Ah, the beauty of simplicity. GSI Outdoors‘ JavaGrind ($25) offers a refreshing throwback to the days of yore by rewarding a bit of elbow grease with the perfect cup of backcountry coffee. The elegant-looking device uses an adjustable, conical ceramic burr powered by an alloy handle to unlock the coffee bean’s flavors better than blade-style grinders. You can use it with most French presses, though it may not fit perfectly with what you already own. But it does seal on top of their JavaPresses, like the 50-ounce model, which boasts an insulated EVA sleeve and a double-walled lid to trap in the heat mid-brew. At a combined cost of $65, this package doesn’t come cheap—but for coffee addicts, the right tools can provide a bit of home-grown sanity, no matter how far into the backcountry you traverse.
—Nathan Borchelt
