How To Make Coffee While Camping, According To Explorer Chicks

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Expert Camp Coffee Tips From Explorer Chicks

We camp a lot. And we drink a lot of coffee around here. So we’ve collectively explored all the ways to make coffee, drink coffee, taste coffee, and share coffee.

Explorer Chick Leah quickly pointed out Alpine Start’s excellent flavor options—even for non-coffee-drinkers!

“Alpine Start is the best instant coffee I’ve had, and it mixes well cold as a pseudo-iced coffee for those early morning treks. Plus, they have Chai and other flavors too.”

Explorer Chick Leah

Pro tip: Check out their dirty chai, dairy-free lattes, matcha and more all available in instant-versions. 

Kirstie even shared her secret recipe for the best instant coffee on the trail:

Starbucks instant (from the tin), Laird creamer, and a liquid sweetener.

Explorer Chick Kirstie

As far as car-camping goes, she seconded the recommendation for an aeropress or a moka pot—both great options for traveling solo or taking your BFF along for the ride. 

Now let’s explore all the different ways to make coffee and what to pair with each method. ☕

Best Ways To Make Coffee While Camping

From instant coffee to aeropresses, moka pots to “cowboy coffee,” making camp coffee ranges from the super simple (and maybe not-so-delicious) methods to fancy coffee brewing methods for hot coffee and even cold brew! With most of these, you have the option of bringing pre ground coffee or using a manual coffee grinder to make freshly ground coffee on the spot.

We’ve sorted through all the methods to choose our six favorites, and sorted them from simplest to most complicated. Still not sure which is right for you? We ranked them for different use cases at the end of this article, so keep scrolling!  

Method #1: Instant Coffee (Great for Backpacking)

Method #2: Pour Over / Drip Coffee  (Great for Backpacking/Car Camping)

What’s needed:

• Ground coffee (or coffee beans and a portable hand-grinder, if you’re hardcore). 
• Coffee mug
• Method of boiling water 
• Collapsible pour over holder. Our favorites are the GSI Ultralight Java Drip (less than half an ounce!) and the Soto Helix Coffee Maker (1.5 oz).
• In some cases, coffee filters. The GSI Ultralight Java Drip doesn’t require one, but you can use one to make cleanup easier. 

Method #3: Moka Pot Coffee  (Great for Car Camping)

This classy Italian portable espresso maker is actually perfect for car camping! Weighing in at 1.5 lbs for the 6-cup version, it’s a bit too bulky for backpacking, but just the right size for a small camp stove. Plus, with a variety of sizes available, you can purchase only as large an espresso pot as you need to get you and your travel buddies up and running. 

Not only does this act as a top-notch espresso machine, but it also requires very little setup and cleaning—no paper filters (or soap—moka pots are meant to be rinsed with hot water only!) needed. Simply add warm water to the brewing chamber, pour your coffee grounds into the base, screw the two pieces together, and heat until you hear it start to gurgle.

Be aware: The “cups” size on moka pots is standardized to 1 cup = 1 Italian espresso, so “1 cup” will only make about 1-2 ounces of coffee. Purchase and plan accordingly. 

What’s needed:

• Medium fine ground coffee 
• Coffee mug
• Method of boiling water 
• Moka Pot. For camping, we love this Moka Pot which comes in 1, 3, 6, 9, and even 12-cup options. 

Method #4: French Press Camp Coffee  (Great for Car Camping, ✨Backpacking Option✨)

Who says you need to leave the French press behind when camping? Certainly not us! With so many French presses for brewing camp coffee available, this is a great option for freshly brewed coffee. It’s also pretty easy, ideal for making coffee for multiple people at once—both of our favorite models can brew coffee for at least 2-3 campers—and even provides a built-in serving carafe.

The only major downside is that French presses are typically a bit more of a hassle to clean, and they’re not the most portable camping coffee maker. 

Bonus option for backpackers: You can find some French press options that fit into a canister-style gas stove, for example, the Jetboil Flash System with the French Press add-on. These allow you to keep your pack light while still enjoying amazing coffee no matter how far you wander. Although these setups are a bit more expensive, regular backpackers may find it’s well worth the initial investment. 

What’s needed:

• Coarse ground coffee
• Coffee mug
• Method of boiling water 
• Camp-style French press. We love the super durable and lightweight Snow Peak Titanium press or the GSI Java Press. 

Method #5: Aeropress Coffee  (Great for Car Camping)

The Aeropress Go makes aeropress even more accessible for camping trips. For quick, amazing coffee, it’s tough to beat this camping coffee method. While the original Aeropress coffee maker is already pretty portable, the Aeropress Go packs down completely into a small coffee thermos with a lid—perfect for taking your morning coffee on-the-go.

The downsides? It’s a bit of a learning curve if you’ve never used one before, it has a lot of pieces that you’ll need to keep track of (and clean), and—at 11.5 oz.—it’s a bit too bulky for most backpackers while still only offering capacity for brewing coffee one cup at a time. However, for solo travelers and car campers who want incredible camping coffee, this is perfect!

What’s needed:

• Finely ground coffee beans
• Method of boiling water 
• Aeropress Go

Method #6: Percolator Coffee (Great for Car Camping)

For larger groups who don’t mind spending a little more time in the morning and space in their cars for a coffee pot, the classic percolator makes decent coffee and—perhaps most importantly—allows you to brew camp coffee for your whole group in one go. 

Keep in mind that many percolators don’t fit on smaller camp stoves or backpacking stoves, so check in advance that you’ll have access to a more standard-sized burner (such as the ones on these kinds of camp stoves) or a campfire. 

What’s needed:

• Coffee grounds
• Coffee mugs
• a larger cook stove or option to build a fire
• Percolator: we love this 12-cup option or this smaller 6-cup option 

Choosing a Camp Coffee-Making Method

Can’t decide which is best for you? Consider these factors: 

Ready to Get Camping?

Ready to go camping with a group of your soon-to-be travel BFFs and show off your coffee making skills while admiring some stunning scenery? Join an upcoming Explorer Chick camping trip to Yosemite, Peru, Alaska and beyond!