Gear Review: Enjoying coffee in the backcountry with AeroPress Go
Alec Sills-TrauschCoffee is the lifeblood of millions across the planet, and in the backcountry, there’s no better way to enjoy a morning than with a cup of hot coffee next to an alpine lake. On a recent backpacking trip to Colorado, we ditched the instant coffee in favor of the real stuff, thanks to our AeroPress Go.
Usually, when I go backpacking, I have to use the less-than-average instant crystalized coffee that can hardly be enjoyed. But on this trip to the stunning San Juan Mountains, I savored the fair trade coffee grounds we packed in.
You can surely imagine how much better tasting that ended up being while sitting on the shores of Island Lake. I mean, coffee backpacking is usually horrendous, but now it’s damn delicious!
Inside, I dive into my AeroPress Go Review.
Coffee Backpacking – AeroPress Go Review
At 11oz (without the filters), the AeroPress Go is a compact, easily transportable coffee press meant for the outdoors. While it’s a tad overwhelming at the beginning with all the pieces, the instructions are rock solid, and we quickly figured out how everything works.
After boiling water, filling the cylinder with coffee grounds, and plunging, we had our hot coffee within minutes.
Pros of the AeroPress Go
- What’s better than good-tasting coffee on the go? Not much. This a perfect system to have coffee while backpacking
- Quick and easy to use, there’s no excuse not to pull it when needing a little buzz.
- For its size, you can stuff it basically anywhere, and it won’t take up too much space.
- There are a plethora of options – Regular hot coffee, espresso, and cold brew. What’s not to love!?
AeroPress Go Review – Minor Criticisms
- There are a lot of pieces, and it can seem absolutely overwhelming when you pull it all out. Don’t be discouraged. It’s pretty simple to work, and you’ll get the hang of it.
- You have to pack out your coffee grounds which are now soaked in water – and a lot heavier vs when they were dry. This wasn’t something we thought about. With instant coffee, there’s no cleanup. I suggest weighing the pros and cons of taking this backpacking.
- Basically, the only cons I have are that I don’t think it’s super conducive to extended backpacking trips with my weight concentration. For all other uses, go for it!
Final thoughts on my AeroPress Go Review
Overall, this is perfect for almost everything I do, and I am stoked to continue to use this one and the original AeroPress Coffee Maker. These are perfect for car camping where weight isn’t an issue and cleaning up is easier.
Plus, it’s definitely making an appearance if it’s a more leisurely backpacking trip. Thanks for reading my AeroPress Go Review.
Until next time adventurers, take care and be safe.
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