Going on climbing trips is one of my favorite activities but over the last few years, I’ve also grown to really enjoy starting my climbing off with a hot cup of coffee too. That’s why I’ve spent hours researching what is the best way to get coffee and tested a few out as well. After a few tests runs, I think I figured out the best way to get hot coffee at the crag.
To get hot coffee, you’ll need hot water and a coffee system. The two most common systems are instant coffee or a coffee press. I also tested a steeping option as well, which I will share my experience in this article as well.
You can get hot coffee while at the crag in the same way that you would while camping or backpacking but there are some tricks to make it a little bit easier. After my last climbing trip, I decided that I’d share my secrets with you as well as some alternative options that you may want to explore.
Hot Water
It is really difficult making coffee without hot water. That’s why that is the first step to getting hot coffee. The cheapest way to get hot water is probably a pot over a fire. However, this is dependent on having dry wood and kindling, along with a way to control where the fires are. In many areas, open fires are not legal and thus, this isn’t a reliable way to get hot water.
Alternatively, you can use a backpacker’s stove to heat the water. After talking to a few of my friends who have different stoves, I decided to go with the Jet Boil since it has a great system that works in the wind.
The system I got actually came with the coffee press, which I thought was perfect, but now that I’ve tried it out, I have my reservations that I’ll share with you below.
Cheapest: Instant Coffee
One of the most common ways for climbers to get coffee is by using instant coffee. It’s as simple as dumping a bag of powder into a mug of hot water. I’ve tried three different brands of instant coffee but it isn’t as tasty as I’d hope for in a cup of coffee at the crag. That being said, after one to two days of camping, the instant coffee starts tasting good.
Pros
- Instant Coffee is fast and easy
- You can purchase bags of coffee so there is minimal to no waste
- It’s easy to pack
Cons
- Many brands have a gritty texture
- Flavor isn’t as good
Most Portable: Steeped Coffee
Steeped Coffee is a system that is similar to brewing tea. Place a bag of steeped coffee into a cup of hot water and then when it has reached the potency you like, you can remove the bag and dispose of the bag. I’ve grown to really enjoy this
Pros
- It doesn’t require any equipment to brew coffee
- There aren’t any grounds that get into the water
- Super portable
Cons
- The flavor isn’t as fresh as freshly ground beans
- Can be expensive per cup
Messiest But Good: Pour-Over Coffee
Pour-over coffee is exactly what it sounds like, you have some sort of funnel with a filter in it over a kettle. Then you pour hot water over it. It’s very close to how a coffee machine works and you can use the same coffee that you would at home.
Pros
- It is just like your home coffee maker
- It’s pretty easy to make
Cons
- It’s not very portable
- Most systems are made with glass – which is breakable
- Most systems are really big, which isn’t portable
- Clean up is challenging since you have to pack-out grounds
Easy: Coffee Press
A coffee press is similar to a french press but typically the press attaches to a camping stove such as a jet boil (the one I have works on the jet boil) or other brand stovetops. Once attached to the water system, you put the coffee into the water and then press the pusher down until the grounds are moved to the bottom of the water system.
Pros
- Ultra packable/portable
- Full-flavor coffee
- Clean up can be postponed until you get home
Cons
- Uses the same water system you may need for breakfast
