There's a reason so many of our designs have a mug in them. The first cup at camp, with frost on the tent and the stove hissing, might be the best cup of the whole week. Here are five easy ways to make it, from no special gear at all to a little more involved.
1. Cowboy coffee (no special gear)
All you need is a pot, water and coarse-ground coffee.
- Bring the water to a boil, then take it off the heat for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in about 2 tablespoons of coarse grounds for every 8 ounces of water.
- Let it steep for about 4 minutes.
- Splash in a little cold water to help the grounds sink, then pour slowly.
Tip: Leave the last half inch in the pot. That's where the grounds settle.
2. Pour-over
A collapsible pour-over cone and a few paper filters weigh almost nothing and make a clean, bright cup. Use medium-fine grounds. Pour just enough hot water to wet the grounds, wait about 30 seconds while they bloom, then pour the rest in slow circles.
3. French press
Camp-friendly presses come in tough plastic or insulated steel. Use coarse grounds, steep for about 4 minutes, then press slowly. It's the easiest way to make coffee for a whole group at once.
4. Percolator
The classic campfire method. Fill the pot with water, add coarse grounds to the basket and let it perk for roughly 7 to 10 minutes. Keep the heat low enough that it bubbles gently instead of boiling hard, or it turns bitter fast.
5. Instant (no shame)
Good instant coffee has come a long way. It's the lightest option for backpacking and the fastest when you want to be on the trail before the sun is up.
Tips for better camp coffee
- Grind at home and keep it in an airtight container.
- Let boiling water rest a moment. Water just off the boil tastes better than water at a hard boil.
- Warm your mug first. A splash of hot water takes the chill off a cold mug so your coffee stays hot longer.
- Pack out your grounds. Coffee grounds aren't natural to the area, so bag them with your trash.
Our Coffee Tastes Better Outside Camp Mug is light enough to clip to a pack and tough enough to toss in the gear bin. And the Cold Camp, Good Coffee Tee says what every early riser already knows.