7 Easy Ways to Make Coffee While Camping
For us outdoor lovers who cherish a good cup of coffee, there's truly nothing better than sipping that morning cup in the great outdoors. Taking a few luxurious moments to soak up the view and savor the flavor is precious time before embarking on whatever adventure the day brings.
However, we’ve drank our fair share of camp coffee that left us…disappointed. After suffering through gritty cowboy coffee and settling for stale instant coffee, we’ve learned a few tips and tricks to make the best coffee while camping.
Everyone will have their own preference on the best way to make coffee in the wild, depending on your personal camping style and what kind of trip you’re planning. Whether you’re backpacking or car camping, we’ll explore different ways to achieve the perfect cup of joe, no matter where you are.
Try one of these 7 simple brewing methods on your next camping trip:
1. Pour over travel mug
Pour overs are loved by many choosy coffee drinkers because they allow for more control over the brewing temperature and strength of the final cup. For campers, there are many good options to bring your pour over to the outdoors. Our favorite way is to use a pour over travel mug with a steel mesh filter, eliminating the need to pack paper filters.
Simply boil water, pour it slowly over your coffee grounds, and you’ve got a lovely cup of coffee that tastes as good as it does at your local coffee shop.
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Best for: Vanlife, car camping, RVing, road tripping
2. French press
The french press method is similar to the pour over in that it allows you to maintain control over your water temperature and steeping time, producing high quality flavor. While you can certainly bring your french press from home, we don’t recommend bringing a glass one to your camping spot - it’s just not a good idea. Instead, try a travel french press made to be safe and durable (and sometimes leak-proof).
Just pour hot water over your grounds in your french press and steep for 4-5 minutes. Then, press the plunger down and enjoy a grit-free cup.
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Best for: Vanlife, car camping, RVing
3. Percolator
Percolators are a fun way to make an extra strong batch of coffee. You can use them on your camp stove or even over the campfire. It’s a great way to make coffee if you love the ritual, but would be completely unrealistic for more intense camping journeys.
If you’ve never used one before, it can take a little while to get used to it. Make sure to bring coarsely ground beans with you, as you can easily over-extract your coffee if it’s ground too fine.
To use a percolator, fill the bottom chamber with water. Pack your coarsely ground coffee into the perforated basket and place over the tube on top of the water, then screw the top chamber on. Place the percolator over heat and wait until it starts boiling. You’ll know it’s boiling when bubbles start to form in the clear knob on top.
Allow the coffee to percolate for 10-15 minutes. You should notice the color of water in the clear knob darken over time. Once it’s ready, carefully remove it from the heat, pour, and enjoy.
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Best for: Car camping
4. Instant Coffee Packets
Although it’s probably nobody’s favorite way to consume coffee, we’d be remiss if we left out instant coffee. It may not have great flavor, but it is surely the most lightweight and packable solution if you’re backpacking or through-hiking for days or weeks.
Throw a few in your pack and combine them with hot water whenever you need a jolt of caffeine. Done!
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Best for: Backpacking
5. CinderBird Instant Lattes
CinderBird Instant Lattes are the antidote to instant coffee and what we like to call the “Goldilocks” of all camping solutions. You get all the benefits of instant coffee with the flavor quality of a creamy, complex, lightly sweet latte. Just add a single serving of powder to your favorite coffee mug, mix with hot water, and enjoy. No steeping and no cleanup necessary!
All of our lattes are made with plant-based milks and healthy fats to give you a more stable source of caffeine without the jitters or the crash.
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Best for: Backpacking, car camping, RVing, vanlife, road tripping
6. Submersible coffee filter
Submersible filters offer a really simple way to make coffee while camping. These reusable filters fit right inside your camping mug, steeping the coffee grounds while allowing you to easily remove them without worrying about leaving behind any grit or sludge.
Simply place a filter full of coffee grounds into your mug and pour hot water over them to your desired level. Allow to steep a few minutes, then remove the filter.
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Best for: Car camping, RVing, vanlife
7. Fill your own tea bags and steep ‘em
This method doesn’t require any sort of camp coffee maker, just a pot that you can boil water in. It takes a little bit of prep work at home before you head out on your adventure. You’ll need to source some tea filter bags, grind your coffee beans, and fill the tea bags with about two tablespoons of ground coffee per serving.
At camp, simply boil water and pour the hot water over your tea bag in your mug. Steep for 5 minutes or until the coffee reaches your desired strength.
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Best for: Car camping, RVing, vanlife, backpacking
Making coffee in the wilderness is one of our favorite parts of camping. Whether you prefer the ritual of a pourover or the ultralight convenience of instant packets, there are several methods to choose from that can be accomplished with minimal effort and equipment. Next time you're out in the great outdoors, try some of these tips to elevate your camp coffee game and start your mornings off on the right foot.
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