Adventuring With Coffee

How to adventure while well-caffeinated

Are you road-tripping somewhere close to home for the day? Are you adventuring deep into the wilderness? Either way, coffee is an essential piece of gear for us. If you enjoy a good brew too, let's explore some of the best ways to make it part of your next adventure.

Basecamp Mug

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Coffee first, then adventure is the motto of all road trippers.

1: Explore Local Brew:

Sure, your national chain makes it easy to ensure you get precisely what you want, but if a so-so cup of joe will ruin your trip, maybe you shouldn’t have gone on the trip in the first place. Not to say that every cup of coffee you drink needs to be from a new-to-you cafe, but live a little, right?

Go old school in your search. I like to find bookshops, art supply stores, bike shops, and other local shops. While there, ask whoever is helping you where you can get a good coffee or espresso (pick your poison) in the area. Nothing is better than visiting and exploring a new city as a local.

When you arrive at that cool, hip coffee shop, ask where other cool local shops are in the area so that you can continue exploring, now with a cup of joe. Don’t live on your phone; talk to people. If you travel to a wilderness destination instead of the city, you could still pick up ground coffee at a local shop to get some local flavor. It's an excellent way to explore the local taste buds.

2: Bring Your Own Cup:

Whether in the urban jungle or bathing in the forest, I like to bring my own water container, save some trees, and bring my coffee mug. I’m partial to The Wild Dirt Camp Mug. It is a 14oz insulated metal reusable mug with a press-on lid. The 14oz mug allows for a typical small 12oz coffee to fit inside with room. The handle is wide, the walls insulated, the lid reduces splashing and it stays hot or cold for hours. It is bound to become your copilot on your next adventure.

3: Travel French Press:

When headed into the woods, whether alone or with friends, I am fond of a good cup of coffee. While a freeze-dried packet can do the trick, there is nothing like the relaxing ceremony of brewing fresh coffee. Remember, you are camping. Relax a little, and don’t get too uptight about being ultra-lightweight.

There are plenty of plastic French presses out there in a variety of sizes. I prefer the ones that allow you to press the ground down and then use the press as a thermos. No matter which one you choose, they all can get messy if you can’t easily get the grounds out. It is important to dispose of your grounds properly. Burning them in the fire pit or tossing them in the bushes isn't a proper Leave No Trace technique. Let's leave the camp better than we found it and make sure we pack out our coffee grounds.

4: Aeropress:

This option is nice if you are in a small group because the steep time is low, and clean-up is a snap. It is reminiscent of a mini fresh press with an open end, so you can pop the grounds right out. It also brews a smaller amount of black gold, so I would like to use an espresso or a stronger roast. Everyone can then adjust the strength of the brew by adding hot water to taste. In my opinion, Aeropress is the easiest option for cleaning the ground coffee/espresso.

5: Pour Over:

Nothing beats a nice, slow cup of coffee, and a pour-over is a classic. I’ve seen a few collapsible options that make the pour-over the least bulky option. Remember, though, that being a good Leave No Trace follower means packing out your grounds. I can't say that enough since so many people think you can burn your food trash or toss organic matter out on the edge of the campsite.

6: One-Pot Coffee and Eggs:

This is a great winter option. If you stay at a cabin on a snowshoeing weekend getaway, you can brew coffee in a pot with eggs. Yep. Eggs. Water, coffee grounds, and eggs. The eggs act as a magnet, and the ground sticks to them. I’m unsure what the calorie and protein count is, but it’s a classic Scandinavian drink. Don’t eat the eggs. And you can rebrew the coffee later in the day if you need a fill-up. It is eggcellent!

Coffee will keep you going while on your next adventure.

We hope we have opened your mind to think differently about how you consume that black gold. No matter what you are doing out there, make sure to Find Your Wild.