A decent cup of coffee in the morning can make up for a lot of things; so an alternative to instant coffee is pretty much a camping essential for me. On a recent early spring camping trip to Suffolk, I decided to try a coffee filter made by Ortlieb, the German company famed for their cycling panniers.
The Ortlieb coffee filter holder is basically a cone made of the same waterproof material used for the panniers, which you can rest over the top of your mug, with a couple of tent pegs or spoons slipped into the side to keep it steady. A paper filter sits inside, which you fill with your choice of ground coffee, then pour boiled water over the top.
The coffee filters through in a couple of minutes, and made enough for two 300ml mugs. Importantly, it makes an excellent tasting brew, with the paper filter keeping the grounds out of your coffee, but still producing a rich and well rounded cup of coffee. Cleanup is easy - the paper filter and grounds can go in the compost, and the cone itself just needs rinsing.
The filter holder feels durable and well made, and it's small and light enough to slip into the bottom of a pannier. Half a dozen paper filters come supplied, and it takes 4 cup filter papers (£1 for 40 in most supermarkets). Widely available for under £10, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it if you're looking for an easy way to make a cup of coffee while you're on the road.
Ortlieb Coffee Filter Holder, £9 from cyclesportsuk.co.uk
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