Bounce boxes

[rxpfeiffer]

I will be attempting a Nobo thru-hike spring of 2018 but will be pretty much unsupported. Meaning no one to send mail drops. Has anyone done this successfully? I was thinking of bouncing a box up the trail with a lot of resupply stuffs minus much food wise. Therefore it would probably be a big box. Any comments/advice is much appreciated!

[Christoph]

No need to do a bouce box unless you have a laptop and things you need to update the www (wide world of web) with. More than enough places to resupply I didn't even concider a bounce box and made it al the way this year with little planning, just winging it along the way.

[DownEaster]

If you've already got different gear for the change in seasons, a bounce box could be a good way to get your summer-weight gear when you need it: just keep bouncing it forward until the weather changes. Sending your no-longer-needed cold weather gear home may require something like a private mail center that will hold packages indefinitely, if you really have no friends willing to keep your stuff until you finish the trail.

Christoph's approach works if you don't have summer gear and are willing to buy it when you need it.

[Shrewd]

I had a few friends that had a bounce box and they complained that it was more of a hindrance than a help.

I didn’t use one and resupplied on the go, like most people. Wasn’t a problem.

You’ll be fine


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[The Old Chief]

I wouldn't start a bounce box until I was on the trail and knew what I needed to bounce. Resupply items like batteries are just so easy to buy on the trail when they are needed. I did send myself a few food drops along the way. I bought the food for the Smokies in Hiawassee and mailed it to Fontana Dam. I didn't use the PO but sent it to the hotel. Made life a lot easier. Did the same for Delaware Water Gap NJ, and Glencliff NH. If you don't already have a Summer sleeping bag or other Summer type gear I would wait until I got to Damascus to purchase these items. I know Mt. Rogers Outfitters will hold your purchases and mail them to you when you need them. The other outfitter in town will probably do the same. That bounce box is going to cost a lot to keep "bouncing" up the trail.

[Bronk]

I never did a bounce box because I didn't like being chained to the post office. What if you get there and they aren't open? Worst case being you get there at 530pm on a Saturday and the post office doesn't open until Monday morning. Some rural post offices are either closed or have short hours on Saturday, so you could even be stuck waiting from Friday until Monday or deciding to abandon the box altogether.

You can buy anything you need along the trail. You'll probably spend more in postage bouncing all that stuff up the trail than you would just buying what you need.

[moldy]

You don't need no stinkin' bounce box. Pain in the neck anyway.

[Starchild]

I agree with don't plan it yet, but wait till you are on trail and you will find out if and how it fits in to your hike. I did bounce stuff but only occasionally.