Bounce boxes

[WhoAh]

Anyone planning on using a bounce box? I know it ties you to specific places/times, but I am contemplating using one.

If you are planning on using one, what all are you thinking of putting in it?

[Nean]

Town clothes, coffee grinder and beans, extra everything, sometimes my tent, etc. ......

[Smacky70]

I'm still researching, but I'm pretty sure I'll end up using one.
Probably put things like toilet paper, cotton ear buds etc. Plus winter clothes when the time is appropriate.

[Nean]

Used and future sections of maps and guidebooks, batteries, camera stuff, shampoo, toenail clippers, laundry detergent, and any number of things I tend to collect along the way.

[mweinstone]

only little girlymen use them.hows that shades of gray!?

[fiddlehead]

town clothes, large toothpaste tube (that you can squeeze into the small one you carry), Dehydrated food that you like and made at home, coffee (things you buy easier in larger quanitites but don't need to carry all of), flash drive, memory stick for your camera, extra ziplocks, etc. the list can be big depending on your needs. There's lots of threads on this subject. Search for them and fine out lots. good luck.

[1Pint]

There's a bunch of little stuff that I don't want to pack but I would like access to every now and then, so....

I'm currently planning on using one for junk like my cell phone (don't want it on the trail, but I have to pay on my contract anyway, so I might as well call home every other week to let friends know I'm still alive), my glasses, extra set of contacts, a razor, a real hairbrush, and my address book.

[frieden]

town clothes, nail clippers, dremmel, xtra camera stuff, razor, ziplocs, shampoo/soap, etc.

[Skidsteer]

town clothes, nail clippers, dremmel, xtra camera stuff, razor, ziplocs, shampoo/soap, etc.

Dremel? As in Dremel tool? Please elaborate. I gotta hear this!

[frieden]

Yep, a Dremel tool (sorry, I never could spell). Ed hates having his nails clipped. My sister uses a Dremel for her working dogs' nails, and suggested it. He likes to be vacuumed too, but I'm not putting that in the bounce box!

[frieden]

Ed is my service dog.

[hikerjohnd]

Is ed your dog or husband?

This is 100% serious, by the way.

OK Boston - you owe me a new mouse - I laughed so hard at this comment Pepsi shot out of my nose and all over my desk.

I keep getting this image of some 50 year old guy sitting in front of the post office, Dremel in hand, grinding down his gnarly toenails.

[WhoAh]

Those that are planning on using bounce boxes - and I am one of those - have you decided which post offices you are going to bounce it too? I am assuming that these would be fairly major trail towns, but which ones?

[hammock engineer]

What I am going to do is put a copy of all of the post office address into the box. I am going to mail it ahead to Monson (I'll get the spelling right on the package). Heading sobo soon.

[Fiddler]

A 5 gallon plastic bucket with a good sealable lid makes about as good a bounce box as you can get.

[John Scott]

The responses so far indicate that the boxes are very useful. I thru hiked in 2000 and didn't use a box once, in part because I live in London, England and the customs procedures would have been too much. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't because they seem such a terrible hassle - hiking into towns, hanging around waiting for post offices to open, constantly repacking. Some folks think the effort is worth it. But you can do the AT without them - and indeed without mailing food - and it's a whole lot more enjoyable.

[Blissful]

Can someone give a possible list as to where you should send your bounce box, starting NOBO? I leave March 1st. (someone asked this earlier but it wasn't answered) I was having a dream last night about organizing a bounce box, ha ha, so thought I'd better ask

Also, what do you then put in mail drops? I figure some of the meds I take (presciption, glucosomine, etc) maybe food I can't get, etc. or can that just go in the bounce box too?

[The Old Fhart]

Blissful, try this article.

[soulrebel]

waste of money...unless it's full of porno...

[mweinstone]

dude,.....DUDE,....dude!!!!! DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!




DO NOT SEND A 5 GAL PLASTIC BUCKET THRU THE MAIL!!!!!!!
use some common sense. have some respect. do you have any idea what that would initiate.?

mailroom to 911 operater: 911 operater 2674 what is the nature of your emergency?
we have a suspisious package here at 30 th street post office in the loading dock ares.
what does the package look like sir?
its a five gallon plastic bucket like the kind used for chemicals or paint and its addressed to general delivery, please hold for AT HIKER!
sir i want you to stay as far away from the bucket as possable were sendind the bomb squad.
later that evening a knock on the door of the fiddler.
knock,knock,....yes hellow can i help you officers?
you the fiddler?