Help with mail drops...

[Mishap]

For those of you who have done thruhiked or long sectioned hike AND used maildrops these questions are for you. Im trying to put my maildrop locations together and am getting really frustrated. How often did you guys go into town? did you put everything you needed in the boxes or buy some small stuff along the way (toothpaste, toilet paper,etc.)? How much do you think all that postage cost you all together? Did you only go to post offices or some buisnesses along the way? I dont plan on staying too many nights in hostels or hotels so do they charge for accepting packages if your not staying there? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mishap

[Jack Tarlin]

Lots of threads here on the subject. Just do a Search on "Re-Supply" or "Maildrops" and you'll find enough to keep you busy for hours.

Also, in the "Articles" section of this website there's lots of information on Mail, Re-Supply, how to send and receive mail while en route, how long each section of the Trail will likely take you to hike, etc. I suggest you start here.

[Mishap]

Will do. thanks.

[Jack Tarlin]

Mishap:

Within a few weeks, all of the 2010 Trail Guidebooks will be coming out. They are quite similar in terms of content and they'll all give you the information you're looking for, especially Post Office addresses, locations, and Service Hours. Also, these books will list just about all of the non-Post Office locations that will accept and hold hiker mail. Most of these are Outfitters on or near the Trail; motels; and hiker hostel/bunkhouses. Nearly all of these places hold mail at no charge or for a very nominal fee. A few others charge a slightly higher fee if you are not actually going to be an overnight guest at their facilities. In any case, info on all these places is found in the hiker Guides. Oh, and make sure you always have a good photo I.D. with you, as many places, especially Post Offices, will want to see one before turning over your mail.

You can examine the 2009 edition of one of these books for free by going to www.aldha.org and check out the On-Line version of The Thru-Hikers Companion.

[A-Train]

As far as mailing supplies, I wouldn't bother. I put things like batteries and film (the old days) into my few maildrops and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, even if you buy things in bulk and get a great deal at Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, etc.

From doing 2 long hikes I can tell you that it's easier to buy things like TP, batteries and toiletries on a need now basis rather than juggle superflous items that you've shipped from across the country. The AT has stores up and down the trail and while the mark-up does exist at some shops, the prices of postage would outweigh this.

[singing wind]

Ditto A-Train. There was a time years ago when maildrops were helpful, but now there are so many places to pick up what you need on an as needed basis + having lost some valuable items in the mail while hiking changed my mind about using maildrops. Overall I've found it easier to buy as you go, however YMMV.

Heaps of info. from previous threads here on WB.
Good luck!

[squeezebox]

What about maps?

[reddenbacher]

i had 44 boxes made up.found they were more trouble than shopping.there are things that are great to get,but not needed,tarlin was the best advice anywhere.5 boxes or a few more is all you need.and you can do that from tghe trail

[reddenbacher]

ps i still have 20 boxes made up.looks like i will have to hike 4 more years

[Dogwood]

Mishap, read that resupply article that JT mentioned!

The AT has the most opportunities for resupplying that I've ever encountered on any long distance trail(200 + miles) here in the U.S.

[white_russian]

What about maps?

I don't really consider those as normal mail drops. You can put a maps in a large envelope and it only cost a buck or two for first class mail. Do that maybe a dozen times and its not a big expense. Totally different animal than paying 10 bucks each for a flat rate box and then trying to make it up by buying in bulk and anticipating your appetite while doing something radically different.

Which maps to send where is a good question though.

[Spokes]

Mishap, to each his own. I agree with others here to read up on the available re-supply information but I'll share my experience with you. I planned and executed the maildrop thing on this years thru hike and looking back I would limit the number of drops to maybe 5-6. Why? Because it's just so easy to get into towns.

Think of it this way, the thru hike is a series of 4 (+/-) day hikes. You learn quickly how to adjust your supply stops by reading your guidebook on the trail.

I would definitely do a bounce box and fill it with all those hard to find items like travel size toiletries, meds, extra Aqua Mira or filters, camera memory cards, and small pads for our journal. Lot's of the small town stores don't carry that kind of stuff or charge primo for them.

God luck with your planning!

[white_russian]

I would definitely do a bounce box and fill it with all those hard to find items like travel size toiletries, meds, extra Aqua Mira or filters, camera memory cards, and small pads for our journal. Lot's of the small town stores don't carry that kind of stuff or charge primo for them.

I still can't see doing a bounce box for those things. For toiletries all I carry is baking soda for my teeth and its universally cheap. Even real toothpaste is not that expensive and you go through it quick enough that travel size is just going to cost you lots of extra money. A single roll of toilet paper free if you are in a hotel or if in a hostel just ask how much and they won't mind selling you one. If you need some liquid soap you can ask to buy a couple of ounces from the local diner, they will probably just give it to you for free so just add it to the tip. Same with cooking oil. Medication is usually not heavy at all, I can carry three months of my meds and resupply once, my back wouldn't know the difference. An extra memory card or two weighs practically nothing. Cheap notepads are pretty abundant at drug stores, but I just got a smartphone so that need is gone. I use a katadyn filter and you don't need to have a extra following you around in the mail, they last for a good while, maybe 5 for the whole trail if you put it in any old swill you come across. Don't know about aqua mira, but I sure saw it at a lot of places. You can get everything you need if you are the slightest bit creative.

[squeezebox]

consider the question asked. Which maps where and when?
what I'm thinking right now is mostly resupplying in towns. It's cheaper to buy a 2 lb container of oatmeal and give half of it away, than buy a bunch of too small packets. It does not seem cost effective to ship staples like rice and pasta.even in a bounce box. Here's what I'm thinking about mail drops and bounce boxes.
So a mail drop about once a month with maps and hard to get stuff, (like dried mushrooms from the chinese store) good time to consider sending something home.
arrange the bounce box with bulk containers of stuff, (spices, toiletries, maps etc.)
So how often do I send the bounce box up the trail. Every town stop sounds like a lot! every other sounds better about every week or so. Does this sound okay?? Would like to hear what you keep in your bounce box.

[ShelterLeopard]

For those of you who have done thruhiked or long sectioned hike AND used maildrops these questions are for you. Im trying to put my maildrop locations together and am getting really frustrated. How often did you guys go into town? did you put everything you needed in the boxes or buy some small stuff along the way (toothpaste, toilet paper,etc.)? How much do you think all that postage cost you all together? Did you only go to post offices or some buisnesses along the way? I dont plan on staying too many nights in hostels or hotels so do they charge for accepting packages if your not staying there? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mishap

First off, Jack if right. Search maildrops and you'll be flooded with more info than you wanted, but I find that lots of those threads are scattered, and I prefer to ask specific questions myself.

The best is to read the maildrops articles and advice, over the threads (which I think Jack also suggested).

Okay, I'm preparing for my thru right now, and have finished all planning. My advice is this: (with which many hikers here seem to agree) Don't do a huge amount of maildrops. I'm doing them for the first 5 or 6 weeks, and one or two at a difficult resupply, just to get into the swing of hiking, and by the time my maildrops have finished, the "hiker hunger" will have kicked in all the way and my cravings will probably have changed. So I can just go into town and buy what I need. If you want a copy of my mail drop "schedule" for an idea of what I'm doing, send me a pm.

PS- About cost. I'm lucky, I have a pile of about $135 worth of stamps just aching to be used- that should about cover all the maildrops I plan to do. But if you do a lot (depending on what you send) you may spend much more. Most hostels don't charge for holding a maildrop if you stay the night, a couple do.

[The Weasel]

Many disagree with me, but I think maildrops are very cost effective, if they are carefully planned. I think the following "rules" (I've never considered them formally, but this post is making me do that) apply:

1) Maildrops should be sent from the closest possible location to the receiving address. This can be accomplished by giving boxes to family/friends who you see in advance who are closer.
2) Only use US Postal Service "parcel post" since it is cheaper than all others.
3) Only use for items where the amount shipped will be used by next resupply/mail pickup
4) Only use for bulk items (pasta, rice, cheese powder, yellow grits, bacon bits, mashed potatoes, dried soups) where very large bulk purchases are possible at 50% or more from usual Walmart prices
5) Only use if address is close enough to trail to minimize effort/time/cost to pick up
6) If mailing paper (guidebooks, maps, etc) or film (few do anymore) make sure you use "media mail" which is cheaper
7) Avoid addresses that charge fees

I realize many don't want to do that kind of planning to save a few bucks. If you're a Scot or your is Pennsylvania Dutch (I'm both) maybe you do.

TW

[A-Train]

consider the question asked. Which maps where and when?
what I'm thinking right now is mostly resupplying in towns. It's cheaper to buy a 2 lb container of oatmeal and give half of it away, than buy a bunch of too small packets. It does not seem cost effective to ship staples like rice and pasta.even in a bounce box. Here's what I'm thinking about mail drops and bounce boxes.
So a mail drop about once a month with maps and hard to get stuff, (like dried mushrooms from the chinese store) good time to consider sending something home.
arrange the bounce box with bulk containers of stuff, (spices, toiletries, maps etc.)
So how often do I send the bounce box up the trail. Every town stop sounds like a lot! every other sounds better about every week or so. Does this sound okay?? Would like to hear what you keep in your bounce box.

I did a bounce bucket the 2nd time cause apparently it was harder to get supplies on the PCT. Not so. More annoying than anything. After 2 months it got shipped home.

I'd send maps to the following place: Fontana Dam, Damascus, Harpers Ferry, DWG, Kent, Dalton, Gorham. All are places that would be good zero day locations, increasing the chance your maps will be there when you are.

[Stellbell3]

If I were to do a thru hike again I wouldn't do maildrops. Only food drops in certain places (Port Clinton, Caratunk, Glencliff etc.) but buy items on a need to buy basis. YOu'll end up carrying extra toothpastes the whole trip or putting them in hiker boxes.

[ShelterLeopard]

5) Only use if address is close enough to trail to minimize effort/time/cost to pick up

This is one reason I do like maildrops (even though I'm only using them in the beginning). Pretty minimal effort and confusion. Everything is all measured out, you don't end up having to buy boxes of ziploc bags and only use half of 'em, you can go right in and right out. Love it. Simplicity rocks.

[Jack Tarlin]

Gotta disagree with an above post.

I don't think maildrops are "cost effective" at all.

Even if you buy a whole lot of stuff in bulk at a discount, you're still going to be paying to mail yourself stuff that is freely available amost everywhere on the Trail.

Whatever you might "save" by buying in bulk ahead of time is negated by:

*The risk that your maildrop is too big and you either dump un-needed stuff
or spend more money posting it somewhere else.
*The risk that you get totally sick of the stuff you've pre-purchased and
boxed up ahead of time.....but you're stuck with it.
*One frequently gets food ideas from what other hikers are eating, but if most
of your food is pre-packed and in maildrops, you lack the chance to change
alter your diet with ideas and improvements

And of course, the biggest negative is the expense of postage plus being a slave to the postal system, i.e., making sure you arrive in town when a Post Office is open, the problem with Holidays, the risk of a lost parcel, etc.

Except in a few cases, unless one is on a specialized diet (vegan, kosher, etc.) or unless you've taken the time and trouble to dehydrate and prepare your own food ahead of time, most contemporary thru-hikers prefer to buy as they go, rather than send themselves food.

In truth, there are very few folks who've actually thru-hiked who advocate the maildrop approach. Most folks prefer to wing it and buy as they go, and truly, this is really easy to do. And think about it.......do you have any idea what you want to eat for lunch the day after tomorrow? No? Me neither. I haven't the faintest idea and I'd rather figure it out the day after tomorrow.
But with this in mind, why on earth should you decide on Valentine's Day (or whenever you seal up your maildrop boxes) what you're gonna be eating for lunch on September 14th.......cuz that's exactly what you'll be doing if you buy your food ahead of time thinking it's "cost effective".

Sure doesn't make much sense to me.