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Adrian
07-31-2011, 12:24
I'm planning on thru hiking the AT starting March 2012. I've heard alot of people recommend mail drops as a way to resupply. I'm just looking for peoples opinons/recommendations as to how helpful or necessary they truely are. With the looming post office closures and time constraints of getting to post offices during busines hours, I'm tempted to say I'd rather just restock in town. Plus I'll know what and how much supplies I'll need at that time. How hard is it to find grocery stores close to the trail? Are the prices for food so high in trail towns that it outweighs shipping costs? Thanks!

Bearpaw
07-31-2011, 12:27
Restock in town. You'll ultimately save money from postage, versus the somewhat higher price of town food. And you will have variety. That stuff that looked so good going into your food drop will become unbearable after a few weeks, and you'll want something different.

Resupply your maps and so forth by an infrequent package sent to a hostel or business that will hold them. Many rural post offices in the AT corridor will be shutting down withing the next year or so.

Lone Wolf
07-31-2011, 12:29
i never used a mail drop for food. there are plenty of places to resupply and it's cheaper in the long run. i only used mail drops for gear and maps.

Iceaxe
07-31-2011, 13:16
I highly recommend the Buy as you Go strategy for the AT. (Actually i recommend it for the PCT and CDT as well)
The only things i mailed to myself were shoes and socks but even those could have been replaced on trail it turned out.
There were a few times resupply was a little challenging variety wise but overall I was more than happy with this approach.
The Goodwill created by buying food from small communities can only benefit us as Long Distance hikers in the long run.
For every maildrop you send you have spent $10.95 , that is a whole day of trail food or 3 days if you are Trailbender. (Just having fun bro!)
Seriously, I just hiked the A.T. This year and with the coming post office closings I would definitely use this strategy again.
You can also buy food in bulk in larger trail towns and simply mail it ahead to yourself for a hybrid strategy.
Out west we do this in places like South pass City, Wyoming, and places in Oregon and Washington where there truly are
no viable options but a buisiness or individual will hold packages for us.

WingedMonkey
07-31-2011, 14:51
In these days of walk two days to the next hamburger or pizza (if you can't cell phone your order to the closest road crossing) you won't rely on mail drops as much. There is still a chance you will need to use mail service, learn how. Like Iceaxe says maybe to break up bulk items to mail ahead. Or you may need to mail things like memory cards back home. There is a chance that some piece of gear may fail and you may have to return to where you got it, sometimes with insured postage.
As to the proposed post office closings, it's still only a study and only affects a few trail P.O.'s. May or may not be decided by spring of 2012.
Go ahead and set up an account at the USPS website. It will allow you to pay for and print postage online. You can even schedule a Priority Mail pick up at places on the trail besides the post office and your account will be billed.

Red Hat
07-31-2011, 14:56
Pretty much what everyone else said. I used maildrops only for my maps. I resupplied in town, and bought new shoes along the way.

WingedMonkey
07-31-2011, 15:11
For future thru hikers: I just saw on my USPS web site that they are now selling Prepaid Forever Priority Mail Flat Rate Packaging.
So even if the price goes up between now and your 2012 0r 2013 hike your package is prepaid at today's rates.

Blissful
07-31-2011, 16:51
Do a search for this topic as its been talked about a lot. I also talk about resupply and what I did on my blog. I both bought and used maildrops and worked well for me both times. There are areas, imo, that a mail drop is very helpful.

Blissful
07-31-2011, 16:59
With the looming post office closures and time constraints of getting to post offices during busines hours,

You can always send drops to many outfitters, hostels, hotels. The companion lets you know who accepts drops. Saying it can only go to a PO and the issue of time is a misnomer that gets circulated a lot these days.

With limited foodstuffs in places like at convenience stores, etc, plus the pain of having to spend the time hitching, walking, getting on and off and trying to figure out what to buy, I find mail drops to certain areas on the AT a time saver and money saver and nutrition saver. Again, there are only a few places I would drop b/c of these issues, but I did more drops b/c of my meds and I wanted better food.

Jack Tarlin
08-01-2011, 09:11
As others have pointed out, the vast majority of present day thru-hikers prefer to purchase most of their food while en route. There are really only a handful of places where it makes sense to send yourself a food parcel, either because there's no nearby store, or the available store is poorly stocked, over-priced, etc. If you do a search under "Maildrops" or "Re-Supply" you'll find this subject extensively discussed here on Whiteblaze.

Uncle Tom
08-01-2011, 12:20
You don't need any mail drops.

DapperD
08-01-2011, 19:18
From what I understand it is best to just resupply at the many different towns along the way. When dealing with maildrops, the overall hassle between the cost, having to retrieve them at specific times and locations, and having to adhere to a specific "schedule" when dealing with them for most just isn't worth the bother/trouble. The ability to just resupply/obtain goods along the way appears to be the best choice as it is reported that there really isn't too much of a problem overall in being able to do so. Also to consider in regards to using maildrops for your overall food resupply, it has been reported that unless you have specific needs, such as being on a vegetarian diet or need specific food items or other supplies that will most likely be hard to obtain from the stores that are available, then you would probably be better off to limit your maildrops to certain areas where resupply may present more of a challenge than normal, or in order to ship yourself specific items and/or gear. Otherwise there may be regret involved in choosing to make repeated use of maildrops for ones food, as tastes can change once the hike is underway.

Lone Wolf
08-01-2011, 20:31
From what I understand it is best to just resupply at the many different towns along the way. When dealing with maildrops, the overall hassle between the cost, having to retrieve them at specific times and locations, and having to adhere to a specific "schedule" when dealing with them for most just isn't worth the bother/trouble. The ability to just resupply/obtain goods along the way appears to be the best choice as it is reported that there really isn't too much of a problem overall in being able to do so. Also to consider in regards to using maildrops for your overall food resupply, it has been reported that unless you have specific needs, such as being on a vegetarian diet or need specific food items or other supplies that will most likely be hard to obtain from the stores that are available, then you would probably be better off to limit your maildrops to certain areas where resupply may present more of a challenge than normal, or in order to ship yourself specific items and/or gear. Otherwise there may be regret involved in choosing to make repeated use of maildrops for ones food, as tastes can change once the hike is underway.that's it in a nutshell. end the thread. next! :sun

WingedMonkey
08-01-2011, 22:08
Now that we have all told you that you don't need mail drops, go on trail journals or thru hiker blogs and see all the actual thru hikers this year or last that did use them.

:sun

Razor
08-02-2011, 19:48
Answer: NO

Trailbender
08-02-2011, 21:53
Now that we have all told you that you don't need mail drops, go on trail journals or thru hiker blogs and see all the actual thru hikers this year or last that did use them.

:sun

Just because hundreds of people do something stupid, doesn't make it any less so. You are paying around $15 to ship food. That is like 3 days worth of food by itself.

dillard
08-02-2011, 23:23
Just because hundreds of people do something stupid, doesn't make it any less so. You are paying around $15 to ship food. That is like 3 days worth of food by itself.

+1 to that...

Spider
08-04-2011, 13:34
Mail drops are not necessary. It's a lot easier and less complicated to just resupply in towns. Also it's not always easy to gauge how much you're going to be eating and what you're going to want to eat. That being said, some people prefer mail drops because they don't have to worry about food along the way. Also it can be difficult to find certain specialty foods in some towns (for instance I've found clif bars to be one of the hardest things to find in town).

kyhipo
08-04-2011, 14:30
actually after hiking the trail for yrs,I personally like the idea of having a mail drop.I think its a mental thing like this is nice.ky

Trailbender
08-04-2011, 16:26
Mail drops are not necessary. It's a lot easier and less complicated to just resupply in towns. Also it's not always easy to gauge how much you're going to be eating and what you're going to want to eat. That being said, some people prefer mail drops because they don't have to worry about food along the way. Also it can be difficult to find certain specialty foods in some towns (for instance I've found clif bars to be one of the hardest things to find in town).

That's why you have alternatives you are willing to eat. I am not picky at all when it comes to food, so I had no issues with resupply anywhere. Clif bars are good, but I never found the food to price ratio worth it. I could get a pound of cookies at Dollar General for the same price as one Clif bar. Same thing with Snicker's, 2lbs Fig Newtons vs 9 oz candy bars.

Blissful
08-04-2011, 18:35
Just because hundreds of people do something stupid, doesn't make it any less so. You are paying around $15 to ship food. That is like 3 days worth of food by itself.

I'd appreciate not using the word stupid for what other hikers have successfully done, thank you. I think we are a bit more mature on here...or maybe not...

I've used them and done the trail twice in my 40's. I hardly think that makes me stupid for using drops.

Our shipping cost around $8 a box, give or take.

And I have seen one resupply at a convenience store cost $15. Unless one eats what you prefer, like cookies, and I sure wouldn't get far on that kind of junk food at my age. Didn't see that many Dollar Generals in my travels either.


Nice that people like DapperD comment on it by rehashing other's comments, but how many actually did use drops? Or only making conjectures from other posts they have seen time and time again so they are memorized?
Again, and I guess I have to stress this, YOU do not have to send them to POs and adjust your schedules. Plenty of other places take them. You can arrive on Sunday at a hostel and pick up your box when you darn well please. But I guess the PO clause will get beaten and tossed around and whatever. As for food you get tired of, excuse me, but what do most convenience stores stock? The same old food. Ramen and Lipton and tuna packets (and I have seen a 99 cent tuna packet at a big grocery store go for $3.00 at the convenience stores BTW). With a maildrop you get a variety and ti can be cheaper and better in certain areas. Should be easy to say and see.

End of story from one who has successfully used drops AND who also bought food

DapperD
08-05-2011, 19:02
I'd appreciate not using the word stupid for what other hikers have successfully done, thank you. I think we are a bit more mature on here...or maybe not...

I've used them and done the trail twice in my 40's. I hardly think that makes me stupid for using drops.

Our shipping cost around $8 a box, give or take.

And I have seen one resupply at a convenience store cost $15. Unless one eats what you prefer, like cookies, and I sure wouldn't get far on that kind of junk food at my age. Didn't see that many Dollar Generals in my travels either.


Nice that people like DapperD comment on it by rehashing other's comments, but how many actually did use drops? Or only making conjectures from other posts they have seen time and time again so they are memorized?
Again, and I guess I have to stress this, YOU do not have to send them to POs and adjust your schedules. Plenty of other places take them. You can arrive on Sunday at a hostel and pick up your box when you darn well please. But I guess the PO clause will get beaten and tossed around and whatever. As for food you get tired of, excuse me, but what do most convenience stores stock? The same old food. Ramen and Lipton and tuna packets (and I have seen a 99 cent tuna packet at a big grocery store go for $3.00 at the convenience stores BTW). With a maildrop you get a variety and ti can be cheaper and better in certain areas. Should be easy to say and see.

End of story from one who has successfully used drops AND who also bought foodWell from what I understand not only those that consider themselves elitist thru-hikers are the only ones allowed to speak on these forums, especially since the site is described as "A Community of Appalachian Trail Enthusiasts", not "A Community of Appalachian Thru-Hike Elitists". Last I checked the common non-thru hiked status members are allowed to give opinions and answers as long as they remain within the parameters of the Whiteblaze User Agreement. With regards to maildrops who cares what you do. If you have the money you can have gourmet meals prepared for yourself every night. If someone was to actually pay attention to what is said here, by the thru-hikers who have done the trail, the common consensus is that unless you have specific needs, you don't need maildrops, you can just resupply enroute. If you want to use them, then do that. Heck, you can even use maildrops and buy your food enroute and combine both resupply methods if you would like. Oh wait!, you actually did that:o.

ScottP
08-08-2011, 19:48
I'm a very picky eater when I hike. I resupply almost entirely from maildrops. Buying in bulk online offsets the majority of shipping costs.

jersey joe
08-08-2011, 20:48
No, you don't NEED any maildrops, but I see nothing wrong with using mail drops that are right on the trail. Especially if you have someone from home that can manage them for you and make changes on the fly if needed. I used mail drops almost exclusively on my thru hike but would opt for a more balanced combination of mail drops and grocery resupplies if I were to thru hike again.

emerald
08-09-2011, 14:29
Well, from what I understand not only those that consider themselves elitist thru-hikers are the only ones allowed to speak on these forums ...

The person to whom you replied isn't an elitist. She asked that opposing points of view be respected.

I don't care if 99.9 percent of the people who post here agree with a particular point of view. People with experience who believe another point of view is valid ought to be able to post aguments in favor of their own point of view without being subjected to abuse.

PreyingJaws
08-09-2011, 18:36
A lot of replies in this topic have mentioned Maps & Gear. Are the maps available along the way or can they be left behind for the thru-hiker to rely on the white blazes? What of gear, send it a head or rely on what's in town?

mikec
08-09-2011, 20:36
I've used maildrops on my section hikes. Clean underwear, maps, guides, odd sized batteries, food that you like or that will last for more than a day on the trail. These are all things that you can't get in most trail towns.

LDog
08-09-2011, 20:50
I like to cook, and am planning a hybrid approach where I do the majority of my replenishment in town, and use mail drops to refill my "larder" stuff that I don't expect to find in trail town stores - Dehydrated veggies, dehydrated beans, powdered eggs, chicken and tuna salad in foil packets, quinoa, protein powder, powdered cheese, powdered butter, ground flax, and individual packets of condiments like soy sauce, mustard, mayo, ranch dressing ... Maybe a few treats like Larabars and Genisoy bars ... Not so much that it weighs down our packs, but not so little I'm hitting the post office in every town.

I'll also have a box for swapping shoulder-weight gear for summer weight, and vice versa.

My sister has agreed to take care of my drop boxes. I'll email her when I want something ~7 days out. Probably use prepaid boxes for the food. I'll leave the boxes open so she can slip mail (and maybe a few cookies) in.

jersey joe
08-10-2011, 14:59
My sister has agreed to take care of my drop boxes. I'll email her when I want something ~7 days out. Probably use prepaid boxes for the food. I'll leave the boxes open so she can slip mail (and maybe a few cookies) in.
Having someone at home to alter and send supply boxes is HUGE!
I realized two days into my thru hike that I had zero desire to cook oatmeal for breakfast every morning(that was the plan) and had Mom pull tons of oatmeal out of my mail drops for me before sending.

Jeff
08-10-2011, 15:13
Having someone at home to alter and send supply boxes is HUGE!


Lots of hikers use maildrops and lots of mail drops have ended up in our hiker box. Jersey Joe is right. You need someone at home to modify your shipments for sure !!!!

Feral Nature
08-10-2011, 17:16
So flat rate boxes are the way to go?

4eyedbuzzard
08-10-2011, 17:37
So flat rate boxes are the way to go?Not always. Depends upon the weight, box size, and zones (where from / where to). http://postcalc.usps.gov/

jazzmessenger8
08-10-2011, 17:52
That's why you have alternatives you are willing to eat. I am not picky at all when it comes to food, so I had no issues with resupply anywhere. Clif bars are good, but I never found the food to price ratio worth it. I could get a pound of cookies at Dollar General for the same price as one Clif bar. Same thing with Snicker's, 2lbs Fig Newtons vs 9 oz candy bars.

Clif bars are scientifically designed to give you lots of energy and nutrients. Cookies are not, they are junk food, and thus in order to find an equivalent amount of nutrients and energy in them you must eat a lot more (i.e. you must carry more weight). There is a difference between being picky and being knowledgable about what is best for your body. Continue eating cookies if you want to be nutrient-deficient and feel awful. It is worth the money.

Hooch
08-10-2011, 18:00
Clif bars are scientifically designed to give you lots of energy and nutrients. Cookies are not, they are junk food, and thus in order to find an equivalent amount of nutrients and energy in them you must eat a lot more (i.e. you must carry more weight). There is a difference between being picky and being knowledgable about what is best for your body. Continue eating cookies if you want to be nutrient-deficient and feel awful. It is worth the money.Wow, I guess one has to be 19 to know that. Glad you know everything and are nice enough to share it with the rest of the world. :rolleyes:

Jack Tarlin
08-10-2011, 18:08
I'm not sure Jazzmessenger is correct. I've studied the ingredients/calorie amounts, etc. of all sorts of hiker foods, and I'm really not all that sure that things like Cliff Bars, Energy Bars, Power Bars, etc. are all that "good" for you nutritionally, i.e. they contain sugars, honey, corn syrup, you name it, same as all sorts of other stuff does. Also, these "health" bars are extremely expensive compared to plain old candy bars. Hikers diets are deficient in all sorts of other things, which is why I take a good multi-vitamin every day while hiking, to make up for lack of fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy, etc. If I have Snickers and Milky Ways every day instead of Power Bars or Cliff Bars, I'll save a ton of money; probably get just as many calories (or maybe more); and probably ingest very similar ingredients. Oh, I can also take all that money I'll save by buying candy bars and use that extra $ to buy something really healthy when I get to town.......15, 20 bucks a week can buy one helluva good salad, never mind some real fresh fruit to pack with you when you leave town. In short, I think "health" bars are a sham. If I'm eating what is essentially a candy bar, then I'm gonna spend .99 cents on it, not $2.79.

Oh, and did I mention that candy bars (i.e. real ones) actually are fun to eat and taste good? This is decidedly NOT true of most "health" bars, many of which taste like mocha flavored bath mats. There's a reason why "Snickers" bars are sorta ubiquitous out there......in fact, there are lots of reasons.

Skidsteer
08-10-2011, 18:59
Clif bars are scientifically designed to give you lots of energy and nutrients.

You have got to be kidding.

jazzmessenger8
08-10-2011, 18:59
Wow, I guess one has to be 19 to know that. Glad you know everything and are nice enough to share it with the rest of the world. :rolleyes:

Any 19-year-old going to school for nutrition knows that. I am only sharing what I know. Whether or not you want to admit it, my information was helpful. Health is an important factor, especially when one wants to undergo an activity as strenuous as hiking the AT. I would appreciate it if you made no more sarcastic comments. Instead, tell me what was naive about my statement.

jazzmessenger8
08-10-2011, 19:01
You have got to be kidding.
I kid you not.

weary
08-10-2011, 19:22
I'm planning on thru hiking the AT starting March 2012. I've heard alot of people recommend mail drops as a way to resupply. I'm just looking for peoples opinons/recommendations as to how helpful or necessary they truely are. With the looming post office closures and time constraints of getting to post offices during busines hours, I'm tempted to say I'd rather just restock in town. Plus I'll know what and how much supplies I'll need at that time. How hard is it to find grocery stores close to the trail? Are the prices for food so high in trail towns that it outweighs shipping costs? Thanks!
Well, if you are skilled at cooking, and can save a bit with mail drops. The best reason for mail drops is to enjoy more of the trail, and less of the towns.

I studied the ATC data book and mailed whereever, a post office was closer than what the books said was a good trail resupply store.

max patch
08-10-2011, 19:29
Mail drops are not necessary.

Some people find them preferable.

I used mail drops on my thru BUT WOULD NOT DO SO AGAIN.

Even if you use mail drops you STILL end up going to the grocery store anyway. So what's the point?!

(ignore the above if you are the rare individual with dietary restrictions.)

Lone Wolf
08-10-2011, 20:43
I would appreciate it if you made no more sarcastic comments. Instead, tell me what was naive about my statement.you've done no long distance backpacking and clif bars are over-priced yuppie bars at 300 calories

LDog
08-11-2011, 10:45
The Crunchy Peanut butter weighs 2.4 ozs and provides 240 calories. 100 calories per oz puts em slightly above raisins, and equal to Fig Newtons. Compared to Fig Newtons, they do have 3x the fat (tho some is saturated), double the sodium, 7% DV of potassium where Fig Newtons have none, more dietary fiber as a percent of total carbs, almost twice the sugar, and considerably more protein.

Fig Newton ingredients: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), FIGS PRESERVED WITH SULFUR DIOXIDE, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY (FROM MILK), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, BAKING SODA, CALCIUM LACTATE, MALIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), POTASSIUM SORBATE ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Clif Bar Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Soy Flour, Organic Roasted Soybeans), Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Toasted Oats (Organic Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup), Organic Cane Syrup, Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Peanut Flour, Dry Roasted Peanuts, ClifCrunch® (Apple Fiber, Organic Oat Fiber, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Organic Milled Flaxseed, Psyllium), Organic Date Paste, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.

I always thought Fig Newtons were a healthy snack. Might as well be eating donuts!

RETCW4
08-11-2011, 12:30
Hike your own hike!!!


Tumbleweed

Skidsteer
08-11-2011, 14:44
The Crunchy Peanut butter weighs 2.4 ozs and provides 240 calories. 100 calories per oz puts em slightly above raisins, and equal to Fig Newtons. Compared to Fig Newtons, they do have 3x the fat (tho some is saturated), double the sodium, 7% DV of potassium where Fig Newtons have none, more dietary fiber as a percent of total carbs, almost twice the sugar, and considerably more protein.

Fig Newton ingredients: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), FIGS PRESERVED WITH SULFUR DIOXIDE, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, WHEY (FROM MILK), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, BAKING SODA, CALCIUM LACTATE, MALIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), POTASSIUM SORBATE ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Clif Bar Ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Soy Flour, Organic Roasted Soybeans), Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Toasted Oats (Organic Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup), Organic Cane Syrup, Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Peanut Flour, Dry Roasted Peanuts, ClifCrunch® (Apple Fiber, Organic Oat Fiber, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Organic Milled Flaxseed, Psyllium), Organic Date Paste, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt.

I always thought Fig Newtons were a healthy snack. Might as well be eating donuts!


Just eat a Flintstones chewable with your snickers bar.

Nutritious trail food, dirtbag style.

max patch
08-11-2011, 15:01
You can have the overpriced Cliff bars.

I'l stick with a PBJ on a slice of wheat bread.

Spokes
08-11-2011, 15:34
Sure you can get by without but there's a few locations on the AT where having one sure makes your life a little easier. I would definitely send a drop to:

Fontana Dam- The store there is just way too unpredictable. When I went through they were out of most basic stuff like tuna and peanut butter. Don't give the Post Mistress any flack. It was the only PO I actually got yelled at. Seems she has a problem reading shipping addresses written in plain English.
Harpers Ferry- Unless you want to walk forever or take bus with a weird schedule.
Carratunk- Not a whole lot around there. The Post Mistress there is a real gem! Loved talking to her.
Monson- Send it to Shaw's and be done with it. There is a small grocery store in town however.

Consider using a bounce box for all those hard to find items like travel size toothpaste, med's, vitamins, extra homemade alchy stove, bite valve replacement, small Gold Bond powder, etc....

Good luck.

Tim51
09-01-2011, 12:45
You don't need any mail drops. True this.

carpediemkath
09-02-2011, 03:37
I agree, the need for meds and better food are the two reasons I'd use a mail drop (and I've used them a lot). Check the companion to see if there are any long-term resupply stores in the areas you plan to stop. If there are only short-term resupply, you might want to send a drop. Short-term resupply, in my experience, was usually chips, candy bars, poptarts, ramen, and lipton noodle dinners. If you do decide you need to send a mail drop, there are plenty of things you can add that will enhance your comfort. For instance whenever I send a mail drop, I usually include another foot or so of duct tape, rolled like a pencil, to be wrapped around my hiking poles. Also quarters and a packet of laundry soap for the laundry; extra TP; a few more feet of dental floss; another small tube of tooth paste; and half a bar of Lava soap (seems like all my hotel stops either provided no soap or very little, so the Lava soap is perfect for scrubbing days worth of trail dirt away). Also a few stamps to send postcards home, and a few extra ziplock freezer bags. These items don't add a lot of weight to a mail drop but they add a lot of convenience.
And you can send your mail drops to outfitters, hotels and hostels along the way. To date I've never sent one to a post office--the hours are too unreliable and it would suck to arrive in town at 5pm on a Friday and have to wait till Mon morning to get your box.