How to Make Backpacking Coffee [4 Ways]

Calling all coffee lovers – this post is for you! I absolutely love a good cup of hot coffee in the morning – it’s my favorite time of the day, especially in the backcountry. Since the mornings are usually cold in the mountains, a hot cup of coffee really hits the spot!

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I enjoy getting up early and watching the sun hit the mountain tops, then working its way down to the trees, and ultimately down to me and my campsite.

I probably care about coffee way more than I should, but after years of backpacking and trying different methods, I finally found a way of brewing coffee in the backcountry that I love!

I share that method below, along with 3 other methods so you can choose a way that works for you based on price, taste, and weight.

Backpacking coffee doesn’t have to be gross.

Check out this video below where I show you exactly how to brew the perfect cup of backpacking coffee:

How to Make Coffee While Backpacking (4 ways):

1. MSR Mugmate Coffee Reusable Filter

Price: $17
Weight: 1 ounce

The MSR Mugmate used to be my favorite way to brew coffee in the backcountry. Whenever I want to use fresh coffee (not instant), this is my preferred method.

The the longest time, I thought instant coffee was gross. I’ve since changed my mind on that. More on instant coffee below. Using the MSR Mugmate creates a really rich cup of coffee that’s similar to what you get if you use a french press.

All you need is the Mugmate, your favorite ground coffee, and a cup. Once you brew your coffee, just pour the grounds into your trash and pack them out.

Since I really enjoy my coffee, I don’t mind the extra weight of having to pack out wet coffee grounds.

Tip: Let the grounds dry slightly in the sun before putting them into the trash. They’ll be a lot easier to get out of the filter.

2. GSI Outdoors Java Drip

Price: $10
Weight: 0.4 ounce

The GSI Java Drip is a lightweight affordable backpacking coffee option. I love pour over coffee, and this makes a nice cup!

It’s very similar to the MSR Mugmate method – all you need is the Java Drip, your favorite ground coffee, and a cup.

Once you’ve brewed the coffee, you need to pack out the wet grounds in the trash.

This method of brewing coffee isn’t a gritty as the MSR Mugmate method, and I do like it a lot.

However, the Java Drip is a little flimsy and can possibly tip over, so just be careful when you’re pouring the hot water into it.

3. Single-Serve Pour Over Packets

Price: about $2 – $3 per pack
Weight: 0.5 ounce per pack

I think these single-serving pour over packets are a really cool idea and they do make a good cup of coffee, however, they generate a lot of trash and they’re relatively expensive.

In addition to wet coffee grounds, you have other packaging to pack out for each cup of coffee that you want to drink.

I usually drink 2 cups of coffee each morning, so if you want more than one cup, this method can get expensive and the trash can add up.

But like I said, it does make a good cup of coffee, and if you don’t go backpacking often and just want an easy option for the weekend, these might work for you.

4. Instant Coffee Packets

Price: about $1 per packet
Weight: 0.1 ounce

Lastly, we have instant coffee. This is a popular method because it’s super lightweight, small to pack, cheap, and you don’t need to pack out any coffee grounds.

I still haven’t found an instant coffee that I like as much as a fresh brew, but if you just need some caffeine and don’t want to deal with fresh coffee grounds, this method is probably for you!

You can get individual packets like I showed in the video, or make it even cheaper by buying a big jar of instant coffee and packaging it at home into individual servings. With this method, you hardly have any trash!

Update: I’ve since set out to find an instant coffee that actually tastes good, and I’m happy to report that I’ve succeeded! I did a full blind taste test comparison of different coffees and ended finding some that were really good.

Here are my current favorites:

My first choice is the Mount Hagen, followed by (surprisingly) Cafe Bustelo in third!

Further Reading: The full breakdown of the instant coffee taste test!

That wraps it up – how to make coffee in the backcountry 4 different ways! Which method are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments below!