Whether it's for an extended walkabout or just a weekend jaunt, there’s nothing like the great outdoors to recharge your batteries. The smell of fallen leaves, the gentle babbling of a brook, the cool morning breeze: Everything about waking up in a sleeping bag, unzipping your tent, and stepping out into base camp is designed to energize and invigorate - giving you the push you need to start your day with high hopes and clear eyes.

Well, for some people. The rest of us sometimes need a little pick-me-up in the morning in the form of a piping hot cup of coffee. And just because you’re roughing it doesn’t mean that you have to forgo that crucial cup o’ joe. Coffee has been a pioneer staple, a clutch companion for adventurers and explorers throughout the ages. The great wide open wasn’t conquered overnight, but you can bet that coffee got those homesteaders moving in the morning.

Even weekend warriors with a hankering for their favorite barista’s brew can bring the city’s best coffee with them. Looking for tips for how to make the best cup o’ mud out in the wild? We got you covered:

Boil Water Over A Fire

It’s a fact that water tastes better when boiled over a crackling campfire. Don’t believe us? Ask a scientist. We’ll wait. While you’re doing that, we’re going to be over here chilling while our Percolator starts bubbling up a fresh brew.

No Campfire? Bring Hot Water With You!

OK, sometimes it’s not exactly convenient to find a roaring fire to get your java jumping. If you’ve got a long trek ahead of you, you’re probably going to want to avoid stopping to collect kindling.

With that in mind, it pays to plan ahead: Grab your favorite Stanley Vacuum bottles, fill that puppy with boiling hot water, seal ‘er uptight, and just like that, you’ve got almost a day’s worth of hot water ready to deploy when you feel yourself flagging.

Grind It Up Ahead Of Time

Sure, this should be a no brainer, but when you haven’t had that first cup, no brainers are all relative. The last thing you want first thing in the morning is to bust open your bag of coffee and see beans staring up at you (mocking you with their bean-ness). Sure, if you remembered to bring along your handy mortar and pestle you might be able to get something going, but if you’re packing light, your best bet is to grind ahead of time. Our Coffee Systems even offers a dry storage area in the stopper, able to hold a bottle’s worth of grounds along with its easy to use.

Some grinding advice:

• Try to keep your beans whole until the last possible minute. Grinding them releases essential oils, resulting in more flavor and aroma. The longer the ground beans sit before being used, the less fresh and flavorful your brew will be.
• For your standard french press, grind your beans coarsely and evenly. You’ll know if you ground them too fine if you try and push your french press down and experience a lot of resistance.
• Seal your beans in an airtight container to limit the loss of moisture and oils.

Make It And Take It

If you’ve got a busy itinerary, even the 5 or so minutes it takes to brew up a fresh cup of coffee can be hard to find. That’s where a good vacuum bottle comes in handy: Brew up your favorite java blend, pour it into an insulated mug, enjoy fresh, hot coffee all day.

It ain’t rocket science brewing a killer cup of coffee, but do it right and it’s sure to help you blast off. Have a tip for enjoying a fresh, delicious brew while roughing it? Tag #Stanleyness to let us know!

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