Camping coffee shouldn't require a chemistry set

Last weekend, I tried one of those new drip coffee systems built for the outdoors. It had so many pieces (I mean, come on) and it took forever to set up. My buddy just boiled water and went with instant coffee, and he was done in minutes. I think we overthink camp meals sometimes, you know? Gear should make life easier, not harder. Save the fancy stuff for your kitchen at home. Out here, simple is always better.

4 comments

4 Comments

luna_wright1mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way last summer... brought one of those fancy presses that had like seventeen parts. Spent half an hour trying to make a cup while my friends were already hiking. Felt like a total goober packing it all back up, covered in wet grounds. Sometimes you just need the hot water and the dusty packet from the bottom of the bag. My need to feel like a fancy barista really backfired on that trip.

angela_harris1mo ago

What about trying a simple pour-over cone for camping? @luna_wright, those multi-part presses are tricky, but a basic cone with paper filters is way easier. It only takes a minute to set up and brew, and you can just toss the used filter and grounds. I've had good coffee ready before my friends even found their instant packets.

spencer_owens581mo ago

How about the time I tried to use a ceramic pour-over cone on a windy ridge? Every pour just blew the grounds everywhere, like a coffee sandstorm. Ended up with more in my hair than in my cup, and my friends still won't let me live it down. I looked like I'd been in a fight with a coffee bean bag and lost.

milesk2715d ago

Ever see those collapsible silicone cones that pack flat? Heard they're way better for wind than ceramic because you can hold them down. Seems like the smart move if you're dead set on pour over outside.

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