food drops - priority or snail mail?

[Megapixel]

so i know the best way to send a bump box is priority but do most send food drops the same way?

[leaftye]

Priority. It's probably cheaper too. Check the prices.

Speed makes a big difference when food drops are coming from home because they can be sent days ahead instead of weeks ahead.

[Sniddle]

Yep, priority is king, also considering the rural areas that you send packages to, priority guarantees it will get there at a certain point. Snail mail can leave your packages in limbo as it has to go from national distribution point to regional distribution point to local distribution point to the tiny town you send it too, adding days at untimely times.

[maybe clem]

I always sent them priority.

[4eyedbuzzard]

The price difference is next to nothing between priority and parcel post in most cases. The PO would like to do away with parcel post as a service but can't by law.

[Spokes]

I always used Priority mail too. Ordered a bunch of free Priority and Flat Rate Boxes before my hike. Remember Flat Rate isn't always cheaper and Priority isn't a guaranteed delivery service.

Nice little article here (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/502893/secrets_to_save_with_united_states.html?cat=3).

Cheers!

[swjohnsey]

Good article! Just ordered 10 free Priority Mail boxes.

[Spirit Walker]

The advantage of sending packages first class or priority is that you can forward them without paying if you haven't opened them. So if you go home and want your box sent to you or if you arrive in town early and decide to keep moving rather than wait for your box to arrive, you can put in a change of address at the PO and have it sent where you want it without having to pay again.

[Jack Tarlin]

In addition to being able to forward un-opened Priority Mail for free, in my experience, Post Offices also seem to take better care of it, i.e. you probably have a less chance of a priority parcel getting lost or mis-placed. But as other folks have told you, the difference in rates is not that great, especially for stuff mailed while en route (i.e. sending something from southwest Virginia up to central Virginia). It will absolutley get where it's going in just 2-3 days; regular "parcel post" can easily take 7-10 or more, especially if there are weekends or Holidays involved.

[swjohnsey]

There is no seperate distribution method or system for Priority Mail and Parcel Post. Everything I have ever mailed got there in the same amount of time whether mail Prority or Parcel Post.

[4eyedbuzzard]

There is no seperate distribution method or system for Priority Mail and Parcel Post. Everything I have ever mailed got there in the same amount of time whether mail Prority or Parcel Post.
I have not had that experience. I shipped an external frame pack to Nebraska from New Hampshire - took a full 10 days. Sent another large item priority to the same area - it took 2 days. Parcel post just isn't a cost efficient method for anything but very large bulky items.

[leaftye]

The price difference is next to nothing between priority and parcel post in most cases. The PO would like to do away with parcel post as a service but can't by law.

While a couple dollars here and there may be nothing to you, Parcel Post is much higher than Priority Mail in EVERY case on the PCT from San Diego to the last drop before Canada where Parcel Post is no longer an option.

Let's compare the cost of shipping 10 and 15 pounds. Keep in mind that I live near the start of the PCT, so prices expectedly only go up at drop points further up the trail.

Also, as far as hikers are concerned, the new Priority Mail Type B box is the new Priority Mail Flat Rate Large box. The old flat rate box is always $14.95. As you'll see, this new box is always less expensive.


Mount Laguna: $5.81 for Priority Mail, $9.18 for Parcel Post. For 15 pounds, Parcel Post goes up to $10.73.

Warner Springs: same prices.

Big Bear: same prices.

Agua Dulce: same prices.

Kennedy Meadows: $6.88 for Priority Mail, $11.03 for Parcel Post. For 15 pounds, Parcel Post goes up to $12.75.

Sierra City: $8.06 for Priority Mail, $11.61 for Parcel Post. For 15 pounds, Parcel Post goes up to $13.49.

Ashland: $10.51 for Priority Mail, $12.92 for Parcel Post. For 15 pounds, Parcel Post goes up to $14.77.

Snoqualmie Pass: $12.29 for Priority Mail, $14.16 for Parcel Post. For 15 pounds, Parcel Post goes up to $17.16.


So the new Type B Priority Mail box is cheaper than the old Priority Mail Large Flat Rate box AND Parcel Post.

I also noticed that the cost to ship with the new box was the same for 10 and 15 pounds. Just for kicks, I checked the prices with 20 pounds shipped to Snoqualmie Pass.
$12.29 Priority Mail Type B box
$20.16 Parcel Post

At 25 pounds the Type B box cannot be used, which brings the prices to:
$14.95 Priority Mail Large Flat Rate box
$23.16 Parcel Post


So there's always a Priority Mail option that costs less than Parcel Post for these weights. Parcel Post has the advantage if mailing less than 7 pounds to Snoqualmie Pass or less than 4 pounds to Mount Laguna, otherwise Priority Mail is the less expensive option....that is, if you can get a free box for Parcel Post.