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GeneralLee10
11-30-2009, 10:58
What kinda box would be suffice to use? something that will not get crushed and is easy to notice/point out to the person doing the handing out. Like my box is the bright green one or for some pink.

Pacific Tortuga
11-30-2009, 11:07
What kinda box would be suffice to use? something that will not get crushed and is easy to notice/point out to the person doing the handing out. Like my box is the bright green one or for some pink.

Please, it's not like your at a airport. Small town P.O. should have no problems with any box as long as your name is printed clearly.
I think its great :cool: that your out there knocking off the miles.

Mango
11-30-2009, 11:10
I used the flat rate boxes from the usps for BB and for mail drops; they'll provide them for free. Several different sizes available. Benefit to me was I knew exactly how much postage it would take to mail it to the next location, so I could leave that amount with the hostel, trail angel, etc. without worrying that I might be stiffing them or having to wait around a day or so to go to the PO myself. Be sure to include pre-addressed, peel-n-stick labels.

GeneralLee10
11-30-2009, 11:17
I was not really asking for me just others that are not sure on what to use. I will use a regular box as I have not had any problems yet doing so.
I would have to say that most folks doing this Up coming Hike have no clue as to what to use.

Seriously, how many of the people doing a Thru hike this year have not even set foot on the trail yet? Much less know if they gear they spent money on will even work for them.


And yes just a simple marker will work just fine by putting your name on the outside of your box/es with an ETA.

Jeff
11-30-2009, 11:40
Saw a buddy use a plastic 5 gal paid with snap on lid. Worked great for bouncing, totally indestructible too.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 12:20
I was not really asking for me just others that are not sure on what to use. I will use a regular box as I have not had any problems yet doing so. I would have to say that most folks doing this Up coming Hike have no clue as to what to use.

Seriously, how many of the people doing a Thru hike this year have not even set foot on the trail yet? Much less know if they gear they spent money on will even work for them.

And yes just a simple marker will work just fine by putting your name on the outside of your box/es with an ETA.

Hmmm- maybe instead of asking questions you think others need to ask, let them ask... Otherwise you'll be asking a heck of a lot of questions.

Like this thread- starting about PO drops and moving on to how no one does a good shakedown (if they do it at all) or they don't know what they're doing. Sure, but we'll all learn. I've done shakedowns and long hikes, etc..., but honestly, the people who won't learn will drop out, and the others will learn along the way and be fine.

As for me, I've been collecting boxes from my office, all of which are pretty darn strong- lots were used to mail computers. And they should do. I'd really like NOT to have a bounce box. A, it's a hassle. B, might get lost. C, it's a hassle. D, it chews up money. I'm just doing maildrops for the first month (and a couple weeks), and I'll drop anything I don't need.

Sorry, my responses seem to be getting longer, but also seem to have less good info in 'em...:-?

GeneralLee10
11-30-2009, 13:09
Sorry, my responses seem to be getting longer, but also seem to have less good info in 'em...:-?[/QUOTE]

so why even reply if you have less good info? Seems like to me you know all anyways. If you talk as much as you post it would give folks a headache.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 13:12
so why even reply if you have less good info? Seems like to me you know all anyways. If you talk as much as you post it would give folks a headache.

I just meant that I'm having more trouble condensing what I have to say. Was that supposed to be an insult? Gee, thanks.

Pacific Tortuga
11-30-2009, 13:16
Sorry, my responses seem to be getting longer, but also seem to have less good info in 'em...:-?

so why even reply if you have less good info? Seems like to me you know all anyways. If you talk as much as you post it would give folks a headache.[/quote]


Have you forgoten what it's like to be young and excited about something ? Cut him some slack.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 13:50
Sorry- I'm just tired, scattered and in a bad mood today. I'll just stop posting on days like today.

PS- I'm young and excited, so I understand. I'm just being an arse today for some reason.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 13:54
See??? That's how tired I am. I though you were talking about Sorefoot. (Because I'm female, so I heard "him") Or maybe you were. I interpret anything under 80 as "young".

Anyway, I reread my post, and it wasn't mean, just my thoughts. Sorry if I came across as a "know it all", I really don't mean to. And I didn't mean to say you shouldn't ask questions for others, just that if you do, you'll end up asking a lot of 'em, 'cause there's a lot a lot of people don't know.

GeneralLee10
11-30-2009, 14:26
We made up, I will never say a mean thing to you again. Okay:)

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 14:28
Me too. :)

white_russian
11-30-2009, 14:42
Saw a buddy use a plastic 5 gal paid with snap on lid. Worked great for bouncing, totally indestructible too.
PO is the same as the backpacking world: weight is bad. 5 gal bucket weighs probably a couple of pounds empty so that is money down the drain. If you are not using flat rate boxes the free regular priority boxes probably weigh half a pound and that keeps more money in your bank account. Its not like you are shipping fragile things and need indestructibility anyway.

Spokes
11-30-2009, 15:10
I used free PO Priority/Flat rate boxes and didn't have a problem. Only changed out 1 box during the entire thru.

Be sure to do the math- sometimes Flat rate is cheaper and sometimes the standard Priority Mail rate is.... depends on weight and postal zone.

CrumbSnatcher
11-30-2009, 16:13
i've used a priority box before and the post master bounced it ahead for free. i remember bouncing it twice without opening it,and at least once after i got into it. im sure times have changed the USPS is loosing money hand over fist!

Theo
11-30-2009, 17:10
I'm one of those people SoreFoot was talking about. I don't know a thing about the
logistics of a Thru Hike. When you pick up a package, do you intend to take some things out and put some things in and mail it to your next pick up point? Is that what you
mean by a Bounce Box?

CrumbSnatcher
11-30-2009, 17:13
I'm one of those people SoreFoot was talking about. I don't know a thing about the
logistics of a Thru Hike. When you pick up a package, do you intend to take some things out and put some things in and mail it to your next pick up point? Is that what you
mean by a Bounce Box? you got it!

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 17:42
I'm one of those people SoreFoot was talking about. I don't know a thing about the
logistics of a Thru Hike. When you pick up a package, do you intend to take some things out and put some things in and mail it to your next pick up point? Is that what you
mean by a Bounce Box?

Yepper- and not only stuff that was already in the box or your pack-some people like to buy things in bulk in a store, or a package of something you can't get singularly (like razors), and they'll use one and send the rest on.

I personally am not too fond of the idea of bounce boxes, because I feel like it might get lost and chew up my money- it would be awesome if the PO would bounce it for free, like with crumbsnatcher. (That is only for priority, right? I thought it was only if it was unopened, I didn't know they'd do it after you opened it. Maybe you just got a really nice guy?)

We'll see. I may end up needing one, who knows? :)

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 17:45
And even though I really like brown boxes (I don't know, I just love brown boxes, especially with brown paper on them- I always wrap boxes I mail), I also think Sorefoot's idea is really good. If your trademark was a bright purple box, you'd always be able to point it out in a jiffy, and you could say "anyone seen a purple box", and the PO workers would probably remember having seen one, and people would know it's yours. Brilliant idea- might have to do that.

The Weasel
11-30-2009, 17:51
Yepper- and not only stuff that was already in the box or your pack-some people like to buy things in bulk in a store, or a package of something you can't get singularly (like razors), and they'll use one and send the rest on.

I personally am not too fond of the idea of bounce boxes, because I feel like it might get lost and chew up my money- it would be awesome if the PO would bounce it for free, like with crumbsnatcher. (That is only for priority, right? I thought it was only if it was unopened, I didn't know they'd do it after you opened it. Maybe you just got a really nice guy?)

We'll see. I may end up needing one, who knows? :)

"Bounce" boxes - opened once and then sent onwards - almost never make sense. You're paying postage multiple times, which chews up savings almost immediately. Unless you are CERTAIN that the next post office will be far from any source of resupply AND you will definitely need what is in the box, it's just a waste. Either carry everything or leave it in a hiker box. This is why I only use mail drops for 4000 calories/day of supply, since I know I'll need more than that, and amount in one box is calculated based on # of days to it to next resupply point.

Forwarding orders are routine (I always left one at any PO I stopped at just in case) but not if the box has been opened.

TW

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 18:07
That's what I've always figured. But, I've never been quite sure.

CrumbSnatcher
11-30-2009, 18:10
Yepper- and not only stuff that was already in the box or your pack-some people like to buy things in bulk in a store, or a package of something you can't get singularly (like razors), and they'll use one and send the rest on.

I personally am not too fond of the idea of bounce boxes, because I feel like it might get lost and chew up my money- it would be awesome if the PO would bounce it for free, like with crumbsnatcher. (That is only for priority, right? I thought it was only if it was unopened, I didn't know they'd do it after you opened it. Maybe you just got a really nice guy?)

We'll see. I may end up needing one, who knows? :)
like i said that was awhile ago! and yes the postmasters were nice. weasel's right, once you open the box you'll pay again to ship. and it can get exspensive. i bounce boxed 1 year only while thruhiking!, and maybe 5-6 bounces total. i don't like maildrops either very often. i like to shop at the grocery stores along the way 99% of the time.

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 18:12
That's kinda what I thought. But, I won't use one anyway unless absolutely neccesary.

Lone Wolf
11-30-2009, 18:14
bounce boxes and mail drops are wants not needs

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 18:18
Yep- and I want to use maildrops for the first month, after that, I don't. Thus, want, not need! I'm just doing it for convenience, and because I have a LOT of stamps to use.

The Weasel
11-30-2009, 18:21
SL:

Don't do it because you have the stamps, and don't say you won't after a month. Like most of plans for the AT (or anything else), you'll find out that some things work and some don't. You can actually save some legitimate money, after a month, if you find that you've got the system down pat, by taking an extra day off in an area where major bulk food can be found (e.g. Erwin/Johnson City) and doing another month or three of boxes. As for the stamps, they're money; they are good today, and good next year. Frugality makes sense.

TW

ShelterLeopard
11-30-2009, 18:29
True about the stamps, and we'll see what I end up doing. I feel like I won't end up doing more maildrops, but who knows? Maybe I'll love 'em. True, Weasel. Thanks.

(It just makes me feel better that I don't have to open my wallet to mail everything.)

daylaandjasper
12-20-2009, 01:25
a bounce box is definately a luxury one can do without, but on the other hand it can be useful. I plan to use one for my husband's hair clippers/beard shaver (yeah I know stop cutting the hair- but its not what he wants-, hard to find headlamp batteries, spare this and that, maybe our hard drive to refresh our mp3 playlists when we're sick of what we have, maybe town clothes (also a luxury), we may decide its not worth it after the first couple bounces.

BrianLe
12-20-2009, 02:48
I went into my PCT thru sort of assuming that I would use a bounce box, started with a long list of things I would bounce and then started paring back ... eventually the list got short enough that it didn't make sense to use one. The only things I really wanted to bounce were a charger for my cell phone (2.7 oz), and I forget what the other thing was (p38 maybe, about 6 grams of added weight there).

I too like to trim my beard on occasion --- that sort of "trail cred" I don't need if it makes it harder to hitch a ride. I don't think that will be a big problem; I'll be doing a couple of gear swaps along the way (cold-to-warm gear in Pearisburg, vice-versa before entering the whites), so can mail that back and forth those times. Plus various towns will have a barbershop.

My headlamp batteries are light enough (7g for a pair of CR2032's) that I don't mind carrying a spare set. I could see the use for sending map sets and guide books for those carrying what appears on the atctrailstore.org site to be a big box stuffed full of those things (!) ... for those that are getting infrequent mail drops. That might be a reason to consider a few more maildrops. But I was happy to not have a bounce box to mess with, and won't have one on the AT this coming year.

daylaandjasper
12-30-2009, 01:46
I think we will also go through that paring process before and early hike. I have hiked before, my husband hasn't - so I am still kind of in a mindset to want make sure we have everything we need since I am "in charge"

leaftye
01-01-2010, 16:56
Seriously, how many of the people doing a Thru hike this year have not even set foot on the trail yet?

I'll admit that I haven't been on a trail at all this year.

Mags
01-01-2010, 17:05
Saw a buddy use a plastic 5 gal paid with snap on lid. Worked great for bouncing, totally indestructible too.

That's what I did. Except I used an orange Home Depot bucket. Whenever I went into town, I'd say I'm here to pick up the orange bucket. They ALWAYS knew exactly where it was and right away. :D

Someone mentioned that is not an airport. Correct. However, when there are 20 (or more!) packages that are all brown boxes addressed in C/O GENERAL DELIVERY it is nice to have something that stands out a bit more. Trust me. (Try looking for your ice axe in Kennedy Meadows among 30+ similar boxes!)


"Bounce" boxes - opened once and then sent onwards - almost never make sense. Y
TW

Unless you do not have a support crew at home. In my BB, I had relevant guidebook sections, maps and a portable CD burner (read camera memory and burned my photos directly to CD for articles I was doing). The guidebook sections and maps were sorted out a head of time so I could yank out and place back in easily.

Does not make sense for everyone, but it made sense for me anyway.

zelph
01-31-2010, 16:20
That's what I did. Except I used an orange Home Depot bucket. Whenever I went into town, I'd say I'm here to pick up the orange bucket. They ALWAYS knew exactly where it was and right away. :D




Excellent idea the color orange:) I like it, has stand-out abilities:sun

sarahgirl
02-01-2010, 05:21
Excellent idea the color orange:) I like it, has stand-out abilities:sun

Yes, thanks for the idea. I think I'm going to go this route. Easier to get into than breaking down a box every bounce stop ;)