does anyone "ship their gear ahead"

[wilkie]

With the hasstle of dragging gear through airports,customs, + lost dive time(which I've had to put up with before) ect. does anyone ship to the LDS???
Are there ramifications,import/ export taxes ?I trust UPS more than xyz (yea I've flown SAHASA, and some other stand-outs encluding AA) I love my gear as much as the mext guy - and I want it while i'm there, absolutly-positively, but love it best underwater - not in an airport, if it makes since I'll ship--if it makes a diference, Im heading for Bonaire, and a few bucks for UPS is not an issue.

 

[D_O_H]

I've never done it with my scuba gear, but I've done it with golf clubs (there's actually a company that specializes in this). Never run into any issues with taxes and the like. When I've done it, it's when I'm done golfing and don't want to haul my clubs around on the rest of an extended trip.

I don't think I'd try it on the front-end going someplace like Bonaire though. They're not exactly a major hub in UPS's chain and would bet there's a good chance your package would get delayed and/or need to be sent way in advance. I'd also worry about some of my gear that I normally carry-on (regs, camera, computer) getting bumped and bruised in transit.

Enjoy your trip either way - Bonaire is one of my favorite dive destinations!

 

[Skeeter1097]

axially that is a good idea. If you get with the hotel they can properly get you the delivery address. FEDEX or UPS are world wide. I think that the hotel well be a lot better thin a dive shop ot boat

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I've definitely heard of people using those new USPS boxes that are a flat rate $8 or so to ship weights. I don't think the USPS likes that use too much

But paying to rent weights is so annoying...

 

[Dectek]

Have used USPS to ship gear to other parts of the US. It was cheaper than paying the Airline surcharge and a whole lot easier than lugging it through the airport.

Have shipped gear with Brown to Yucatan Mexico (Akumal). It was expensive and took 25 days for UPS ground service.
USPS will not guarantee any sort of delivery outside the USA unless it is through their global express service (TRANSLATION: PAY THE THE AR$E). Example:
15 lbs to Dominican Republic $138.00
15 lbs to Belize $282.00

 

[HowardE]

With the hasstle of dragging gear through airports,customs, + lost dive time(which I've had to put up with before) ect. does anyone ship to the LDS???
Are there ramifications,import/ export taxes ?I trust UPS more than xyz (yea I've flown SAHASA, and some other stand-outs encluding AA) I love my gear as much as the mext guy - and I want it while i'm there, absolutly-positively, but love it best underwater - not in an airport, if it makes since I'll ship--if it makes a diference, Im heading for Bonaire, and a few bucks for UPS is not an issue.

To answer your question.... Some friends from Breckenridge came down to Florida to visit us. They shipped their gear via UPS to us in FL. However, let me say that my store ships UPS, i.e. we have a UPS account. If you walk into a UPS store... It is double the price that I pay for UPS. So for them, it was $30 to ship two large boxes to Florida, and that was that.

To ship to Bonaire... UPS does not offer ground service, since they CAN'T drive there. It must go by AIR, which is rediculously expensive as it is within the U.S.

If you travel with an oversized bag, and pay the $25 fee... that's going to be NOTHING compared to the cost of shipping a UPS package to Bonaire.

I estimate cost and time to Bonaire by UPS... here's what I got for a 25 LB 18x18x18" box. The only service to Bonaire that UPS offers is Express. So after you look below... I think you'd probably do what I do when I travel abroad, and take your stuff with you. I carry on my reg, dive computer, and camera.

and yes it doesn say $283 US dollars...


Ship From: DENVER, 80214, UNITED STATES
Ship To: BONAIRE, BONAIRE
Shipment Date: Monday, March 27, 2006
Bill to UPS Account: Yes
Total Shipment Weight: 25 lbs. (**Dimensional Weight applies to one or more packages, billable weight: 36.0 lbs.)
Drop-off / Pickup: Daily Pickup - I have a daily UPS pickup
Address Type: Commercial
Number of Packages: 1
Packaging: Your Packaging
Customs Value: 500.00 USD
Duty Type: 01 - Dutiable
Currency: USD

Package Information

Service Total
(All Packages) Contact UPS by: Latest Pickup Time:


UPS Worldwide ExpressSM
Delivered by: By End of Day
Tuesday
March 28, 2006
Billable Weight: 36.0 lbs. $282.94*

By End of Day
Monday
March 27, 2006 By End of Day
Monday
March 27, 2006

Result estimates calculated by UPS: Saturday, March 25, 2006 8:42 P.M. Eastern Time (USA)

* Rate includes a fuel surcharge.

 

[Nomad]

Anybody ever actually used UPS/FEDX to ship their gear to an International dive vacation destination?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Am sending mine to Key Largo for my may trip. Have not decided on ups or fedex. I can send it from work and they both are there daily. Planning this week on boxing up what is going with them and weighing it to get a rate. My reg, computer, script mask and safety gear(dive alert, hammerhead, sausages) are going carryon with me. Just have to decide if I'll need the 5 mil or if the polartech will be enough.

 

[RonFrank]

With the hasstle of dragging gear through airports,customs, + lost dive time(which I've had to put up with before) ect. does anyone ship to the LDS???
Are there ramifications,import/ export taxes ?I trust UPS more than xyz (yea I've flown SAHASA, and some other stand-outs encluding AA) I love my gear as much as the mext guy - and I want it while i'm there, absolutly-positively, but love it best underwater - not in an airport, if it makes since I'll ship--if it makes a diference, Im heading for Bonaire, and a few bucks for UPS is not an issue.

While I think this is a great idea in some situations, I'm not sure how great of an idea it is to ship accross international boarders. I had a camera case I ordered from Canada get stopped in customs (or whereever) for three weeks. The seller attempted for weeks to find out what was going on without much luck. Finally it did arrive, but between when it was sent, and when it arrived it was almost a month.

This is not the case on most situations, as I've purchased stuff from Canada on several occasions since 9/11 and this was an isolated incident. However it can and does happen.

 

[RonFrank]

Am sending mine to Key Largo for my may trip. Have not decided on ups or fedex. I can send it from work and they both are there daily. Planning this week on boxing up what is going with them and weighing it to get a rate. My reg, computer, script mask and safety gear(dive alert, hammerhead, sausages) are going carryon with me. Just have to decide if I'll need the 5 mil or if the polartech will be enough.

IMO Fedex is the way to go. I've seen some seriously damaged boxes from UPS (not that FedEx is a lot better, but I think they are better). In the price department FedEx kicks UPS tail unless you setup an account and use them a lot.

My buddy shipped a tank to a buyer FedEx for $20. I think UPS quoted him something like $35, and the FedEx comes with $100 insurance. For a buck or so FedEx jumps the insurance to $500, so thier insurance rates are also more reasonable.