Camp Coffee, Creek Water, and Poor Decisions

A letter to our fellow adventurers with dry canteens and dusty coffee mugs

Let’s set the scene: a quiet spring morning at camp. Birds chirping, that early golden light creeping over the trees, and the comforting promise of hot coffee just a few steps away. The kind of peaceful morning that makes you forget the world’s gone a little sideways lately.

Now picture four bleary-eyed campers—us—standing around a kettle with zero water and one grim realization: we messed up.

It’s not like we planned to run out of water. We had a solid “we’ll just fill up when we get there” mentality, which in hindsight was less of a plan and more of a shared hallucination. Sure, there was a creek nearby (on the map). And yes, we brought some bottles. But by the second night, the only thing flowing freely was regret.

Now, thirst will motivate anyone. But let’s be honest: the real crisis hit when we realized we couldn’t make coffee. No coffee. No hope. No functioning social dynamics.

Enter the humble hero of the hour: the Aquamira Survival Straw. Someone had tossed one in their bag like a just-in-case parachute, and suddenly they were the most important person at camp. We took turns sipping from the least suspicious-looking puddle we could find, each of us nodding solemnly as if evaluating a fine Pinot Noir. “Notes of… moss?” “Slightly earthy, with a hint of panic.” Still, it worked.

That gave us enough motivation to dig out our backup gear, including a G20 Water Filtration and the big boss of clean water: the Alexapure Pro. That filter system doesn’t mess around. We set it up on a tree stump, poured in some questionable creek runoff, and within minutes—boom—crystal-clear, safe water. No weird taste, no sketchy floaters, no emergency stomach situations the next day.

Even better, we’d packed an extra Alexapure Certified Replacement Filter, which came in clutch after we put the thing through its paces. That filter saw things no filter should ever see, and it still performed like a champ. Clean water, good pressure, zero drama.

And now, back to the real savior of the trip: Franklin’s Finest Survival Coffee.

Once we had water, we were laser-focused on coffee. Forget the oatmeal, forget the eggs we needed caffeine like a bear needs berries. That first sip? Heavenly. We passed the mug around like it was holy. Conversation returned. So did civility. And jokes. And the kind of laughter that only happens after surviving shared chaos with friends who definitely should have packed better.

Honestly, Franklin’s Finest might’ve saved more than just our sanity, it saved the whole weekend. Suddenly, we weren’t just rehydrated. We were alive. We drank coffee by the fire until the sun came out and someone found a stale granola bar they swore had “aged well.”

Lesson learned: spring camping isn’t a Disney movie. There are no conveniently bubbling brooks with chirping woodland creatures pointing the way. Sometimes there’s just a dried-up riverbed, a lot of mud, and a group of grown adults realizing they didn’t pack enough water because someone (me) was “sure there’d be a stream.”

So if you’re heading out this season, pack smart. A water filter might seem like overkill right up until it becomes the MVP of your entire trip. And don’t skimp on the coffee. If it can keep four undercaffeinated campers from losing their minds, it can probably handle anything.

At Camping Survival, we stock a bunch of clever gear that we now consider non-negotiable: straws that turn puddles into potable bliss, filter systems that take the edge off backcountry chaos, and coffee that belongs in every bug-out bag and breakfast fire pit.

Stay hydrated. Stay caffeinated. And never underestimate the healing power of creek water espresso.