Best Cuppa Joe

When Starbucks introduced micro-ground coffee packets a few years back, accompanied by a major drumroll on the part of Outside magazine and other "industry watchers," I assumed my French press days were over.

And good riddance, I thought, because even my lightweight plastic Bodum press wasn't holding up well to field use. It was as bulky as a thermos. And I was getting bored with my coffee tasting like yesterday's sweaty socks.

Then I suffered through a few trips with the fancy micro grind. I've noticed this strange phenomenon. For every kilometer away from civilization, the microground coffee (formerly known as freeze-dried) tastes twice as much like Nescafé.

Life is just too short for bad coffee.

I've traded in the cracked Bodum French press for a nifty setup from Spokane based GSI Outdoors. A company that has consistently impressed me in the camp kitchen with their thoughtful, efficient, lightweight designs from one-pot cook sets to cutlery. On any given trip these days, I've usually got two or three of their products in my pack. Not only that, but HQ is staffed with friendly, courteous mountain guides and other lesser mortals who love what they do and like answering questions about the stuff they make. Just like at Moosejaw, these are authentic folks who love the madness.

Personal Java Press from GSI

For a little extra weight, the Personal Java Press is put together better than my old Bodum. It's insulated with neoprene and packs down small. The standout feature, for me, is the nesting carafe. Nothing's worse than cold, bitter, overbrewed coffee (unless its coffee from a packet). With this system, you brew your pot for four minutes, then transfer it to the insulated carafe to halt brewing and keep all four 6-oz cups warm til you're ready to drink.

This comes in handy on winter mornings, when you want to fill your thermos with tea or broth for the day. Brew the Java Press way and you'll still get plenty of hot coffee for breakfast.

Bonus tip: Before you head out, mark a fill line on the outside of your pot with a Sharpie marker. You can tell where it is by removing the sleeve and inserting the plunger. Mark just below the bottom of the filter ring. That's the maximum amount of grounds the pot can take. Forget the tablespoon.

Grind your beans just before you leave on your trip. If you've got a burr grinder, much the better. You're aiming for the coarsest grind you can get. Follow the excellent instructions that come with the Java Press, and you're on your way to a great cup of camp coffee.