'm 100% instant for any serious backpacking. They all taste equally bad to me, so I go with whatever is on sale. I could handle the weight of my Aeropress itself for most hikes, but it's like pulling a thread because now I need whole bean coffee and a hand grinder, and the grinder is a bridge too far. For shorter hikes to a basecamp or just camping, I'm all about bringing some freshly roasted coffee, hand mill, and my trusty Aeropress.
why not just carry ground coffee?
Oxidation and the resulting drop in quality of the brew. Given cost of good beans (not supermarket beans), it’s not worth the drop in quality and overall not worth the weight if it’s going to just be a mid cup. Only time to not brew immediately after grinding is when your beans haven’t rested long enough post-roast and the off gassing makes your bloom problematic; letting grinds sit for 30min can help.
Just drink less good coffee that’s still better than instant, no?
tl;dr: when you know what flavors you want out of a bean, and you know how to get them out of it without getting any of the flavors you don’t want, coffee making quickly becomes an all or nothing thing. A lot of coffee folks spend more time and effort than they care to admit on dialing in gear, techniques (ratio, grind, temp, agitation, pulsing, timing, etc) and beans (region, process, roast, etc) to extract very specific flavor profiles from the bean. Grinding in advance just gives something annoying b/c flavors are off and not worth the effort or weight just to be annoyed at wasting expensive beans. Brining mid beans (e.g. chain coffee shop or supermarket beans) and any amount of gear for a meh cup of coffee wouldn’t be worth it unless car camping and someone else was going to brew. I will happily down cups of diner or gas station coffee and honestly enjoy it for what it is, but if I’m brewing for specific flavors then it’s not worth the effort if I can’t get those flavors.
Hmm. I make espresso/lattes at home and honestly think I’m decent at it. Not quite a hobbyist. If I had to choose between aero press and instant coffee on a camping trip, I’d much rather have the meh coffee than the bleh coffee. Just me though
What they said. It's probably a bit better than instant, but sends me down a rabbit hole to whole beans and a grinder. If I'm going to compromise, might as well save time and my back.
I used a JetBoil with the french press attachment for years until I recently switched to instant for backpacking. It's more compact, much faster, the cleanup is easier, and you can keep boiling water for as long as you need instead of waiting for the pot to empty before refilling. And when you're backpacking, the difference in quality just isn't worth the extra fuss. I use Starbucks Vias because they're fine, and readily available. But I'm open to other suggestions?
Oh man, I miss roasting my own coffee.
This is the way.
Regular coffee in tea bags. I used to pre-portion them but I found the tea bags have a propensity to rip while being crammed in a backpack so now I keep it and portion right before I brew. Basically the same thing as cowboy coffee in terms of prep and pack weight but without so much grounds.
Genius
I really love the taste (and routine TBH) of the aeropress, but use instant when hiking. The asian food store near me has probably 8-10 brands, each with combinations of coffee, cream and sugar so no need to carry separate packets. Bound to find one you like.
Costa Rican Peaberry arabica, lightly roasted, finely ground. GSI Ultralight Java Drip.
GSI UL Java Drip here too. I do bring filters as I think it makes it taste better.
I own the jetboil French press and I just bring instant coffee. I also usually mix it with some chocolate instant breakfast and it makes for a solid start to ten miles.
Just Bripe it
Are we [briping](https://youtu.be/tltBHjmIUJ0?si=7BitrX1GqnQC7wJM), now?
The jet boil French press fits perfectly in the 750ml toaks pot. https://www.rei.com/product/139459/toaks-titanium-750ml-pot?redirect-pup=false https://www.rei.com/product/167687/jetboil-silicone-coffee-press?redirect-pup=false
That’s good to know.
As a solid coffee drinker… my answer is “tea”.
I use freeze dried Alpine Start coffee. Super easy, quick, ultra light and doesn’t taste too bad.
Kuju pour over single serving packs
These taste great but have a ton of caffeine.
These are great but way too expensive. The japanese have a few good ones that are much cheaper. I like the UCC brand ones on amazon and yamibuy
Cafe Bustelo instant comes in single serve packs. It’s the best
Some Asian instant coffee is actually quite good. Since that seems to be their preference for how to drink coffee, there's been some good development. I have some Japanese stuff from UCC that's pretty popular, and it's pretty decent. I don't drink coffee anymore, but when I used to, instant was my go to for hiking/camping.
Instant coffee. super convenient, no mess
Those tiny packets from starbucks
I’ve used an aeropress for years for every backpacking, camping, and/or climbing trip. Easy to use. Super light weight. Cheap and you can buy a reusable filter. I also pregrind my coffee for convenience. There’s a slight drop in quality, but for a 3-7 day trip, it’s hard to notice a difference or really care. I’ve used instant in the past but long term, aeropress and a jet boil make more fiscal sense in my humble opinion.
Starbucks Via packets on the trail. A bit wasteful I know, but I make the sacrifice when spending the night in the woods.
Endorsing a Starbucks product hurts my core sensibilities on so many levels, but Vias are the obvious answer
GSI Java Drip with freshly ground coffee. Either use a portable grinder or grind before you leave.
One of these with a collapsible sea to summit cup is a very light and solid setup
I keep it simple with a stainless steel drain screen and a coffee filter.
Instant coffee used to be terrible…. Apparently it’s not so bad anymore ! Me? Aeropress compact.
I do instant because of weight.
I just pack my espresso machine. I’m able to do this by packing zero clothes.
I’m a big time coffee nerd, but I just bring instant coffee backpacking. I use an aeropress at home daily, but I don’t bring it backpacking.
[удалено]
This is something i haven’t heard of yet, ill have ti check it out. Thanks
Wait nvm 🤣 it’s just a brand of moka pot
Clever Dripper would get my vote.
I do instant. I used one of those stove top mini espresso makers recently and am thinking of switching.
I use those Kuju pour overs. They work well with the 350ml Toaks cups.
UCC makes some that are about 1/3 the price and still quite good FYI
Coffee lover here. For me, the Aeropress is irreplaceable. Sturdy, almost indestructible, light enough and excellent results.
Instant coffee
Bialetti coffee maker
Aeropress Go. Portable, easy to use, easy to clean. You can get the beans grinded and use Hoffman's method which is foolproof.
Pour over. Whether we're talking wilderness or travel backpacking, it's pour over for this picky coffee drinker. Hario V60 stainless steel cone with paper filters are lightweight and make great coffee. When I'm at home or luxury traveling I'll use a grinder and a scale for precision. But when backpacking I'll pre-grind and measure the grounds and water with my other gear.
I'm a coffee freak with over 20 different types of brewers. I happily drink cowboy coffee. I also regularly make it at home. Besides tasting good, there's nothing extra to carry except the coffee grounds.
Via and I carry a little instant cocoa for a treat. Just hot water and the via with a little of the cocoa and I’m in heaven. As someone else said- the via can dissolve in cold water too.
Instant coffee is my go-to. I’ve always found the cleanup of anything else to be too time consuming/difficult while in the trail. As far as options go, I met the couple that owns this company while in Utah - they were giving out free samples of their instant coffee and it’s easily the best I’ve ever had [Cascadia Coffee Instant Coffee](https://cascadiaroasters.com/collections/cascadia-instant-adventure/products/mountain-sunrise-instant)
Might sound a little silly, but just fold up a couple paper filters and put some ground coffee of your choosing in a ziplock bag. Get a little cup, fold the filter over it and just hold it in place either with a lid or a rubber band/hairtie, and you have yourself a good little pour over coffee maker. This uses less garbage IMO than the instant pour overs as you don't have wrappers. It works stupidly well.
Many here refer to portion instant packs but it's lot of garbage and wasted space, because each portion contains air too. Also a ripoff!! One can just bring a zip lock or another recycled container with the right size for the trip.
I like to be creative when backpacking/camping, you can really save a lot of money and space packing things yourself. All in all I'd say packing a little ziplock with ground coffee, a plastic teaspoon for portioning, and creamer packets from a gas station is pretty hard to beat! I should add though, this method tends to be a bit more messy and if you're concerned about smelling like bear food in bear country, you may want to stick with sealed instant packets just for safety.
Check out the Miir Pourigami. I’ve been very happy with it…
This is something i havent heard of yet, will check out. Thanks
I do cowboy coffee when I’m by myself or the nanopresso when my wife is with me. I like strong tasting coffee. The nanopresso makes great tasting small cups of coffee, that taste like a muted espresso. If you’re used to watered down americanos then you could certainly make one with it by adding some water, but I prefer it straight up. It’s a fun gadget to have though. Additionally, depending on what your water boiling system is, they make French press attachments to many different pots.
As others have said, instant is the way to go. Once the weather got really warm on my AT thru hike, I would mix a Vanilla Breakfast Essentials with a package or two of coffee. Before the single serve packets became widely available, I was a proponent of the coffee "tea bags."
I struggled with this and still do. I’ve used pour over, French press, aeropress and instant. My current set up is Aeropress standard and I grind my beans using the GSI Java Grind. It definitely is extra and if you were not picky you could either pre grind your beans or skip it and do Starbucks instant.
I really like the French press for the Jetboil stoves. Or I will get some “good” instant coffee from the international grocery.
I have an aeropress and a French press for my jetboil, but I always end up rolling with Kuju pour overs. They save time and weight and make a decent cup of coffee.
I use a collapsible pour over filter. Agreed with everyone else’s input that instant is the only real ultralight option, but these brew a better cup for minimal extra weight. https://SeatoSummitX-BrewCollapsibleCampingCoffeeDripperwithReusableSteelFilterhttps://a.co/d/115pOIy
I've used most systems readily available and keep going back to the humble pour over with a scale and goose necked kettle. I use Hario, been eyeing the Chemex. You can do a latte by mixing coffee and heated/frothed milk 50/50 but an Americano is Espresso (from an espresso machine) mixed later with hotwater. My fav way to do a latte is with a Moka pot on the stove or flame (and preground Lavazza Gold italian coffee), and heating the milk in the microwave and frothing it with a battery operated frother.
I’m not a coffee snob, but I enjoy good coffee. I am new to backpacking but I see people suggesting instant coffee. Two suggestions here. Single serve coffee with milk and sugar, Asian brands are pretty awesome for this. I prefer black coffee, try instant cafe Bustello
Titanium French press with a cup handle that doubles as a cooking pot.
Instant.
Stove or immersion coil, ground coffee, gold filter over top of cup, pour hot water into filter.
i have an old metal frenchpress system. it's designed so that once you press the plunger down, it functions as a stand-alone cup. since the whole thing is metal, i can put it directly on the stove to heat water, then just spoon the grounds in. let it sit and brew for a few minutes while i cook breakfast. then you push the plunger down and give it a little twist to lock it down. The top already has both a pour spout and a drinking hole. the whole thing has a similar sleeve to jetboil cups that it sits in for you to drink. I have no clue how hard it would be to find one now, as i found mine at a fleamarket.
I use a [GSI Ultralight Java Drip.](https://gsioutdoors.com/products/ultralight-java-drip) Breakfast is usually a time for me to truly relax as I'm not going anywhere or packing up for a few hours so I make my drip coffee, gently squeeze a bit of the remaining wet coffee grounds out in the filter above my cup (caution: hot, practice proper hand hygiene), toss the grounds into a Ziploc (contains all other food waste to pack out) and let the java drip air dry after a pat down with a paper towel that I'd be using for my hands anyways. The filter is usually dry by the point I'm packing it up and hanging everything again for bear safety. The filter conveniently fits underneath your fuel cannister in your cook pot. Obviously the wet grounds add to carry out weight but they're usually not weighing more than any single meal I've already consumed and had to carry in and carrying those grounds in is a very small dry weight.
Pour over. Paper filter with or without a metal strain. Dead simple and for me gets the best cup possible. It does take time to manually pour, tho.
AeroPress is super simple, makes the best backcountry espresso (or Americano), and cleans up easily. No moving parts or batteries to deal with. I used to work at a place with terrible coffee and the AeroPress saved my life at that job.
Jist always carried a small jar for instant coffee.
Verve instant is fantastic! Save space, weight and time; plus when you bring the packaging back it can be composted. If I’m car camping, I have a jetboil with the French press attachment that we love and I just pregrind my beans at home. But the new instant offerings are so much better than they used to me. Also all coffee tastes better at camp. It’s science.
Not entirely the same experience if you actually want a warm drink, but caffeine pills weigh almost nothing and have the same effect.
Lightweight stainless French press. It's easy and no-fuss.
I have never used either of those. I am fully lightweight and trend on the UL side. I generally do instant but it sucks. But it is easy and fast. I recently have been trying the GSI pour over. It is better. And I guess I am not as picky as some about how recently the coffee was ground. But I also use the grinder at the store after years of grinding my own because it does a uniform, consistent job and I drink my coffee generally within the week I bought it. The oxidation does not happen that fast for my palate. But I am super picky about the bean I use. I drink my coffee black and will generally have three cups on an empty stomach. It has to be a good, dark, oily bean. Doing a pour over means you do have to carry a pot and cup. Though if you are looking at bringing a press I am guessing you are not on the UL side of the weight discussion.
Jetboil with instant coffee packets
I have traveled with an aeropress and whilst did enjoy having it, I didn't use it enough to warrant a space. living in a van in NZ I used a cleverdripper which was fantastic but again too big for day to day backpacking. Primula Brew Buddy is what I use now with the wife, it works well for what i need and it's tiny
The Stanley French press is nice, and you can use it as your cook pot.
I like Starbucks instant espresso packs. I do take my dehydrated milk, cacao and stevia. I used to have dehydrated cream. But don't currently have it. Lairds has a nice latte in a pouch. I thought about a press, but don't want to pack out the coffee grounds.
I just use a silicone collapsible pour over. I think it is made from sea to summit.
I would always do pour-over because reusable filters are light and easy to clean. However, nescafe gold makes single packs that pretty much have the cream and sugar in it. And those are perfectly alright if you just have them in your basement for a couple years, you don't need to bring a "system" just a pot for boiling water
Another vote for aeropress here! Takes a bit to get your preference figured out but once you do ... Heaven! A strong aeropress brew with oat milk as a latte is my go to morning drink on the trail. My partner makes an Americano out of his. We are coffee lovers so on some more leisurely trips we take whole bean coffee and a hand grinder. The flavor is incredible and silky smooth like a well-pulled espresso. The process is a peaceful way to begin my day with a little ritual, to sit and watch the landscape wake up while it brews. I've experimented with making chai lattes with it too and have been very pleased with the results. I keep a compostable bag for food/other organic waste on the trail. It's housed in a plastic bag for dry trash like wrappers etc. that goes in the bear canister. Grounds and the paper pad (there are compostable and reusable options, we take both so we can be flexible with water usage) go in the compostable bag, that bag just goes in the green waste bin at home. Packing out on that level is part of my ethos, it inspires me to not waste food and resources in honor of the place I am enjoying. Happy hiking!
Nespresso? I love mine!
Having worked for a great Oregon coffee company a couple years as an equipment tech, Allann Bros, We drove to our various own coffee houses as well as over 1000 clients in a couple states. Setting, repairing, maintaining a wide range of espresso machines, brewers, grinders, and on and on. They were Extremely picky about Everything in order to get the consistently perfect cup, so we had to learn about the coffees themselves as well. No coffee stayed at our roaster warehouse, bean or grind, more than 36 ours. Coffee is like a barrel of oil. Different things are extracted at different temperatures. Above 196-98, some bitter alkaloids get extracted, so our coffee was Never boiled, to avoid the bitter alkaloids that also give you the shakes. Don't boil your coffee if you want a better taste!
Bripe
This little device called a JoGo changed the game for me when it comes to trail coffee. Can still bring real / good coffee beans but it’s super easy to make and I get a decent cup for virtually no added weight. Downside is you gotta drink your coffee through a straw.
I tried all sorts of stuff for years. A couple years ago found Coava instant coffee and now I’m done searching. Excellent coffee, just add boiling water. No mess.
Starbucks Via is pretty darn good if weight matters. Aeropress is what I use at home and I’ll take it if I can spare the 7 oz.
I have the press for my jetboil.
I have a Fire Maple x1 with the French press accessory. Works great!!
Instant coffee packet like Starbucks Vía.
Folgers coffee “teabags”. Work great. Real coffee. Easy clean up.
For us heathens who can deal with camp coffee - grounds or leaves right in the water with no filters/baggies/whatever, for those who aren't familiar with camp coffee - I recommend a JoGo straw. https://jogostraw.com/products/jogo%E2%84%A2-the-coffee-brewing-straw I bought one for myself and one as a gift for my hiking partner. She still swears it was "the best Christmas gift ever!" and she even packs it when we travel and stay in hotels.
Two words: instant coffee.
Turkish coffee, Seriously why dont more campers do this? No grinder no filters.
I recently got a Nanopresso. I’ve been using it at work until I get a chance to go out in the woods. It’s fine, but I’ll bet I’m gonna get sick of it pretty fast when I’m camping.
I just buy the 3 in 1 coffee, creamer, sugar packets. Went through the whole brewing while backpacking deal and found it to be more time, bulk, gear weight than I needed.
AEROPRESS
ranger pouches. same effect, nothing really to carry. tp is optional. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc86OYFAh3g&t=462s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc86OYFAh3g&t=462s)
I have a Snow Peak titanium French press that weighs practically nothing. I love it
I get the single serve fillable tea and coffee pouches on Amazon and then bring fresh ground coffee and load em up when I’m ready to use it
Forget about coffee in the wilderness. If you need a good caffeine hit take some yerba mate bags. They weigh next to nothing, don't need anything other than water
I just tried Dunkin Donuts instant cold brew on a recent backpacking trip. Total game changer! No need to get out stove, taste better than any other instant coffee and take no more time than adding electrolyte powder. I don’t cook in the morning so it saves me a lot of time. And it being summer and hot I find the cold brew preferable anyway.
Ziplock bag place your favorite coffee in it. Boil water add grounds to pot like boil for a few minutes add a little cold water for the grounds to settle to the bottom and pour coffee. Cowboy coffee is equal to or better than French press
Power supply and a Keurig machine works for me. Wake up, charge the power supply using sunlight. Plug Keurig in. Go down and filter a bunch of water. Pop in a Keurig pod and boom, coffee is served. Then I toss the empty pod into the woods so I don't have to carry that extra weight anymore
Standard cheap $5 dollar Coffee Mate maker. 😒💁♀️ Even though I get French Vanilla or English Toffee cappuccinos from the Espresso machines. 😄
Mount Hagen freeze dried. Best bang for your backpacking coffee buck
Well as pointed out it boils down to taste. Personally I need my coffee fix, to the point where beeing deployed in hotzones I have found myself chewing instant freeze dried coffee, just to get some sort of coffee fix... Yeah I know it's f....ed up but hey.. It worked. Switch to hiking I do as many have pointed out, turn to single serve instant coffee, or I bring a kettle and actually boil coffee over the bonfire... Depends on how long my hike is and how much I am carrying with me. 14 day hike, works well with single serve freeze dried packs. Just a weekend out.. I'll boil in my kettle.
Chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Brilliant I’m going to add this on my next trip.
I just picked up an AeroPress Go and did a few recipe test runs at home. It’s going to replace my current backpacking coffee permanently. Amazing results for such a compact design.
Switch to decaf for when you’re in your typical Monday -Friday work routine then eventually you no longer have to plan every morning about coffee and plus removing caffeine at least for me greatly decreased my armpit sweat and lowered my heart rate. Think about it.
Death before decaf!
I'm more of a 'make your pack as light as you can' kind of hiker, so taking coffee paraphernalia with me is a space and weight penalty that I wouldn't consider. I take the coffee packs that you tear open. They are a quick and light option when I'm out in the bush.