Let’s be honest here. Acute caffeine withdrawal is just about the fastest way to ruin your camping trip — and not just for you, either! If you’re the “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” type, and especially if that’s your guiding philosophy for much of the day, enjoying a good cup of coffee while camping isn’t optional.
Keep calm, stay caffeinated, and try these coffee hacks out in the wild — but whatever you do, make sure you have a solid backup plan in place.
1. Pre-Portion Your Coffee Into Waterproof Bags
Packing properly might not be all you need to have a wonderful camping experience, but it will get you about 30 percent there. That goes for your coffee, too, so make sure you’ve got a nicely organized setup.
Are you not sure what exactly to do with your coffee grounds? It’s easy enough. Pre-portion all your coffee grounds (or instant coffee) into Ziploc bags. Make sure to use the proper portion size for the drinking container you’re taking camping — it will probably be bigger or smaller than the mug you’re used to. Once you’ve figured out the correct amount, pack as many Ziploc bags as you think you’ll need, and then some.
The best part? Your coffee won’t get soaked and nasty, even when your backpack inevitably gets wet. As long as you choose handy waterproof bags and seal them properly, your coffee will stay nice just for you. If you’re not convinced, you can always seal off the top part of your Ziploc bag with duct tape for extra durability. Now, you’ll have easy coffee baggies ready to go!
This pack of Ziploc bags from Amazon should last you a while, but if you want to be more environmentally friendly, we’d suggest this Lerine 10-pack of reusable silicone bags. If you don’t want to portion out your coffee grounds, you can also store them in a plastic container or metal tin.
2. Buy Instant Coffee
If you’re a coffee snob, you might be gasping in horror at the mere suggestion of buying instant coffee. We know the feeling. However, you can’t deny just how convenient instant coffee is, especially when you’re going camping. All you need to do is boil clean water and add some instant coffee, and Bob’s your uncle.
Yes, its taste is objectively suboptimal compared to filtered coffee, but instant coffee still works wonders when you’re suffering from that dreaded coffee withdrawal.
Are you not ready to stoop so low as to drink instant coffee? We’d still recommend packing at least some instant coffee as a backup. Instant coffee is, after all, a lot better than no coffee — and you definitely just want to take our word for it, rather than finding out for yourself.
Here’s a nice box of single-serve packets of instant coffee from Amazon. You could also choose this big jar of instant coffee for a better deal.
3. Bring a Water Filter
You may see coffee as the only central ingredient in your cup of coffee, but it’s time to rethink that. Without clean water, you’re going nowhere. If you’re dipping your toes into primitive camping, that part of the equation can get a little more complicated than you want it to.
Don’t go out of your way to bring all your fancy equipment to make coffee only to forget to take a water filter with you. That would be a tragedy! They’re not very expensive, and you’ll need a water filter in your camping kit even if you don’t drink coffee. This water filter is one of many options available on Amazon.
4. Take a Portable Coffee Maker (French Press, Moka Pot)
Unless you decide to stick to instant coffee on your camping trip, you’ll definitely need some kind of portable coffee maker. The main two choices are a French Press or an Italian Moka pot. Portable coffee makers designed especially for camping are also on the market.
With so many different options, you might not know which coffee maker is right for your camping trip, so let’s take a look at the options.
French press:
- Delicious coffee.
- Good for light and dark roast coffee.
- Needs coarsely ground coffee. It’s a good idea to bring pre-ground coffee in a Ziploc bag (see above!).
- Don’t let the usual glass design deter you. French presses can also have stainless steel designs that are great for camping.
- Can cool down a bit fast, so it’s a good idea to put your coffee in a thermos after brewing.
Italian coffee maker (Moka pot):
- Super portable, making it perfect for any backpacking trip.
- Virtually indestructible.
- Convenient with nearly no learning curve.
- Makes very strong coffee.
Portable coffee maker:
- Lightweight and easily fits into most bags.
- Can only brew one coffee cup, so not really suitable for big camping groups.
- A bit hard to use, but incredibly easy to clean.
5. Get a Thermos
It’s always a good idea to bring a thermos along on your camping trip to keep your cup of coffee warm. Once you’ve finished brewing your delicious, steamy coffee, you can use your thermos as a hand warmer, too. You could even brew yourself a cup of coffee right before your camping trip to have it ready, and it’ll stay warm for an hour or two.
Check out this nice Stanley thermos from Amazon that will keep your coffee nice and cozy, for example!
6. Buy Powdered Milk
Do you take your coffee with milk? Powdered milk is a must! It won’t go bad in your backpack, you can store it for a long time, and it allows you to have coffee with milk on the go. You could even make campsite lattes if you wanted to! Are you in? You can get a big pack of powdered milk here, or just swing by your nearest Walmart or Target.
7. Make Cowboy Coffee
Cowboy coffee is fantastic for any camping trip. It’s really easy to make and requires nothing but a heat source, a kettle, and coffee.
Are you interested? Here’s how:
- Boil some water in a camping kettle with the lid on. You can do this with a camping stove or even over a campfire.
- After you bring your water to a rolling boil, remove it from the heat source and allow it to cool down for a minute. Don’t skip this step — if you do, your coffee will taste bitter!
- Add coarsely ground coffee to your hot water — about one to two tablespoons per cup of coffee does the trick. Stir the coffee and put it back on the heat.
- Wait for the coffee to simmer. You don’t want it to fully boil, or (you guessed it!) your coffee will be bitter. You’re good to go when you see small bubbles, but the water isn’t quite boiling yet.
- Take the coffee off the heat and let it sit for two more minutes with the lid on the kettle.
- Pour your coffee into a cup, making sure to leave the last little bits in the kettle, because all the grounds will sink to the bottom.
8. Invest In a Good Camping Stove
You can’t have a warm cup of coffee without a heat source. Camping stoves can be a bit bulky and hard to carry around, but if you’re planning to have warm meals and coffee, they’re totally worth it. Some camping stoves can fit nicely into your backpack, and these are a great start. For instance, this neat little portable camping stove can heat one liter of water.
9. Buy Coffee-Flavored Energy Bars or Caffeine Pills
Depending on just how desperate you are for a cup of coffee, you might want to turn to coffee energy bars or even caffeine pills. They don’t have the same warm, rich flavor of coffee, but they will get you caffeinated.
Think of these two options as the contingency plan you’re ashamed to put in place, but not to the point where you don’t consider it. While we’re not recommending specific coffee energy bars, this gives you a general idea of what to look out for. You can also get a big bottle of caffeine pills from Amazon. For emergency situations like dealing with actual caffeine withdrawal while building a shelter only!
That About Covers Coffee, Doesn’t It?
Not quite! No matter what kind of coffee you decide to drink while camping, you’ll inevitably create some waste — and nothing is more important than cleaning up after yourself while camping.
If your campgrounds have trash collection, that makes things easier. Single-serve plastic should always be disposed of responsibly, while glass instant coffee containers can be recycled. As for coffee grounds, they are quite useful. If allowed, scattering them around actually acts as a reasonably effective insect repellent, and that can make your camping experience significantly more enjoyable!
