How To Make Coffee While Backpacking
Man on man do I love coffee way too much. It seriously starts my day off right. I notice that when I don’t have my coffee my entire day just seems off. Now, is it the caffeine? I actually don’t think so. I honestly think it is more about the routine.
You see, I can drink caffeine all day and it sure doesn’t seem to effect me. This is why I think that it is more about the routine. I wake up, make my coffee, put it to my face, smell it, take a deep breath, and enjoy my cup of joe to start my day. I have been doing this ever since I was little. I would wake up, walk downstairs, and pour myself a cup of something hot. Then I would sit at the kitchen nook and chat with my mom for a good half hour. I did this everyday until I moved out. So ya…. I am thinking it is more about routine.
Alot of people think that when you are out backpacking you really have to skimp on things. Well, I for one don’t believe this too much, and for two I don’t want to skimp on having my coffee. After all I am out here to enjoy being in nature. I am on vacation. I want to enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee in the morning :)
Now, if you are wanting to know how to flavor your coffee to make it delicious of different ways to have your coffee on the trail then you probably want to check out my other article all about just that.
Backpacking Coffee Ideas - How I make my coffee on the trail
This article is how to make coffee while backpacking. Specifically, the different types of coffee filters, coffee makers, and so forth to make coffee.
How To Make Coffee While Backpacking
1. Aeropress
This option is a little on the heavier side, but man it makes some good coffee. It is about $30 for they system.
I use this for when I am out camping, not necessarily backpacking due to the weight. I have seen many people have it on the trail, but I am a bit of a gram wienie lol.
The Aeropress is super easy to use and not too difficult to clean either. You just need hot water, a nice wide mouth coffee cup, and your favorite ground coffee.
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2. Instant coffee
This is how I personally make my coffee and is your cheapest option. Like less than fifty cents per cup kinda cheap.
It is super easy, basically no clean up, and still tastes yummy. Now, let me tell you, I have tried a crap ton of instant coffees. You see, I guess I am picky when it comes to instant coffee, but most of them kinda really suck. My two favorites are Black Rifles Instant Coffee and the Mount Hagen Instant Coffee.
Typically when I am on the trail I like to inter mitten fast. If I wake up and have coffee with stevia in the morning it will not break my fast which is perfect! If I decide not to fast I add coconut powder to my coffee. If you need breakfast ideas check out my 5 Easy Backpacking Breakfasts here.
Check out the different ways I make my coffee out backpacking here.
The products below are the things that I use for my coffee:
3. MSR Mugmate Coffee Reusable Filter
These little guys are pretty freaking sweet and are less than $20! It creates a really rich cup of coffee that is similar to if you were to use a french press. All you need is your mug, your mugmate, your favorite ground coffee, and hot water!
Once you pour your coffee just pour your grounds into a bag for you to easily pack out.
Pro Tip: Leave the grounds in the sun for the morning while you are getting ready for your day hike, or leave them on the outside of your pack. This way they will dry out and not be so heavy!
4. GSI Outdoor Java Drip
This one is very similar to the MSR Mugmate. All you need is your ground coffee, your coffee mug, the java drip, and hot water! Boom! Now you have yourself a delicious cup of coffee!
I have not used it before, but from my research it is less gritty and more smooth than the MSR mugmate.
5. Single Serve Pour Over Packets
These single serve pour over coffees are pretty neat. They come in all sorts of roast options, are ethically sourced, and eco friendly. They do make a yummy cup of coffee for while you are out backpacking; however, they do have some downfalls.
These little guys are $20+ for a 10 pack. That is $2ish per cup of coffee with no flavoring. They are also a bit heavy and create a bit of trash.
6. Starbucks Via or other pre-made latte mixes
These things used to be my jam! I mean how easy is this. Put the mix into your mug and just add hot water. Boom, instant delicious latte! You seriously can’t get better than that!
Now, I stopped using these for a couple of reasons:
They are a bit heavy
The packets are big which creates a bit of trash to haul out
They have alot of sugar in them
Kinda expensive (if you use the Starbucks VIA Latte)…. They are a little less than $2 per Via Latte Pack
The ultimate reason though was the sugar thing. I have been really trying to clean up my diet, but I still take one of the Starbucks Via’s every time I go backpacking. It is such an awesome treat!
There you have it my friends! See, there is definitely no reason to not have your yummy coffee while backpacking! Which method do you use, or which one are you leaning towards trying? Do you have other methods that aren’t on this list? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts, questions, and more!
Wishing you beautiful adventures and yummy coffee!
Bessie