The Best Instant Coffee for Camping

Just because you’re out with Mother Nature doesn’t mean that you have to forego a quality cup of coffee.

a box of instant coffee next to climbing gear Alpine Start

Coffee-addicted backpackers and outdoorsman have faced the same problem for generations: how do you get a quality cup of coffee in nature without carrying a ton of extra weight? The AeroPress Go is a reasonable solution. It’s lightweight and is shown to make a stellar cup of coffee. But you still run the issue of carrying and grinding beans. Likewise, the cowboy coffee method is serviceable, but good luck avoiding grinds in your morning brew. Thankfully, a handful of upstart brands are attacking the problem head-on with high-quality instant coffees that take up virtually no space un your bag. Try one of the picks below on your next camping trip.

Alpine Start

The-Best-Instant-Coffees-for-Camping-gear-patrol-Alpine-Start

Alpine Start was conceived by pro climber Matt Segal during a trip to the Bugaboos. He, like many outdoorsmen, was searching for a way to get a high-quality cup of coffee without needing to carry specialized equipment or extra weight. Alpine Start uses only high altitude Arabica beans for its Original Blend. Simply add water. If you’re more of a latte or chai person, Alpine Start has you covered with options for those drinks as well.

Voilà Coffee

camping instant coffee next to rocksVoila

When Voilà first opened, it sold through its entire stock so quickly that it had to disable the “Shop” tab on its website. It has since replenished its offering of instant formulas, each of which is individually portioned and highlights the particular region from which the beans are sourced. The available varieties come with monikers like “lively,” “complex,” and “structured.”

Equator Sudden Instant Coffee

a red box of instant coffeeEquator Coffee

“When the folks at Sudden Instant Coffee, a recognized name in the small but growing not-totally-trash instant coffee game teams up with one of the best roasters in the country, there’s something good afoot,” writes Will Price, Gear Patrol’s food and drinks editor. Like much of Equator’s whole-bean offering, the instant formula is concocted using single-origin coffee, roasted to perfection.

Get Supr

a red box of instant coffeeGet Supr

For many, camping is about mellowing out. Coffee, in that respect, shouldn’t carry the same baggage as that third cup of drip meant to get you through the workday. Get Supr’s instant coffee has an extra ingredient to help disassociate the two: hemp extract. With 20 milligrams of CBD sourced from organically grown hemp, each packet provides a caffeine boost without the typical jitters. (And in case you were wondering, no, there’s no THC in here — you’ll have to pack that separately.)

Kuju Coffee

multiple packets of instant coffeeCourtesy

Technically, Kuju Coffee isn’t instant coffee. Each packet comes with a compact pouch of ground beans equipped with fold-out wings that suspend it over a mug — a mini pour over kit. Brewing it is only a smidge slower, though, and it comes in different roasts to choose from. Kuju also has a single origin series with specialty beans from Ethiopia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.


The 6 Best Coffee Makers for Camping

outdoor coffee makers gear patrol leadSnow Peak

Headed for the wilderness? Don’t forget the tools to make your precious life-giving elixir.

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