Shipping your gear?

[fresh_fish]

Has anyone shipped their gear (fedex, ups, etc) to their destination? I'm flying standby, and don't want to take the risk of losing my luggage. My fins don't fit in a carry on.

It looks like the price will be the same for getting my stuff down to my destination, and I have someone there that can get the package. What do I need to look out for? Any tips?

 

[Damselfish]

What's your destination?

Common wisdom is it's cheaper and less likely to be a problem to take your luggage on the plane if you're talking international. Shipping tends to be pretty expensive. And you have to worry about stuff getting delayed in customs with no one there to escort it along - seems like a higher chance of that happening than the airline losing it. OTOH if you're flying to like Florida on an airline that charges for all checked bags, you've got the standby concern, and you've got someone there anyway maybe it makes sense.

 

[vladimir]

.....

 

[Trimix2dive]

ups 5x now. no problem. dive shop will hold you gear, then call tag to return it.

 

[fresh_fish]

call tag to return it? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

I'm sending it to FL, and I looked at the rate, it will only be $14 to ship it, or $15 to check it at airport. (for what I have) I just want to make sure it gets down there safely.

 

[Gilldiver]

You can set up a personal account with UPS or FedEx. Then box and ship. In the US Ground is the cheapest way to go, but it does take 3 to 5 days to get there so you have to plan ahead.

You do need to make sure that you have someone to sign for it wherever it is going. On the way back, just box it all again and fill out your shipper with your account number and have the shop/boat have it picked up.

With the airlines charging what they are now, it can be cheaper to ship. Especially if you have heavy stuff like dry suits, scooters, etc. Also by shipping you can get better insurance and if the box does go astray, any shipper is much better at finding it. I lost a bag on Delta in Jan 2008 that never was found. It took me till late August to get paid and that was after calling the Delta corporate office twice a week for a month.

You also donÃÕ need to slep it all through an airport with the TSA inspections.

 

[fresh_fish]

Thanks. I'm going to ship it. *crosses fingers*

 

[mattandmatt]

Hi, my name is Sean, and I work for Luggage Forward, the industry leader in door to door luggage delivery service. Although our services tend to be a bit more than some airline fees, you are getting an industry leading level of service, for domestic as well as international services.

We have many clients who have sent their scuba gear to international destinations, where we take care of all necessary customs clearance processes and monitoring by a team of forwarding specialists right up to the point of confirmed delivery. We also always leave follow up calls to the client to give them peace of mind that their luggage has already been delivered and awaiting their arrival. Our rates are comparable to that of the major shippers. Feel free to browse our website luggageforward.com in order to obtain a price-specific quote.

Best regards,
Sean
Luggage Forward, Inc.

 

[rye_a]

I'm going to NorCal in May and I plan to ship my drysuit, fins, etc. either by FedEx ground or USPS Priority. Either way, I plan to insure it for the full amount. This is becoming more commonplace since more airlines are implementing fees for a 2nd bag and I have only heard good stories. You can ship to a dive shop, your hotel, etc.

 

[Abog87]

How about shipping doubles and deco bottle along with gear from Chicago to Straits of Mackinac? Thanks