Making coffee whilst out walking & camping

I never really been into coffee, but this year I have really enjoyed drinking it, exploring a lot of coffee shops in Shropshire and further away.

When walking or camping its always the flask or those horrible sachets with a jetfoil etc.   I know the taste of coffee is a personal thing, but I am interested in how to make coffee when out and about in the hills.

So what equipment & accessories do people use to make that all important morning cup?

Flask

Aeropress

Mug

On local walks (also in Shropshire) I will stick a jetboil or my MSR pocket rocket stove, Aeropress and ziplock bag of freshly ground coffee in a day sack. I have also recently bought a collapsible V60 style funnel brewer for motorcycle camping. It makes great coffee and takes up less space than the Aeropress. I did try coffee bags but found them to produce weak, insipid, tasteless coffee.

For flask I have been using a chilli bottle. Very good insulator

Small travel size Aeropress if not too fussed about weight and pack size when walking.

Cowboy coffee technique for bike touring, takes a little longer but zero kit needed and it can make a great coffee.

Aeropress go (or just the normal one?)

Travel mug with a french press lid? https://www.dunelm.com/product/bodum-travel-vacuum-coffee-press-350ml-1000249644?defaultSkuId=30957427&gQT=1

If espresso, Wacaco have a few options.

James Hoffman on YouTube has reviews of most of these and did a portable espresso review too.

I can’t be bothered carrying coffee paraphernalia, but I’ll occasionally make coffee at home first and carry it with me in a pre-warmed flask. For backpacking/bikepacking I use pre-ground coffee and a GSI mug with a built-in French press mechanism – pours really badly though if you need to share.

I’ve used an Aeropress or a small stove-top in the past and, in the very distant past had a weird all-in-one  stove-top thing with its own mini espresso enamelled mug, but I’ve reached the conclusion that it’s more about ‘good enough’ than perfect.  – this sort of gizmo: https://gsioutdoors.com/products/miniespresso-set-1-cup

GSI does a bunch of outdoor-specific coffee stuff as well:

Java

I have AF so limit myself to one coffee a day first thing, before I leave. If I’m in the van I have a travel aeropress but I don’t always have fresh coffee in the house so I make sure I have some of the pour through filters from Tesco, I find they make an acceptable coffee and I always have mine with milk. I do think you have to be keen on coffee to carry all of that kit plus water (milk) gas etc. I would rather carry less weight myself.

I really like my Aeropress Go.

About the size of a normal mug and everything fits into the mug itself.

That and a flask and you’re golden.

Cold coffee for the win, add chocolate milk for mocha 🙂

Similar to above… Aeropress Go, coffee ground at home or take small handgrinder (heavy though), and hot water in a chillie bottle. Take Jetboil on longer trips.

I use either small gas stove or my 4g titanium esbit stove (la de day…) and an Alpkit titanium pot.

I’ve then a choice of a GSI pour over or GSI French press.

Final choice is the kettle on wheels.

For multi day DofE leading my optimal weight / pack size / faff ratio was a collapsible silicone filter cone. I’d pre-load some filters with coffee then fold & tape them shut.

IME the aeropress gives more consistent coffee and is easier to brew with than the filter cone but I quite like the faff of a pourover. Pack space is important to me and I like being able to squeeze the filter setup in between stuff in my bag.

Id steer clear of any French press style options because they’re such a PITA to clean and really hard not to leave grounds all over your camp spot.

A good thread by the way. I love walking and I love making and drinking nice coffee. Combining the two is one of my favourite things. I’ve had some sublime moments brewing up in a peaceful woodland spot or on an ancient holloway then contemplating nature whilst sat on a tree stump or stone wall and savouring the results.

Personally don’t see the point it’s not going to be good coffee, coffee is to be savoured

I did try coffee bags but found them to produce weak, insipid, tasteless coffee.

They’re not brilliant but I use them if I’m travelling light. I get the strongest ones I can and double bag…

Cafetiere attachment on my jetboil

Simple.  Light.  Easy to clean.   Makes good coffee

Jetboil cafetiere here too

Just got a nanopresso, using with a flask or small stove – not the lightest but looking forward taking it out camping/ longer rides. I brewed up to lots of jealous gazes on the ferry to Ireland last week. Decent coffee and it’s paid for itself saving on expensive poor coffee when out.

Got the barrista kit too, so can brew double and carry pre-loaded pots of grounds.

I got my nanopresso and barrista kit for £32 on ebay, total bargain.

Bike packing I took coffee bags. Big Camping then its a stove top pot.

Personally don’t see the point it’s not going to be good coffee, coffee is to be savoured

I couldn’t disagree more (your view is of course just as valid as mine). I absolutely savour my coffee when I’m outdoors, moreso in fact sometimes, than when I’m on autopilot at home in the morning. And if I’m using good quality beans, ground at home that morning, with freshly boiled water in a good brewer like a V60 or Aeropress, why wouldn’t it be good coffee? I love the ritual of it and slowing down to appreciate both the coffee and my surroundings. I get that some people might see that as faff, or a good walk spoiled but then I wonder why those people would join a thread like this?

Yeah, coffee bags is the easiest, lightest and least faff that I’ve found.

As above, strongest ones you can get (I think Taylor’s java are reasonable) and double bag. Coffee mate if you want.

Do it on some kind of jetboil type thing. I like oex heiro to do enough boiling water for 1 person general use.

If you are properly remote or want to carry less water weight, or want to enjoy the general terroir of where you happen to be, then some kind of water filter is useful too

I love the jetboil for its ease of use and lack off faff.  Point taken about leaving a few coffee grounds around tho..  I can make my morning coffee without leaving my sleeping bag in a minute or two.  Thats important to me

anyone got an opinion on ‘coffee in a toothpaste tube’?

No Normal Dark Roast Coffee Paste – Rich, Swiss-Made, 100% Arabica

If you like espresso in the outdoors (and don’t mind a bit of faff):

MINIPRESSO GR

I can make my morning coffee without leaving my sleeping bag in a minute or two. Thats important to me

High fives to my ‘brew from my bag’ buddy….

I’m always amazed by how faffy and inefficient some folks camp skills are

blokeuptheroad

Full Member

A good thread by the way. I love walking and I love making and drinking nice coffee. Combining the two is one of my favourite things. I’ve had some sublime moments brewing up in a peaceful woodland spot or on an ancient holloway then contemplating nature whilst sat on a tree stump or stone wall and savouring the results.

Great post. A simple pleasure

For camping I’ve settled on the Aeropress and have a Go version. Mostly for controlled mess and water efficiency.

At work I used to keep a Kelly Kettle in the Land Rover for breaks. Often instant coffee and in that moment between whatever task we were doing it always tasted good.

I have a mini espresso machine as well.  Makes lovely coffee but is 200G+ extra weight.  the jet boil attachment is 8g.  I have been thru many iterations of coffee making over the years.  If the jetboil attachment was not so light and easy I think I would try an aeropress.  I also insist on a proper enamal mug to drink from – its so much nicer than anything else I have tried.

Matt – different strokes for different folk but my guess is we have the best part of 100 years of experience doing this between us. 🙂

The Jetboil press is a thing of joy.

Personally like BWD I can’t be arsed with making it once I’m out, so it’s a flak for me, I’ve a Camelbak insulated one that 750mil and a smaller Sigg version, that’s 600ml or so (I think) both fit a cage, I’d say the Sigg keeps coffee warmer for longer, smaller sized? and the Camelbak has a straw and bite-valve which is annoying, but on long winter rides stopping on a bench with coffee is one of life’s simple pleasures.

TJ, I get the making coffee without getting out your pit, but the really impressive bit is the making fresh croissant

TJ – I have the French press plunger attachment for my Jet boil.  It works really well and makes good coffee, but I find it a little messier to clean than an Aeropress or collapsible V60. It also uses a little more water. No big deal, but a consideration.  But an Aeropress etc. is more weight, so it’s horses for courses.  Motorcycle camping or a day walk I’ll take the Aeropress.  Bikepacking or overnight backpacking I won’t.

https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/ultralight-javadrip/

Java Drip. Weighs nowt, fits inside my mug alongside the stove and gas can.

Its all about the compromises blokeuptheroad.  I am not sure why the extra water is an issue?  I drink all the coffee I make in it.  Two mugs from one pot.  Its certainly a bit messy tho

I did try coffee bags but found them to produce weak, insipid, tasteless coffee.

Personally I find the Taylor’s coffee bags more than strong enough. Especially the green or black packet, the yellow ones are not so great unless you brew them for ages.

Great option if you like a filter style coffee IMO, though I’m very much not a coffee snob (apart from never touching instant).

Coffee bags. Zero faff. Grounds are already bagged up for “leave no trace” commitment. The only issue I’ve had is that it takes a while to extra the best flavour and the water can cool too much in the meantime. It’s little hassle to boost it on the stove for a few seconds.

Coffee bags create more waste in total tho.  Can you get reusable bags like you get reusable teabags?  the ones for tea will not be big enough for coffee

Taylors coffee bags are compostable* so I take them home and they go in the garden waste bin. How many folk are bagging their grounds and taking them home?

* There’s still an issue with the foil wrappers, but they’re working on that.

I got bought some of these a while back, they’re resealable pouches with a little poring attachment

Are they the best coffee? Maybe not. But they are super convenient, take up no room and one used you can empty them out and put your own ground in for next time.