I'm a heathen when it comes to drinking coffee in the wilds and go for single serving instant sachets for convenience. I tried Java Juice for the first time just before Christmas and highly recommend it as a 'boost' to instant coffee.

I am still sorely tempted by the Snowpeak Titanium French Press though. I could justify it if I could leave behind the hip flask. Tough choices!

Joe, thats one heavy and expensive press my friend... check out the Lexan press by BonJour. I removed the base, the handle, and made a reflectix cozy to get a 4.5oz weight. $13

http://www.amazon.com/BonJour-3-Cup-Unbreakable-French-Press/dp/B0001K1878/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1231344609&sr=1-1

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 01/07/2009 09:11:02 MST.

Thanks for the info Mike! Genius! Time to do some searching for a similar item over here!

heres a pic of the press, with a "D" battery for reference. reflectix cozy is removeable. the carafe holds .42L but the coffee will yeild .3L or so.

Edited by mikeinfhaz on 01/07/2009 11:41:17 MST.

I dunno, guys...

My Snowpeak Ti press doesn't go on many trips with me, but minus the wire handles it only weighs 5.6oz vs. 4.5oz for that Bonjour. The Snowpeak has a max fill of ~650ml, and yields a solid 500ml of primo joe! Personally, for that 1.1oz difference I'd rather have more coffee and zero plasticky taste... (But I do usually just fire up the cowboy coffee.)

I dont know that polycarbonate has a "plasticky" taste, but I do believe titanium tastes like metal. So, if you are trying to justify your purchase go ahead. im trying to save the guy some $$

i dont see any benefit from making a press in titanium. A tent stake, yes.

Hey, Mike- Nah, just trying to keep it balanced and make it harder for him to decide!

yep, reading this post before you had your morning cup would be enough to punch a hole through the monitor

hope you get what you are looking for Joe, i know ive tried all i can. maybe i'll just wean myself from coffee altogether.. yea right!

Ahhh, so wtf guys no one has suggested reuseable cotton cloth bags roughly twice the size of a teabag. I got them at the grocery store. Hell the cut off toe section of a clean, old cotton sock would work. Fill with grounds and steep. Fling grounds broadly across landscape and dry on pack during the hike and it is all good.

instant is ok but sometimes, I just have to have real coffee. And the cotton bag keeps the grounds out of my teeth.

French press, coffee pot=heavy. Fail.

Low tech is good tech.

My wife made me one out of triple layer cheese cloth, and sewed a string loop in the top. Coffee in, pull loop, steep, good to go. Launch grounds, tie to pack to dry. Repeat as necessary.

Would a Buff work instead of the cheesecloth? Another few grams saved! :-)

I'm happy to carry a few luxuries so a lightweight coffee press isn't out of the question. The problem will start when my girlfriend joins me on trips in the summer and starts demanding her daily espresso fix!

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442629467&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302696295&bmUID=1250481324889

It looks like it might work and seems fairly light at 14grams. I picked one up the other day but haven't had a chance to try it yet, I'll post a review when I've used it.

I switched to Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee for my backpack trips this year and I haven't looked back. It comes in single serving packets and it's really quite good. Far better than any instant I've ever had. I can't imagine coffee being any easier, lighter or more compact than this.

Gordon

Edited by swearingen on 08/17/2009 16:27:48 MDT.

I have to agree with Gordon. I used Starbucks instant (Italian) on my hike of the JMT. It is the best instant I have ever tasted. I still use the Folgers coffee bags when I don't feel like paying the high price of Starbucks. P.S. I did try Jave juice, but found the taste unappealing, and the packages weighed more than either the bags or Starbucks.

Edited by clt1953 on 08/17/2009 05:15:24 MDT.

You could also try the Montbell O.D. Compact Dripper. After you put your grounds in it, you are a supposed to pour a very small amount of boiling water to get get the grounds hot, and then you slowly pour your water into it. Overall I think it makes a pretty good cup of coffee. You could also probably use it after you make cowboy coffee to filter out the grounds, but I haven't tried that yet.

Since I stopped using a JB, and it's press attachment, I've been carrying the Starbuck's instant. I've found I like a combination of the Italian and Colombian roasts. One of each in my FireLite 550 pot is nearly a perfect strength. As much as I enjoy cowboy coffee, on a long hike the coffee just gets too stale.

I am a committed tea drinker . . . ah . . . Peet's Black Current, or, Scottish Breakfast in the morning. Black Current will make the stress leave.

But I HATE tea/coffee bagged supplies, as the best leaves are loose, like grinding the coffee beans-vs-pre ground.

I use tea sacks, and put my own tea leaf in them. This works for coffee also. Just drop the bag in your water, await 4-minutes, pull out bag.

Great cuppa!

I agree- I'm a daily home espresso Seattle coffee snob, and the Starbucks VIA is my new favorite.

Good coffee, light, easy, no extra contraptions, no mess- and it tastes better than Java Juice and almost as good as the expensive instant espresso. Light years ahead of the teabag coffees or other instants. A winner in my book!

I just auditioned Via on last weekend's trip and confess I'm impressed at how good it is for so little weight and fuss (other than buying it, that is). I prefer the Italian roast--not a surprise since I drink espresso at home. The Colombia is a little less distinctive, but still fine when I use less water.

By comparison, Java Juice has a winey (mildly acidic) finish like some Central American and Indonesian blends. A single serving makes more when made to a comperable strength. Both Via flavors have a smoother finish. Via also seems to include some solids in the brew while JJ is completely filtered.

I can make a case for either--it's great to have two choices for single-serving instant that both taste like coffee. I'd love it if both companies expanded their coffee region options so we, the picky could dial in our specific tastes.

Before that happens Starbucks will have to decide their experiement is enough of a success to keep making the stuff and getting it into more stores--something we can't presume, given their love of flinging things at the wall to see what sticks. If you like it, it wouldn't be a bad idea to stock up.

My challenge to Java Juice is to counterpunch by introducing a kickbutt French roast (find the hidden mixed metaphor).

Cheers,

Rick

"My challenge to Java Juice is to counterpunch by introducing a kickbutt French roast (find the hidden mixed metaphor)."

To which I would add: Reduce it to crystals. 1/2 oz per packet is too much weight.