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Duff
04-29-2010, 17:30
I've read several postings about where people claim to have no mail support. What are the suggestions for bounce boxes - a) Would you include your sleep system so as to have different two-season bags? - b) Winter gear? - c) Where and when do you send them? (both NOBO and SOBO please "wade in") - d) What else do you include in a bounce box? Thanks in advance!

tortoise1
05-16-2010, 12:11
Duff. I have done mail drops in the past with little problems. I think you would be better off trying hard to get some support for your mail drops at your home base. If you rely on re supplying yourself on the trail you may run into problems with availability of goods in trail towns. Getting to the next big town to re supply and then forwarding that to yourself is going to be work, and no guarantees. I am planning a thru hike in 2011 and plan on using a bounce box. I have never done this before, and no expert. I plan on bouncing small things that will not make or break my hike if it does not show. Ie.. mobil phone and charger, battery charger for my digital camera w/extra chip, gig sticks, little creature comforts that I don't want to carry town to town. Good luck.
Tortoise.

safn1949
05-16-2010, 12:32
It depends also on the weight,3rd class is generally $1 a pound,but i think there is a minimum price so look on USPS website.If it is under that minimum,then it can be cheaper to send it 1st class.

I sent myself 3 boxes and they were beat to death,almost to the point of losing some of their contents,so keep that in mind.:D

garlic08
05-16-2010, 15:57
I don't do regular mail drops, but I do have a trusted friend at home with whom I leave a box of my extra gear and/or a planned gear change shipment, such as summer gear and extra shoes for the AT. I haven't used a bounce box since my first long hike and I found it wasn't worth the hassle for me. But I don't need meds and don't carry electronics, the usual suspects in a bounce box.

tortoise1
05-17-2010, 06:19
One other thing to add or note here. I am just moving back to Michigan from Alaska. I lived there for six years. I did tons of mailing back and forth in those years. If you go to the USPS they have priority boxes that are free. They come in three different sizes. You can put up to 70lbs in each box, which is probably impossible, but they range in price to ship between $8 and $10. 95% of the time, either AK to MI or vise versa, The box made it in two to three days. I think that is the best option out there. Good luck.
Tortoise.

Spokes
05-17-2010, 06:33
I did both on my thru hike last year. If I did it again I would minimize the maildrops but still use a bounce.

I included hard to find items like travel size toothpastes, an extra homemade alcohol stove, vitamins and supplements, extra platypus with hose, some clothes, etc... I also pre-packed several Hallmark cards to send family and friends. They appreciated the hand written notes from the trail.