Montana's Planetary Design has committed itself to creating some of the world's most rugged, brew-anywhere coffee solutions. Sometime after launching the Ovrlndr coffee press a year ago, the company realized modern-day explorers need more than just a press to prepare a proper cup of coffee. So it has put together a full coffee kit that appears ready to be air-dropped into a war zone. Throw the BruTrek Expedition Coffee Kit atop a roof rack or inside a pickup bed and you can brew coffeehouse-grade java all over the map.
We thought the recently debuted Trayvax Ration could make for the ultimate overland coffee caddy, but Planetary Design has bigger ideas, reaching for a 29-L Zarges case to house its new BruTrek kit. That's not quite as easy to stow and carry as the Ration, but the sturdy, lightweight German aluminum box is already popular for overlanding and can stack neatly atop other like-sized Zarges boxes or strap to the outside of a vehicle as needed. It keeps dust and moisture out and, according to Zarges USA, is IGBC-certified bear-resistant in that particular size – so there should be no caffed-up grizzlies wreaking havoc on base camp.
Inside, Planetary Design skips the Ovrlndr in favor of the larger 32-oz (946-ml) BruTrek French press, a more group-friendly option with handle and spout. Planetary surrounds the press with all the gear needed to store and pour: four 8-oz cups, an 8-oz Airscape air-lockout coffee canister, a small "CarGo Can" container for sugar and a coffee scoop. Planetary Design holds all the pieces in place with a custom foam insert.
Of course, you'll need to bring along the actual coffee and water, as well as a pot and stove to heat that water up. Those who prefer to grind their own fresh beans every morning might also want to carry something like the VSSL Java.
With an MSRP of US$500, the BruTrek Expedition Coffee Kit will very likely price out many a casual camper, and it's definitely more than we'll be spending for Father's Day this year (sorry, Dad). Still, it's clearly one of the most rugged, neatly packaged go-anywhere coffee solutions out there, and that Zarges case alone retails for just over $260, so we certainly won't be surprised to see overland adventurers strapping these kits to their six-figure expedition rigs in short order. A good cup of fresh coffee in the middle of the nowhere can prove rather priceless, after all.
Those looking for something similar for a fraction of the cost might consider the basic BruTrek Camp Coffee Kit, which packages together the French press, two cups, Airscape canister and scoop in a soft carry bag for a $213 MSRP (on sale for $154 as of publishing). Or, they could just throw their existing inexpensive coffee gear and outdoor mugs into a Rubbermaid box and call it a day.
Source: Planetary Design
