High Sierra Topix

Carne_DelMuerto wrote:For those who have converted to using the Starbucks Via on the trail: Costco is offering $3.25 off a 24 pack right now. At my local store that brought it down to just over 50¢ a shot. Not bad considering it's close to a $1 a shot at the grocery store.

Thanks - I use those too; so I headed to Costco and picked some up. I use the coffee mate stick packs for my creamer, which are about the same size as the starbucks via packs. One Starbucks Via and one Coffee Mate Stick Pack added to a cup of hot water each morning - pretty lightweight and it's nice to have my coffee in the morning.

I have tried the caramel and vanilla flavored Via (I brought vanilla and a friend brought caramel so we could trade a pack). I love vanilla to begin with and this was no exception. The friend that brought the caramel tried my vanilla and he loved it as well. Not to say caramel was bad but the vanilla hit the spot. I just wish it weren't so expensive. I buy a 7 pack of cheap stuff at Walmart for $1.29. Of course it tastes like dirt but it is dirt cheap.

We've switched from the Via to Trader Joe's freeze-dried coffee packets. They're less expensive, less bitter and come either as black coffee or already cream/sugared. I'm done carrying my little press or making "tea bags" with coffee -- these are too simple and good.

On my most recent trip I carried Bustello freeze dried. It was pretty good, just the way I like my coffee, muy forte. It's not as good as VIA, but you know all those little packets can get annoying, and it's too expensive. Bustello is easy to find and much better than gingo coffee. Just add 2 spoons into 2 or 3 cups boiled water and the morning looks promising. I will still be hiking with my Nalgene french press on trips less than 10 days, but Bustello is an easy to use, lightweight solution on long trips .

Scouter9 wrote:We've switched from the Via to Trader Joe's freeze-dried coffee packets. They're less expensive, less bitter and come either as black coffee or already cream/sugared. I'm done carrying my little press or making "tea bags" with coffee -- these are too simple and good.

My local Trader Joes only has the freeze-dried coffee with cream and sugar in it. I don't do sugar in my coffee; so that's out for me. As far as instant coffee goes, Starbucks Via (especially the Italian Roast) is the best I've tried and for me it's worth the extra money.

As I get older, simple things like my morning coffee get to be more important to me. I have noticed that my pack is heavier than it used to be because I have realized that no matter how light my pack is I'll never move fast; so I might as well carry the things that make me comfortable and just keep moving at my slow pace. I've also noticed that I carry that heavier backpack and go in overnight a lot more often than I day hike in the Sierra anymore - I don't mind an occasional long day, but I'd rather spend the night in the backcountry than rush in and out in one day without taking the time to enjoy the trek.

On my recent trip, I carried a Snow Peak titanium french press, and about a half-pound of Peet's Ethiopian Fancy, ground for the press. That half-pound amount was too much, as I used about half of it, so might need to adjust that for next time. Each morning, I would make a press, which comes out to just over half of a liter, and sip that as I ate my breakfast. No cream or sugar, just straight black coffee. Funny how at home, I always put half n half in my coffee, but I have not yet found a good creamer for out there.
Some afternoons, I like to have a single cup of coffee, and that is when I break out the Via Colombian. Or some other hot drink, like tea. So along with the ground coffee and the press, I also carry a good selection of tea and some powders that make interesting hot drinks.
Gotta have my coffee.
Herm

this link fits here best, although it really is a coffee gear review and could also be in the Outdoor Gear section:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Camping-Coffee-Reviews" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They didn't emphasize weight as much as I would. For me, Via wins hands down. Just got back from a cold weather trip to Isle Royale, 8 days of cold and wet weather, which 4 cups of Via each day made very bearable!

Costco has Via on sale this month - 24 for $15.99 - almost reasonable at $0.67 per cup

The TJ's instant coffee packets are 10 for $2, and I see the "black coffee" version is no longer on their website. It was at our store, however. It's in the same sized box as the cream & sugar version, but "in blue", instead of a brown color scheme. They sit next to one another on the coffee rack.

If you do cream & sugar, the TJ's packets are excellent, but so are the Vietnamese and Korean instant coffee products you can score from asian markets. In fact, the TJ's product is from Korea. Anyway, the coffees are smooth with less "scorch" than the Via products feature, and they typically cost much less. As a home roaster (who still uses cream & sugar, yes), I don't have much tolerance for scorch, so it's a major bonus to have "ultralight" coffee that tastes better to me than Via and costs less. I just smile as I sip!