Would you (or anyone) have paid $99 for that? Maybe there is a reason it is marked down.

here's my take on coffee and touring: simply said, won't do without it. i enjoy camping coffee far too much to do without. on my touring steed, i have carried a Coleman Peak 442 multi-fuel stove and a small percolator. the stove is admittedly a bit on the heavier side of life, but that it is multi-fuel (that is, uses unleaded gas which is available EVERYWHERE) makes it a very convenient option for me. crank it up in the morning, brew up a small pot and good to go with about 3 cups of java. heat up some water for instant oatmeal or grits and i'm off to a great start. well worth carrying the apparatus for that kind of morning camping experience on the bike.

Have Ortlieb's fold flat coffee filter cone support
http://www.ortliebusa.com/prodInfo.asp?pid=2&cid=2


And got a Reusable cotton filter cone ,
bought the small vacuum-packed cubes of ground coffee..

But on the road I often bought coffee and breakfast in a Cafe, and did a sponge bath in their WC,
after wild camping the night before.

I have carried my Aeropress and the MSR french press/mug contraption. I have tried Starbucks Via (not bad) and other instant coffees, to save weight and hassle. But what I have settled on is probably the simplest and lowest-cost solution out there to fresh coffee:

Coffee Filters | Cook & Grill | Coghlan's

Not sure why I never gave this a try before, as they have been around forever, but they are actually quite awesome: light weight, no clean-up, and I just carry a bag of ground coffee and some filters in my mug. Easy.

I should have known that coffee would be like a saddle conversation.:rolleyes:

Didn't know they make small percolators. In 50's/60's percolators were std choice for Americans who wanted fresh vs instant. But after various drip devices became popular the coffee gourmets claimed percolators were no good 'cause they 'over-extracted' or something. I dunno, percolators probably got a bad rap since the coffee used wasn't so great itself. Plus one can always control percolation time to avoid over-extraction. I suppose Turkish coffee could be an option for tourers, the smaller pots are fairly compact. Tried to make it at home a couple of times & it didn't turn out nice like in Turkish restaurant, something of an art-form I guess.

OK, here's my zenful advice: If you like your French Press, just carry the device and enjoy a proper cup of coffee. It's the coffe you enjoy, not the saving of an ounce or two. I am not a true coffee snob, but I find some of the previous suggestions a bit questionable. If the lightweight methods deliver a second rate cup, why bother?

For my tour last summer, I used a MSR MugMate, along with my spill-proof stainless steel vacuum insulated tumbler (which allowed me to make/purchase a cup for later). It worked so well that I still haven't switched back to my French press, ten months after my return. The coffee is just as good (the brew process is substantially the same), and the cleanup is much faster. The only downside to the MugMate versus a French press is that the coffee head remains in the filter with the grounds, but I don't find that to be more than an aesthetic drawback.

Instant is disgusting, and while I'd rather down a cup than suffer caffeine withdrawal headaches, it is not an experience to look forward to.

The Bodum French Press is nice, but it's hard to clean, and even though you can store some extra water in there, it is bulky and takes up too much space.

The solution: Turkish coffee (aka Cowboy coffee). The best (and cheapest) way to make coffee is to put a scoop in a mug with your hot water, stir it up, then wait about 20 seconds for the grounds to fall to the bottom. As long as you don't slosh around the cup, they will stay at the bottom until almost the last sip. Simple and easy to clean. It actually makes a pretty good cup also - don't knock it until you try it. I had to convince my friend to give it a shot, and he was surprised to find that it was actually quite good.

Coffee and the process.
 

I know this is blasphemy, but if you ONLY drink Nescafé on tour, after a while you forget what real coffee tastes like... and actually it starts tasting good. Admit it, when did you drink only nescafé for a month or so the last time, huh?

Oh, and when you get back home and make your first pot with your favourite beans and drink it from your favourite cup... :sensual meltdown: :D

I use a single cup drip cone both at home and on the road. There are a number of makers and you have choices of materials, ir. glass, plastic and stain less steel, and the option to use paper filters or permanent filters. I use paper filters because the cleanup is easier.

The units weigh nothing, sit on your cup, and take no space in your pack because something else (socks?) can be put in the cone.

I drink coffee and enjoy it twice a day, and of course, current cups size probably makes that a real 6 cup habit. I don't see the benefit when riding all day, water is what my body craves and screwing with the motor is not something I need with the stress of doing 80-90 miles a day with my old bod. What I don't get is any withdrawal symptoms. I'm sure I would if I went off coffee at home, but there is such a change in touring any way that I don't have a problem dumping the coffee.

fietsbob mentioned using a cotton filter. Since you said you wanted to avoid using disposable materials, see what you can find about cloth filters. Here's a selection, including a travel filter.

My wife is a coffee person too. I just got her one of these Java Presses. It is light, easy to clean and can fit in a bottle cage.

GSI Commuter Java Press - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

I'm a coffee snob but I do use the Via packets when biking or kayaking. They make for a pretty decent cup, considering. I do like the idea of using the Turkish coffee suggested above too; I'll have to give that one a try.

Keith

Coffee and the process.
 

You wanna try something disgusting? I was out of fuel so I made instant coffee with cold water... Had to do that for a few days running, on top of which it was near freezing point and my feet and shoes were wet!
Blääääh!!!!

Coffee and the process.
 

There was a guy on here who said he mixed instant coffee in with his morning hot porridge, to save having to carry a mug.

I still haven't plucked up the courage to try that :eek: