Tested: The 8 Best Coffee Mugs for Camping

When deciding to embark on your outdoor adventures, it’s crucial to make the most of each day. Just because you’re becoming one with nature, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice a quality cup of coffee. The magical beverage can bring you back from the dead the morning after a long, strenuous day of hiking. But more importantly, you’ll need a trusty, adventure-ready vessel to keep your brew warm on your next outdoor trip. For this guide, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to test the best coffee mugs for camping.

How We Tested

Choosing an exemplary coffee mug may seem like a walk in the park but there are enough options out there to leave you feeling buried. In our search for outdoor-friendly candidates, we considered the insulation capability, portability, and materials used for each piece of drinkware, looking to our favorite brands first and then peering at what the rest of the world was hyped about. Other things we considered were price, aesthetic, and lid type, among other things.

From there, we sourced units for testing and got hands-on with each mug. For checking temperature, we used a thermometer to track heat loss over a 30-minute period, writing down our findings for each. This and more are detailed below.

What To Look For

Material: For temperature retention and durability, opt for metal mugs, usually made with stainless steel, and on occasion, titanium, which is lighter in weight. There are also plenty of BPA-free plastic options that will be more affordable and just as good in terms of durability. However, they won’t retain much temperature if that’s important to you. For a classic style, go for an enamel-walled mug.

Size: The size of your mug will be your personal preference and will depend on how much coffee you like to drink at one time and how light you’ll be packing.

Insulation: Not every mug needs to be insulated but it does help with heat retention. It will also keep your hands from getting burned if the mug doesn’t have a handle.

Durability: This one goes without saying, but a mug for camping (or anything taken into the outdoors) should have a good deal of durability. That’s why almost all of the options below are made of some sort of metal or plastic.

GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug

Best Backpacking Mug: Although it’s nice to sip your coffee in the morning around the campsite, sometimes an early-morning hike beckons and you need a vessel to take along for the ride. GSI appears twice in this guide, but for good reason: The outdoor gear brand makes two of the best camping coffee mugs available. This Infinity Mug is tailor-made for backpackers, with a clear, BPA-free polypropylene wall wrapped in an outer layer of recycled plastic for insulation. The webbing handle ensures that it doesn’t slip out of your hand but also gives you the ability to attach it to your backpack or belt loop. At just 3.5oz in weight, the mug still holds 17oz of liquid, which stays inside on your adventures thanks to the sealable sipping lid. If you want to use this at the campsite, the non-slip bottom keeps it on the table as well.

The Good

One of my favorite parts of a porcelain mug is the tolerable warmth that emits from its exterior, which can warm the hands and even the body when pressed against it. But most steel mugs don’t have this feature. The GSI Infinity Backpacker Mug, however, does. Its exterior never gets too hot while also keeping you warm in colder environments. The cup has some other nice features, including the grippy base, which prevents it from sliding on a surface. The condensation building up actually increases this attribute. There are also interior lines in the mug to let you know how much you’re drinking. They go all the way up to 2 cups.

Also, the rugged plastic is microwave and dishwasher safe, meaning it’s great for reheating your coffee, say, if you’re in an RV or trailer. While a mug isn’t the most practical piece of gear for backpacking, it can still be seen as an essential. And since the Infinity is so lightweight, it won’t add any extra pounds, and hardly any extra space since you can just fill it with other things. Lastly, this mug is the most affordable on this list, which is always a plus when it comes to quality camping goods.

The Not So Good

The obvious drawback of the Infinity Backpacker Mug is its soft fabric handle. If you’re not careful, you can accidentally pick up the mug too quickly and spill your drink. On the other hand, you can adjust to this easily with a deeper grip. Also, while the fabric shell does insulate slightly, it won’t be as good as your steel counterpart, so keep that in mind. After 30 minutes, it did lose 17.3ºF, which was not as much as we expected it to lose. However, if you’re a quick drinker, this won’t be much of an issue anyway.

Another thing I kept noticing was how the lid lifts up from the pressure built up from the hot coffee, which can be an issue if you think it’s more secure than it is. Luckily, I didn’t love drinking from the lid in the first place since it was too small of a hole, so I ended up leaving it off.

Verdict: Incredibly lightweight, the GSI Infinity Backpacker Mug is the perfect backpacking option. Very affordable at just $13, this 17-ounce vessel also keeps the exterior warm against your body without being too hot on your hands. We didn’t love the lack of support with the handle, and also noticed the lid lifting up from the pressure of the hot drink. Nevertheless, this is too unique of a mug to pass up.

OtterBox Elevation 10

Best Insulated Mug: With a really nifty leak-proof lid, the 10-ounce Elevation mug from OtterBox can keep your coffee at a desired temp for hours thanks to the 100% stainless steel walls with copper lining but also prevents leakage better than most of its competitors. Likewise, the “elevated” high-wall sipper makes it easier to endure hotter beverages by slowing down its contact with your mouth. Available in several colors and equipped with a comfortable handle, the mug features a bottom-heavy design that helps prevent tip-overs and sweat-resistant skin that evades rings.

The Good

When it comes to stainless steel mugs, there are quite a few options available. However, we loved OtterBox’s Elevation 10 for our money. It’s not cumbersome, has solid heat retention, and has a good, leak-proof lid. Upon my drop test, only a small amount of liquid spilled from it. When sipping from the Elevation, I appreciated how slowly the coffee came out of the sipping hole. This is a legitimate fear, especially if you’re drinking a hot beverage. Some lids don’t work to slow down the hot drink’s contact with lips and mouth.

It’s also well-priced at just $20. The model it will be compared to the most here is the YETI Rambler, which clocks in at just under $30. And while the OtterBox is a bit smaller, it’s more affordable and has virtually the same heat retention as the Rambler after 30 minutes (5.8ºF to YETI’s 5.7ºF).

The Not So Good

If I could quibble at anyting with the OtterBox Elevation, it would be the lack of grip on the sides. The brand attempts to have some sort of groove design for your hands but this really doesn’t do much. This is most egregious because of the lack of handle on the mug, which is a definite disappointment but also certainly allows this to pack in your backpack easier.

Verdict: A solidly constructed mug at a great price, the OtterBox Elevation 10 is affordable enough for you to buy more than one and packs away with ease thanks to the lightweight build. Some users might not love the lack of handle, which effects the ability to grip it, but this also allows it to fit into more spaces. With a heat retention of about the same as the more expensive YETI Rambler, this OtterBox mug is a great choice if you’re buying multiple mugs for a multi-person camping trip.

Humanature Designs National Parks Enamel Mugs

Best Enamel Mugs: They may not be vacuum-insulated like some stainless steel options, but enamel mugs offer a nostalgic experience that takes us back to the traditional camping days when glamping wasn’t even a word yet. Sporting a classic speckled pattern on the outside, Humanature Designs’ enamel mug is perfect for drinking coffee while making a statement and is inexpensive enough that you can buy a few. When your trip is over, it still looks great as your everyday home or office mug. For this guide, we went with the National Parks collection, specifically testing the Joshua Tree variant as a nod to our own backyard here in Southern California. However, the brand has mugs featuring everything from Yellowstone to Zion.

The Good

Admittedly, the main selling point of the 10-ounce Humanature mug is the design on the outside. And we certainly love the unique approach to the classic National Parks motif that the brand takes here. These make great gifts and are instantly evocative of your favorite locales, even if you just use this for drinking coffee at home. I should also mention the price of these mugs are very fair, with discounts available from time to time too. You can get one or more mugs to represent each of your favorite parks without breaking the bank.

Using the mug is pretty straightforward. However, I loved the construction here, with no seams visible on the handles, while possessing a hand-crafted quality nonetheless with charming flaws here and there (all minor). As the company says on the site, each mug is made-to-order.

There are increasingly more enamel mugs each year but this one has a very pleasant lip for sipping. Rather than a straight top with the metal roll, there’s a gradual curve that makes drinking from the mug easy. And another benefit of enamel mugs is just how lightweight they are, and the Humanature mug is no different, adding unnoticeable weight to my camping bag.

The Not So Good

The biggest, and most obvious, downside to the Humanature mug –– and any enamel mug, really –– is the poor temperature retention. This had one of the worst on the list with a loss of 23.9ºF over just 30 minutes. Again, this won’t be an issue if you drink quickly, especially since the vessel only holds 10oz at a time. Also mentioned by the brand is the necessity of using the handle when drinking hot beverages. The walls of the mug can get very hot, so this is a crucial thing to remember. Again, this goes for pretty much any enamel mug out there.

Verdict: Humanature Designs has a National Parks series of enamel mugs that includes favorites like Joshua Tree and Yellowstone. Each mug is made-to-order and has an appropriately hand-made look and feel. Well-priced at just $20, its flaws are the same as almost any enamel mug, including poor temperature retention and the hot side walls when drinking certain beverages. But the inspired design and pleasant drinking experience make this our top pick for enamel mugs.

Sea to Summit Detour Stainless STeel Collapsible Mug

Best Collapsible Mug: Collapsible mugs can come in clutch when trying to save space in your camping backpack. Sea to Summit is a top-notch outdoor gear brand that just so happens to make great stuff for a fair price. Collapsing down to a “fraction of its original size,” the Detour Stainless Steel Collapsible Mug takes what we loved about their all-silicone X-Mug and turns up the heat with this steel construction and an attractive exterior flair. The outside features a EU food-grade silicone rubber grip so you can hold it without burning your hand.

The Good

Admittedly, I was the most excited about testing the Detour from Sea to Summit. Not only did I truly like the look of the mug but I was curious how exactly it functioned with liquid inside. Available in four colorways currently, the mug’s grooved exterior gives it a cool aesthetic while providing a nice grip when holding this handle-less vessel. The Detour is probably the most slip-free option here when holding it from the wall itself.

This time around, S2S puts metal on the top and bottom, which makes collapsing much quicker and also bolsters durability; this thing doesn’t get smashed in your bag. Opening it back up is a breeze as well. Best of all, it maintains a nice rigidity when holding it for drinking.

The Not So Good

The biggest drawback of the Detour is kind of a big one. When filled with hot coffee, the walls of the mug get pretty darn hot, to the point where you can’t even hold it in your hand. The steel base will possibly burn your skin, whereas the silicone sides higher up are just uncomfortable to hold after some time. Fortunately, the mug cools down very quickly, with a 25.2-degree heat loss after 30 minutes, which is the worst on this list.

Verdict: A highly packable way to carry a camping mug, the Detour from Sea to Summit is an attractive and affordable option that saves plenty of space. We were surprised with how the mug maintained rigidity with liquid inside and noted how the exterior wall had the best grip of any of the mugs here. However, the biggest downside is the unbearable temperature of the side walls with hot liquid inside. Fortunately, the mug has the quickest heat loss on this list, for better or worse.

Stanley The Stay-Hot Camp Mug 24oz

Best Large Mug: It’s difficult to wander around the campsite without spotting at least a few mugs or bottles from Stanley. The legendary drinking vessel brand has been at it for a long time but has recently seemed to downsize its camp coffee range. However, in looking for a large mug for this guide, this Stay-Hot Camp Mug kept popping back up. Available in 8- or 12-ounce versions as well, we went with this 24-ounce version because, if you’re anything like us, you like to maximize your caffeine intake each time you refill. Made from double-wall vacuum-insulated 18/8 stainless steel, this mug is great for cold beverages too!

The Good

It’s difficult to find a purpose-built camping mug that’s 24oz in capacity. However, Stanley, while scaling back on its camp coffee range, has kept this larger option. For as big as it is, the Stanley Stay-Hot Camp Mug is surprisingly lightweight. And with a heat loss of just 7.2ºF, this mug had one of the best temperature retentions on this list.

Drinking from the mug was a pleasant experience as well. With the included lid, the liquid flows at a solid pace. A lot of sipping lids restrict the flow too much, but that’s not the case here. While controversial (more on why below), the lid was actually my favorite part of the mug. Removing very easily compared to the ostensibly leak-proof lids on other mugs, the plastic top settles in nicely yet can be removed with a single hand. This came in handy when I was trying to cool down my coffee; I could just tilt the lid at a 90-degree angle and it stayed put while letting the steam out.

The Not So Good

I should also note that while this simple lid is great for coffee, it won’t be as accommodating for long-term water drinking. Remember: This is not a travel mug. Luckily, Stanley has a wide array of options for travel mugs. Likewise, the lid is not leak-proof, nor does it promise to be. However, it will prevent your coffee from splashing when you’re walking around or of it’s bumped.

Also, just as I’ve noticed with previous Stanley mugs, the handle is a bit too “sharp,” meaning, it’s uncomfortable to hold. I’m not sure why the brand doesn’t redesign these to be more ergonomic.

Verdict: From the legendary drinkware brand, Stanley’s Stay-Hot Camp Mug has great heat retention and holds up to 24oz of coffee for those who aren’t happy with just one cup at a time. To be clear, this isn’t a travel mug, so customers have complained about the leaky lid. However, the lid was our favorite aspect, favoring a good flow and single-hand removal, while also allowing us to keep it tilted for cooling.

MiiR Camp Cup

Best Style-Forward Mug: It would be reasonable if you wouldn’t want to subject yourself to the bland colorways of most camping gear. Available in four sizes from 8oz to 20oz (we went with the 12-ounce version), MiiR’s classic Camp Cup gives your beverage a longer life with its Thermo 3D double-wall vacuum insulation, blending a classic aesthetic with modern construction techniques. Available in nearly 20 different colors, including the blue speckled one we tested here, the BPA-free portable mug sports a splash- and shatter-proof Slide Lid that also keeps leakage to a minimum. Additionally, the minimalist 18/8 stainless steel housing precludes flavor transfer.

The Good

MiiR always does a great job with their thoughtfully-designed drinkware. Their insulated water bottle showed up on our dedicated guide for both its minimalist style and the way it made minor touches to set itself above the pack. The Camp Cup is no different. Sporting a enamel-style exterior, the unit we tested looked retro while also bringing modern tech to the fray, such as double-wall vacuum insulation for temperature retention. As such, this vessel only lost 6ºF over the course of 30 minutes –– among the lowest here.

Despite being easy to take off, the lid will only leak a little bit, but only if tipped upside down. And I really loved the simple cover over the drinking spout, which was easy to open and close with one finger as you’re holding the mug.

The Not So Good

There’s not much to complain about this mug. If I had to quibble, I’d say the drinking spout promotes slurping a little more than I’d like. I enjoy taking larger gulps, and was having a difficult time doing so here. Also, it’s worth noting that the MiiR is a bit pricier than the competition, even though it might not bring a whole lot extra to the table aside from its style.

Verdict: Not aiming to reinvent the wheel, the MiiR still adds its own flair to the Camp Cup, especially with this enamel-esque version of the steel mug. Certainly stylish, and available in some 20 colorways, the vessel has superb heat retention and a solid lid that gets the job done. We did notice it was a bit pricier than other similar (and just as good) mugs, but we gave the MiiR some extra credit for its ability to set itself apart from the pack.

YETI Rambler 14oz Mug

Best Upgrade Mug: No drinkware guide would be complete without Yeti. The company was founded nearly 20 years ago and has done nothing but increase in popularity and respect. Their gear always seems to be slightly pricier than the competition but we’ve found it to be a worthwhile bump. Part of its flagship Rambler line, Yeti makes a 14-ounce camping mug available in about a dozen colorway and built with double-wall vacuum-insulated 18/8 stainless steel for both cold and heat retention. These are also designed to be stackable and come with a splash-resistant sipping lid.

The Good

YETI is undeniably a mainstay in the drinkware space, with options from water bottles to mugs to flasks, and even ice buckets. Nevertheless, this smaller 14-ounce member of the Rambler line is a great hot beverage vessel. Equipped with a sipping lid with a clear top for seeing how much you have left to drink, the housing is a wider profile for covering a wider surface area, thus making it less top-heavy. This width works doubly when removing the lid to try and cool down your coffee; more surface area means more air hitting your beverage.

Its durability is instantly noticeable, which also yields a slightly heavier build. Aside from the satisfying action of operating the sliding cover over the sipper, the slider itself feels firm when both opened and closed. Other versions of this on other mugs seem flimsy and more prone to leaking. Admittedly, the one on the MiiR above is a bit easier to operate but this one is less prone to leaking. After being jostled around a bit, I couldn’t find much leaking coming from the lid or its sipper cover –– only minimal moisture collecting around parts of the edges.

The Not So Good

Again, this mug is slightly heavier than the competition but not by much. However, my biggest gripe is the difficulty of opening the main lid. While this helps prevent leaking, the fact that you’ll have to tilt the mug at an angle to forcefully pry off the lid makes it virtually impossible to open when liquid is already inside. If you simply want to top off your coffee or tea, forcing the lid open when the mug is half full will undoubtedly lead to spillage.

Like the MiiR above, the YETI is expectedly pricier than other similarly-built mugs. However, the clean styling and solid performance might just make it worth the extra money.

Verdict: High on durability, yet relatively lightweight, the YETI Rambler Mug is a fantastic option for drinking your favorite hot drink on camping trips. Despite being difficult to open with liquid inside, the lid has a sipper hole that isn’t too small, which is great for not burning your tongue, while the slide opener prevents leaks pretty well. You’ll have to pay a bit extra for this YETI, as to be expected, but you’re also getting a durable mug that will last you for years.

Snow Peak Ti-Double 450 Mug

Best Titanium Mug: Snow Peak has mastered the craft of lightweight outdoor gear. The Japanese brand’s Ti-Double 450 is a 450mL made with double-wall insulation and is “eco-manufactured with advanced welding techniques.” Titanium is an excellent material for any camping gear in that it’s nearly half the weight of stainless steel –– albeit significantly more expensive, as you see here. Designed to nest the smaller 300 version of Snow Peak’s titanium mug, this vessel also sports a convenient folding handle for easier packing. Additionally, it’s able to hold up to 15.2oz of your favorite coffee, tea, or whiskey, depending on how you’d like to keep warm amidst the harsh weather of the backcountry.

The Good

As straightforward as it gets, Snow Peak’s Ti-Double 450 gets by on its material and construction. No stranger to titanium, the Japanese outdoor gear brand heads back to the well once again with this mug, which is incredibly lightweight because of the titanium. To add to the lighter weight is the foldable handles, which allow this to not only be less cumbersome but take up less space. The only foldable handles on this list, I absolutely loved this feature on this mug. The handles are great for hanging this mug on a drying rack but can disappear with a quick fold for packing it away.

Since its lighter weight is a major selling point of titanium, you don’t usually see double-walled versions of the metal, which improves heat retention. Nevertheless, it still only gives you nominal difference with still 17.3ºF of heat loss over 30 minutes. On the other hand, the titanium mug has a really attractive aesthetic that you don’t get with most options out there.

The Not So Good

While the Snow Peak mug is an excellent choice, it could certainly use a lid. The stainless steel mug from the brand comes with a silicone lid but this Ti-Double 450 doesn’t. Likewise, the intentional decision to make this double-walled is immediately undermined by this lack of a lid, which would certainly improve its temperature retention.

I should also mention that titanium is notorious for smudging, just as this Snow Peak mug has a tendency of doing. And I don’t think I need to reiterate just how much pricier this titanium mug is. However, at $60, it’s not that much more than the steel version of the mug, thanks to the “Snow Peak tax.”

Verdict: Going off of Snow Peak’s propensity for titanium outdoor gear, this Ti-Double 450 is also one of the rare titanium mugs with double-wall insulation. However, this could easily yield a better temperature retention if it came with a lid, which it does not. We loved the attractive aesthetic of the mug and its foldable handles, which really adds to the packability of this lightweight vessel. On the other hand, it’s quite expensive, even for titanium.

Camp Mugs Comparison Chart

Single-Wall vs. Double-Wall

Not every mug in this guide is insulated, but the ones made of metal will be either single- or double-walled. Despite the fact that most have double-wall vacuum insulation, single-wall is not a bad option for camping – if you can find it. For one, they can be used over a fire to boil water or cook, and they will also be much lighter than double-walled options. However, double-walled mugs will be better for temperature retention if that’s your utmost priority.

Honorable Mentions

Funded on Kickstarter a few years back, Boco’s Pour Over Coffee System isn’t just your run-of-the-mill coffee maker. Storing inside the mug itself, the retractable cone is made of food-grade plastic and ensures that minimal heat is lost during the brewing process since the unit brews directly into the stainless steel mug itself — and in 3 minutes or less! We couldn’t get hands-on with a unit for testing but this is still a great option as an all-in-one coffee maker unit.

Hydro Flask is a proven brand in the water bottle space but this 12oz camp mug is one of the more basic options around, plus the larger branding on the side can be a bit of an eyesore.

Despite being another boilerplate steel mug, the Contigo Streeterville is a few bucks cheaper than the normal $20 options, so this 14oz version might be appealing to some.

Not strictly a coffee mug, this GSI Glacier Bottle Cup can double as a stovetop pot or bottle holder. For this guide, we went with the brand’s Infinity Backpacker Mug for its unique material use and backpacking-focused design.

BruMate makes some of the most innovative drinking vessels in this space, and from prior experience, the Müv 15oz is legitimately one of the most leakproof thermoses I’ve ever spent time with. However, it’s not very camping-focused and more of a travel mug. Still, it’s worth shouting out here.

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