We keep a stove top percolator which we have had for years for just such occasions, we find ourselves in National Forest Camp Grounds a lot so really comes in handy.

Folgers makes coffee bags.  They are just like tea bags and taste better than instant, just add hot water.

Assuming that you normally choose some type of drip coffee maker there are three issues to overcome.  First is the overheating of the coffee grounds themselves during the percolating at boiling temperatures, second the metallic taste of an aluminum coffee maker, and finally the added metallic taste of keeping the coffee warm after it is made.

Our solution is always pour up the coffee into a thermos or caraffe as soon as it is finished perking.  It will stay hot for hours in a good container without acquiring the coffee pot taste.

Use a ceramic percolator (corning if possible), a stainless percolator if you don't want to risk the breakage issue, and a aluminum light weight percolator if you must.

You still have a metal basket to deal with and although you can't get rid of it you can use the short drip coffee filters in the basket by punching a small slit in the center and isolating the coffee grounds from the basket.  Don't fill the pot up to the bottom of the basket.  If you pour it up as soon as the perking time is over it works pretty good.

Actually we use the light aluminum pot with a plastic basket, filters, and a thermos caraffe.  It usually takes about twelve minutes to start perking and is usually just like I like it after perking for 5 minutes.

It is obvious to me that after writing this I have thought about this way too much.

Larry and Jacki

I really appreciate all of your comments. What a great place to be able to find lots of answers to life's little problems.  I never realized there were so many ways to make coffee !!!!! Thank you !

When Kristi & I hit the road, we will probably take our French Press. Light weight plastic ones are readily available. No filters, coffee grounds into the pot, bring water to temp and fill the press. Wait 3 minutes and press the plunger. Another option is cold brewing. I have used the Filtron system in the past. It makes a coffee concentrate which you add to hot water. Very, very low power usage. Peter

Another one where you make a concentrate that my mother loves, The Toddy.  The result is very smooth.  

Well, how timely. I was looking through a book about the history of different areas in Kansas and they were discussing how coffee was made on the trail of this certain area, place your coffee in a clean sock and place it in the boiling water. We actually have an old time like drip coffee maker we ordered from Lehman's (stainless steel) and a Thermos french press but we have as yet tried the "sock" method and, frankly I hope I am never addicted enough to caffeine........... I think that "cowboy" coffee, if I remember correctly, is just the grounds boiled and the grounds will settle to the bottom, more or less, but you don't want to gulp it.

we just bought the Coleman one to use in our camper but in the trailer we just boil a pot of water and pour it in the same receptacle you would if you were pouring in cold water. Drips through and makes good coffee.
we keep it warm by putting the carafe on low heat.
Sue

I remember from my childhood: Adding broken eggshells to the pot keeps the grounds to the bottom and takes away the bitterness.

Just as an "after-comment," this is another of those really old threads that has been revived.  So, if anyone is looking at some of the products mentioned, be sure and check the date of the comment in the box to the left and under the username and avatar.  If it is an old post, any product mentioned there may no longer be available.

Terry

French press all the way. Great taste without bitterness and so easy. You can grab a great one for about $15.00.