Coffee before a hike

With all the coffee talk, I think something to consider is HOW you have your coffee. I realize we don't guzzle cream or milk or usually put down ten sugars, but I'm wondering if that impacts increased peeing? Heavy creams or lots of sugar (which you can get with a couple cups of coffee and a big meal) could impact things. As for me, I like coffee to be very strong, and nothing added. Think of a heavy 6 oil in a cup!

Just remeber:

"There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee. Of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats."

BTW, have any of you tried October Blind. The duck flavored coffee.

Coffee drinker here. Black, and hot. Matter of long standing morning habit, pre-hike or otherwise for nearly 45 years. Sometimes switch to decaf after a couple of big mugsful. No coffee after noon, though, except on rare occasions as a warm-up drink.

On the trail, the beverage of choice is plain old water.

In camp, tea is a very nice coffee substitute.

G.

LenDawg said:

With all the coffee talk, I think something to consider is HOW you have your coffee. I realize we don't guzzle cream or milk or usually put down ten sugars, but I'm wondering if that impacts increased peeing? Heavy creams or lots of sugar (which you can get with a couple cups of coffee and a big meal) could impact things. As for me, I like coffee to be very strong, and nothing added. Think of a heavy 6 oil in a cup!

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I drink mine without sugar, but lots of cream substitute (I prefer the liquid Cremora, no fat hazelnut flavored). Black coffee is too bitter tasting for my liking.

Starbucks French roast - ground just before making - more beans than called for per cup of water - Black. Only way I can stomach Dunkin' Donuts coffee is with lots of cream and sugar to hide the taste.

Don't drink it without about 5 equals

or 5 heaps of sugar. Caffeine doesn't really affect me, but the sugar does, both on the way up, and on the way down, and the down is mostly why I don't drink it before a hike.

I have accidentally discovered the effect of caffeine during one of my earlier hike. Few years ago when hiking up Mt Washington, relatively new to hiking at that time, i was feeling sluggish and tire and barely made it to the Lake of the Clouds hut. But as soon as i drank a cup of coffee, i was feeling brand new and all good to go.

I also found GU to be quite effective too (on me anyway).
Is it possible to die from caffeine overdose?

I never do. Never had a cup in my life, not even a taste. That hazelnut coffe almost seduced me, as it smells real good, but when it got close, I could smell the coffee and passed.

alpinista said:

You are not alone, Rick. I'm with you! And, Brent, I'm one of those GU fanatics too!

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I always tout the benefits of GU and won't leave home without it.

I usually load up my coffee with 'junk' as I love variety, but have been known to drink a cup black when I'm really tired. I drank it unadulterated in the Army, which I think is why I like more crap in it now.

Most of the big hiking is around 3 hours away, so it means I usually leave around 4:30 to make it to the trailhead at a decent time. I could not do this without coffee, I'm just not awake enough.

I also get a larger cup than usual in the winter and save some for after the hike on the way home. There is just a nice taste to it. My older brother drinks iced coffee in the winter, and was dismayed when he couldn't get one in Canada. They sell it in Maine all year, and he even has a "cup cozy" so the iced coffee won't freeze.

While backpacking on the trail it will depend on the day as to whether I have coffee. I bring it, but on a nice morning I won't make it. However, if it's raining and nasty, I pour the boiling water into the Nalgene and make up a full 1L for the morning, which warms me well.

I couldn't imagine life without coffee, although I never drink more than 2 cups and almost never after noon, unless I'm driving home late and dog tired (like last night).

Tom Rankin said:

Not sure if it's good for me or not, but I do it anyway.

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ME TOO!! Gotta Have It

uphillklimber said:

I never do. Never had a cup in my life, not even a taste. That hazelnut coffe almost seduced me, as it smells real good, but when it got close, I could smell the coffee and passed.

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The hazelnut flavor seduced me to the "dark side" although I prefer it with milk. I didn't used to like or drink coffee until I tried Green Mountain's Hazelnut coffee. Now I'm hooked! But the effects of caffiene were most pronounced the day I popped chocolate covered espresso beans like M&Ms. Had the fastest bicycle ride of my life that afternoon! Maybe that's what I should put in my gorp....

LenDawg said:

.... COFFEE!!!!! .... Can't live without it, unfortunately! It is a drug, I'm addicted.

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Exactly.

Katahdin is 3 cups away

I usually head out about 2AM, and it's three cups from Old Orchard Beach to Baxter - #1 is a free to-go one at LLBean's, #2 from the Mobil gas station in Newport, #3 from the AT Cafe in Millinocket. When backpacking I start every morning with instant Maxwell House, black, two sugars. At night though, it's always hot chocolate.

Rick said:

I know I am alone on an island when I say this, but I would give up beer before I would give up coffee. It's just that good!

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Don't even joke about giving up either!

David Metsky said:

Nope, I've never drunk a cup of coffee in my life.

-dave-

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... and just look at your Avatar!

gave it up

Gave up caffeine almost two years ago...it was easy to do (I was in bed with the flu for a few days)...I battled off one major headache after about 48 hours and that was it...I used to drink over four cups a day...
I do not miss it - I find that I am more alert and more awake without it...I was always coming down at the wrong time - and I have totally lost the taste for it.

coffee please!

I start my day off with a LARGE cup of coffee and especially before a hike! I carry those coffee "bags" with me on backpacking trips, you use them just like you would a teabag but instead it's coffee! very convenient!
kmac

I'll do the Dunks, if I'm too lazy to make it at home. In fact, I've even drank some nasty swill coffee from the Irving station on more than one occasion!

My preference though is a nice organic dark roast (the darker the better) with some sugar and International Delight non-fat creamer (though sometimes I mix half & half with whole milk... 3/4 and 1/4???)

I carry a nalgene or thermos with tea in the winter. When backpacking, I'll sometimes use packets of General Foods International Coffee. I wouldn't drink them at home but on the trail, it's an easy fix. Just add water!

Rick said:

I know I am alone on an island when I say this, but I would give up beer before I would give up coffee. It's just that good!

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What? And have no incentive for hiking back out to the trailhead?

YES I drink before a hike.. On overnights, I have a little coffee press so I can make my own wonderful a.m. cup. That said, I drink decaf, Gave up caffeine long ago. don't miss it, but LOVE coffee.
Bruised