Your favorite mail-drop items?

[dep]

What are your favorite/most common items to request in your mail drops? I'm also trying to figure out my maildrop list and think I am probably forgetting some things..

Please share what has worked best for you in the past :)

kind regards,
dep

[Sly]

What are your favorite/most common items to request in your mail drops?


A variety of "nips" and a good mixer. My favorites are schnapps and hot chocolate, rum and tang or bourbon with cherry koolaid. Yum, yum after a long days hike. :D

[jackiebolen]

I loved it when nice people with money sent me the dehydrated backpacking meals. So expensive that I never would have bought them myself but they were sure good.

Some earplugs would have been nice, and some batteries for my MP3 player.

[TakeABreak]

Well I pre-packaged all of my maildrops myself and just had someone mail them to me, so I guess my favorite's were my treats I put together for myself, like Danish Butter Cookies, Gator Aid (for sipping on in evening's), cocoa mix and apple cider mix in winter time. I bought bulk as Sam's club and vacuum sealed them into small package's.

Mail drop advice, I found it was best to use Hostel's, motel's, outfitter's and such whenever possible. If you are going to use mail drops an don't mind the extra postage, do as many as possible and that are as close to the trail as possible. And please make sure you co-ordinate it, by calling the person and telling them to mail the couple of drops, these places rightfully do not like to hold mail drops for ever, so try to figure it out so that the drop will not be there but a few days to a week before you get there.

They only have so much room and some places will return your package if you do not arrive within two weeks, which I do not blame them for, they have better use for their the space that packages take up. I had a 3 support people, beacuse the primary person was going to be on vacation at the beginning and end of my hike.

The first was supposed to mail 2 packages snail mail, they mailed them overnight, which I heard about, because the packages were there for 3 weeks or more, the second person did everything exactly like I said, mailed everything snail mail. The third did like like the first and I heard about that too, bottom line, instruct the person how you want it done, and ONLY use someone who you know willow follow your instructions to the letter.

[The Solemates]

dont forget Q-tips. they were great.

[Jack Tarlin]

Having seen hundreds of folks open their maildrops over the years, here are a few ideas:

*If you want to hear from your friend, son, whatever, send along a pre-paid phone card.

*Keep home-made goodies to a reasonable size. Nobody's gonna hike outta town with four pounds of brownies. Most "treats" sent fromhome are given or thrown away.

*If it's a spot where you know your hiker is taking some time off, send along small (repeat, small) soaps, shampoos, deodorants, etc. This will save your hiker a few dollars as well as a trip to a pharmacy, dollar store, etc.

*Always enclose a few Ziplocks of varying sizes with your parcel. Hikers can always use a few extra.

*If you know what kind of camera your hiker is using, send along appropriate film. If he's using disposables, send some along. This is a great way to get back some photos taken just for you.

*If you know for sure that a hiker will be shopping at a particular store or business (Wal-Mart, REI, etc). consider sending along a gift certificate or pre-paid gift card.

*Don't send books, music, etc., unless you absolutely know that the hiker wants them. The majority of stuff sent to hikers either gets sent home immediately, is given away, or is thrown out.

*Don't send gear or equipment unless it's something the hiker has specifically asked for. The binoculars, knitted cap, or cute gadget might seem like an ideal thing to YOU, but I assure you the hiker doesn't want or need it, or he'd already have it.

*Avoid sending food unless you know exactly what your hiker wants. Unwanted stuff, once again, will be thrown out or given away.

*Lastly, although the folks at home seem to have more fun sending brownies, cards, goofy photos, or small joke gifts, I assure you that most hikers, especially younger ones on a budget, would rather see a twenty-dollar bill. Small gifts of money, with a card saying "Go get a pizza for you or your partner!" or "Treat yourself to a motel room!" mean the world to hikers.

And finally, always make sure your package is labelled and addressed correctly. Always include a return address. Make sure you're sending it to the right place (for example, mail sent to the Outfitter at Harpers Ferry needs to be sent to their P.O. Box, and NOT their street address). Do NOT send UPS packages to a Post Office; they MUST go to a business, home, or private address.

There is some excellent advice on how to send a maildrop in the Articles/Information section of this website; I think POG is the author of the most complete post.

[dep]

Thanks for the info guys.. good stuff!

[Doctari]

For me at least:
No more than 6 days food.
No more than 6 days drink powder.
Multi vitamines
Pain killers & other meds.
Q-tips rule.
Ear plugs, even tho I already carry some.
Batteries, All of my devices use AA so it's no need to say: "I need 3 AA, 4 D & 8 AAA"
Film, especially as my camera uses hard to find 110 film.
I like a small (hotel size) bar of soap in every drop, I use it then leave it. Many times I have gotten to a place to shower, but no soap, nor was any easily avalable as the hostel was out "till tomorrow".
A "Throw away" wash cloth, mine cost $0.30 each. Most places have towels, some have no wash cloths.
New pair of socks in each drop, even if I "dont need them", I can either: pick the least desierable pair & toss them, or carry an extra pair for a short while, or give to a needy fellow hiker.
A bandana, again, even if i don't exactly need it.
DUCT TAPE! In every box.
Letters from home are always welcome!

Leave the boxes open till just before shipment so you can have stuff added/removed as needed & friends/family can send you little stuff.
As posted above, I prefer to keep "treats" to a minimum.
I like to have on hand at home for addition as needed:
Tent stakes, painted orange.
Rope/cord
Insoles
Replacement clothing items. i.e. "a full outfit" some items 4 or 5 ea.

Doctari.

[SGT Rock]

My own homemade jerky. Better than anything you can buy.

[dep]

My own homemade jerky. Better than anything you can buy.
oh really? why don't you send me some on the trail next month? :)

dep

[wacocelt]

My own homemade jerky. Better than anything you can buy.

I'de love to see some of your homemade jerky in my maildrops Top, let's get right on that shall we? :D

[dep]

I'de love to see some of your homemade jerky in my maildrops Top, let's get right on that shall we? :D
it really did seem like he was volunteering, didn't it?!? lol!


i'm all for getting some homemade jerky in my drops!

[SGT Rock]

Dang, I was just thinking about making some anyway. It's going to be all gone before I get any.

[dixicritter]

Dang, I was just thinking about making some anyway. It's going to be all gone before I get any.
Especially if you leave it lying around the kitchen too long. ;)

[TakeABreak]

Jack, That was info you pointed out, a lot of people do think that the gadgets they send is a great idea, but like you said no one wants to carry them or they would be carrying them already.

I might also say that, I purcahsed lots of sample size items for myself before my hike and put them in my mail drops. Like .72 oz tube of toothpaste (lasts up 4 - 6 days), shampoo & soap. I also bought bio-degradeable toilet paper( in the walmart, or kmart camping/vehicle dept.), and had one in every mail drop, inside a zip loc bag. I would also put of each like tooth paste and T.P. in larger mail drops.

Lastly zip loc bags come in handy, and trash compactor bag's, 2 new ones about every 30 days or so, I lined my pack with one, keeps moisture out, and I insert my sleeping bag in one after putting it in it's stuff sack, kept my bag dry when I feel on my butt in a mud puddle soaking the bottom of my pack.