Photography by Grace Walker
The best hikes and backpacking trips start early—the cool, fresh air of morning and a good cup of coffee are the perfect way to wake yourself up for the trek ahead. Once you’re out in the woods, however, you’re stuck drinking stale, instant coffee…right?
Wrong!
As far as we’re concerned, coffee and hiking go hand in hand, and there are plenty of backpacking coffee options that would pass even rigorous taste tests with flying colors.
So go ahead and cross the freeze dried coffee grounds off the packing list for your next hike. Read on and we’ll show you how to achieve better coffee flavor without having to lug your espresso machine through the wilderness.
AeroPress > French Press
Don’t get us wrong—we’re big fans of the French press as a general rule. But, when hiking, you probably want to avoid bulky or breakable equipment.
The AeroPress GO is neither bulky, nor breakable.
Made of practically-indestructible Tritan plastic, this highly-portable brewer packs up into a conveniently small space. Though it’s only good for single-serve brewing, we’d like to think you won’t be in too much of a rush when planning a day of hiking (so you’ll have the time to relax and brew a couple times—it only takes a few minutes anyways).
The AeroPress works by allowing you to press brew water through a coffee puck (similar to the way espresso is brewed). Thanks to the use of super-fine paper filters, the result is a clean cup totally free of grit and grounds. You can also upgrade to a reusable steel filter, like this one from E&B Lab, which has the same practical result without the need to continuously rebuy the paper ones.
(Side note: the paper filters are compostable, so you can toss them in the bin with your coffee grounds and alleviate any environmental stress you might have been feeling about using disposable paper products.)
If you’re on a day hike through the woods, you may not have access to boiling water for brewing. No worries—the AeroPress makes excellent cold brew in about two minutes. Just add a scoop of medium ground coffee to the brew chamber, fill with water from your canteen, and stir constantly for a minute before pressing. The result is a concentrated brew, so you may want to add a bit more water to even it out.
The Ace of (Travel) Cups
When hiking, how you drink is nearly as important as what you’re drinking. Whether you’re sipping on coffee, tea, or water, KINTO’s Travel Tumbler is about as handy a vessel as you could imagine.
This double-walled tumbler has an interior of electro-polished stainless steel that preserves the flavors of your beverage and prevents odors that can build up over time. It also keeps your drinks cold (or hot) for up to six hours, so you’ll be able to enjoy the last sip of your cowboy coffee just as much as the first.
Especially exciting for hikers is the built-in ice catch that prevents backsplash as you’re drinking. So, despite the fact that this is a wide-rimmed tumbler, drinking and walking at the same time is no problem whatsoever.
The powder-coated stainless steel exterior of the tumbler provides just enough grip so you don’t have to worry about it slipping out of your hands without making it a huge pain to slide into your backpack’s water bottle compartment. The tumbler is also quite durable—the scratch resistant exterior will hold up to all manner of oopses and whoopsie-daisies (though, let’s be honest—you’re just going to plaster it with stickers anyways).
Perfect Picnics
Are you planning on throwing down a blanket and enjoying a nice picnic at the end of your hike? Then just maybe you’d want to brew up some tasty coffee to enjoy with lunch. If so, you’re going to want to pack yourself a Fellow Stagg kettle and Atmos vacuum canister so you can have hot water and fresh coffee at the ready.
The Stagg kettle is a lightweight and stylish stovetop kettle that’s perfect for outdoor picnics because you can set it right on your fire pit to heat water quickly and conveniently. (Even better, pick yourself up a single-burner camp stove—they’re compact, easily portable, and heat water to boiling in around three minutes!) The Stagg features a gooseneck precision-pour spout and ergonomic handle that make it easy to maneuver, which means you’ll spend more time enjoying your coffee picnic and less time spilling brew water all over yourself.
Fellow’s Atomos vacuum canister is another essential for anyone hoping to brew cafe-quality coffee…well, anywhere, really. This handy canister creates a vacuum seal that removes air from inside. Without getting too much into the weeds about coffee degradation science, that means your beans will stay fresh longer. It also comes in a compact, 0.4 L size that’s perfect for packing for a hike or a picnic.
Make Hiking Happen
There are plenty of ways to make great coffee while on the go—so if what we’ve outlined in this blog isn’t exactly hitting home for you, we can still help. Our Coffee Cast service gives you the chance to have a 1:1 live video consultation with one of our in-house experts. They can set up and demo products, help you troubleshoot brewing issues, and even make recommendations as to which version of the AeroPress would suit you best. The best part? It’s totally free!
