shipping gear within US

[wheeledgoat]

Did a search, all threads are >4 years old (w/ warning "you sure you want to resurrect this thread?") and/or about international shipping, and given the change in the landscape since 2008 with TSA and also gas prices/shipping costs, I'd love to see if anyone has recent experience with shipping their gear domestically....

My specific situation would be shipping from Chicago to the Keys this summer. I could just ground ship to my hotel, right? The way I see it, the shipping/airline charges will basically be a wash. Shipping will save me schlepping the stuff around, and loss/theft/damage will be a lot less likely shipped vs. checked baggage. Plus, shipping allows me to insure for full value instead of hassling with airline on value of lost bags, which while I've never had to do, I doubt is a pleasant or quick process.

Any recent experience or input?

 

[tbone1004]

no reason you can't ground ship. Only potential problem is the lithium batteries in dive lights. How much gear are you bringing that you're concerned about shipping weights? No reason you can't get a full set of dive gear under 50lbs for recreational diving in the keys...

 

[wheeledgoat]

it's actually 2 sets of gear.... and we have zeagle ranger bc's, nothing terribly lightweight. haven't weighed it all yet but wondering if we'll be able to keep it under 50lb.

 

[tbone1004]

two sets of gear can get under 50lbs if you aren't bringing wetsuits or any weight.
2x rangers=20lbs
2x reg sets=15lbs
2x mask/fins=10lbs *unless fins like XXL jet fins which are heavier...
bag 5lbs
you can put some of the small expensive stuff like computers in your carryon and if you pack properly you can get it close to 50lbs. depends on what you're planning on bringing and if you are checking two bags or one for the rest of your clothes etc.

 

[boulderjohn]

I have shipped gear and found that the hidden cost is insurance. With UPS, you are automatically insured for $100 of declared value--which is essentially nothing. If you insure for the true worth of your equipment, it can really add to the cost. UPS charges an additional $0.90 for each additional $100 of declared value. If you declare $2,000 worth of gear each, that's about another $35, the cost of an additional bag for some airlines. If you choose not to declare the value, then you are running the risk of a total loss in case the shipment disappears.

I flew from Colorado to Key Largo last fall and took all of this into consideration. I was bringing about $5,000 worth of gear that I could stuff into one suitcase instead, so rather than take the risk of a total loss by not declaring the value, I chose to pay the airline for an additional bag.

 

[wheeledgoat]

excellent, thanks for that!

no other logistical concerns i'm not thinking of? potential exposure to extreme heat during transit? problems experienced with hotels receiving packages in advance of guest arrival?

i was envisioning getting my return labels paid & printed at the time of shipping from Chicago, assuming the hotel would accommodate outgoing packages. good or bad idea?

 

[wheeledgoat]

I have shipped gear and found that the hidden cost is insurance../..I chose to pay the airline for an additional bag.

great input, thanks. i've had a few experiences that degrade my trust of airlines with my bags - I feel like my package going via ups/fedex/usps is in better hands than my bag handled by TSA/airline. but you seem to have no problem trusting them - doubtless it varies with airline, but what are the broad strokes so far as airline reimbursement when I tell them I had $4000 worth of equipment in that bag they can't find? declare it ahead of time somehow?

 

[boulderjohn]

I have had some minor problems with the airlines and baggage for sure, but so far never a total loss.

I have also had trouble with things being sent via ground shipping.

• A couple of weeks ago my wife ordered something from Home Depot. Several days ago in response to her inquiry they declared it lost en route and sent her a new one.
• A few years ago I ordered a tank inspection light, and it arrived on my doorstep with the box mangled and torn open, with the light actually sticking out the end. They didn't even bother stuffing it back in.
• Last year a package arrived on my doorstep that was not intended for me. It was not intended for my address, either. The address on it did not exist--either UPS or the sender had gotten that wrong. The UPS delivery man had delivered it to my address apparently because my address was deemed to be in the ballpark of the one on the shipping label. When I called UPS, they asked me to deliver it to the right person for them! They truly seemed to believe that by delivering the package to a wrong address that was in the neighborhood of the right address, they had fulfilled their part of the contract. I actually would have done that had it been for one of my neighbors, but according to the phone book, there was no such person living in my city. Eventually they came and took it back.
• A couple of years ago I had a dry suit repaired and sent to me in Florida via FedEx. I was told what day it would arrive and about what time in the morning. I was there all day until I had to leave in the late afternoon. When I returned, I found a note on the door telling me they had tried to deliver and would try again on a certain date between certain hours. I was again there for that entire time and for a while later. The notice had included a place where I could give alternate instructions for delivery. I wrote new instructions about where to leave it, put it on the door, and left. When I returned, I found a new note identical to the first one, placed on top of the one I had left with the special instructions. The special instructions had been ignored.

 

[2airishuman]

Did a search, all threads are >4 years old (w/ warning "you sure you want to resurrect this thread?") and/or about international shipping, and given the change in the landscape since 2008 with TSA and also gas prices/shipping costs, I'd love to see if anyone has recent experience with shipping their gear domestically....

My specific situation would be shipping from Chicago to the Keys this summer. I could just ground ship to my hotel, right? The way I see it, the shipping/airline charges will basically be a wash. Shipping will save me schlepping the stuff around, and loss/theft/damage will be a lot less likely shipped vs. checked baggage. Plus, shipping allows me to insure for full value instead of hassling with airline on value of lost bags, which while I've never had to do, I doubt is a pleasant or quick process.

Any recent experience or input?

On my recent trip to the Keys I brought 12 pounds of Mako pinch weights so that I would have something to use while snorkeling in between dive trips. I thought myself very clever when I packed them into a small Priority Mail box and mailed them home for $6. The box came apart in the mails and arrived taped back together and with one of the weights missing. Insurance didn't cover it because the way the post office does it, you have to surrender the contents of whatever did arrive in exchange for a settlement check, and I hadn't purchased enough extra insurance to make it worth it.

On that trip I had most of my scuba gear in my carry on. I put the line cutter and wet suit in my checked bag, and used slightly shorter fins than what I use for local dives.

There are three main problems with shipping things ahead. The first is that some hotels don't like holding stuff for you, especially if it arrives more than a day or two before you do, so you should call the hotel and ask them what their policy is. Some have size limits or charge large daily fees. The second problem is that hotels are not secure places and your gear is just as likely to disappear from their closet as it is to disappear as checked baggage. The third problem is that if your box of stuff is lost or delayed, it may take a very long time to show up. In contrast, despite the reputation, airlines usually deliver lost or delayed luggage within 24 hours.

Next trip I take I'll again put most of my scuba gear in my carry on. I doubt if I'll try to bring any lead even if it means missing out on a snorkeling opportunity. I'll probably get an aluminum or kydex backplate to lighten my carry on compared to the stainless steel one I usually use. I'll probably end up sharing a checked bag with my wife to save on fees.