Our Coffee Standards
At Trailside Equipment Company, coffee isn’t an afterthought.
If we’re asking you to travel lighter, the coffee inside your pack has to earn its place.
We don’t private label bulk coffee.
We don't sell mass-market spray-dried instant coffee.
We only use speciality freeze-dried and fresh ground coffee.
We test, compare, and curate.
If we sell it, it meets this standard.
How We Choose Instant Coffee
Instant coffee is perfect for:
Hiking. Camping. Backpacking.
Flights. Hotel rooms. Cruise balconies. Early mornings.
But convenience shouldn’t mean compromise.
Before including any instant coffee, we ran blind taste tests — no branding, no packaging influence, just side-by-side comparisons.
The results were clear. Of the dozens tested, they consistently fell into two categories:
Speciality Freeze-Dried Coffee (Used in Trailside Kits)
- Real body and depth
- Chocolate, nutty, or floral notes
- Clean finish without harsh “instant” flavour
Mass-Market Instant (Not Used in Trailside Kits)
- Flatter profile
- Stronger traditional instant aroma
- Less depth and structure
We only carry speciality freeze-dried options that taste closer to freshly brewed coffee including brands like Alpine Start and Hasty.
How We Choose Ground Coffee
Fresh brew demands a different standard.
When using a stainless steel filter or French press, the bean quality and roast profile matter more. There’s no paper filter softening the cup.
For ground coffee, we prioritise:
- Certified organic practices when available
- Fair trade or transparent sourcing
- Balanced roast profiles suited to metal filters
- Consistent grind quality
We test every ground coffee in the same setup our customers use.
If it tastes clean, balanced, and intentional. It stays.
Organic & Fair Trade
If we’re encouraging time in nature, it makes sense to support farming practices that respect it.
Organic farming supports soil health and reduces synthetic chemicals.
Fair trade certification promotes more stable pricing and community investment for farmers.
Our Partners
We work with speciality producers from both Canada and the United States prioritising flavour, transparency, and craft over geography.
Salt Spring Island Coffee – Organic, fair trade, and roasted in British Columbia, Canada. Sourced from Latin America and Indonesia. Balanced and ideal for metal filter brewing.
Alpine Start – U.S.-based speciality freeze-dried coffee crafted from Colombian-grown beans, designed for outdoor performance and clean flavour.
Hasty – Based out of Alberta, Canada, Hasty small-batch freeze-dried coffee is made from Colombian-sourced beans with modern flavour development.
Our Standard
Coffee is a small ritual.
Sunrise on the trail.
Coffee beside the tent with the tide coming in.
A quiet balcony before the day begins.
That moment deserves better than “good enough.”