question for people Sending your board ahead instead of carrying it

[Bobby Buggs]

How many of you send your board out ahead of you when you go on a trip?

I started to do this my last couple trips to Colorado and it worked out perfect. Well except for the mild anxiety of not having my board for a couple days:barf:

For the people that do this, what carrier do you use and why

[queequeg]

How many of you send your board out ahead of you when you go on a trip?

I started to do this my last couple trips to Colorado and it worked out perfect. Well except for the mild anxiety of not having my board for a couple days:barf:

For the people that do this, what carrier do you use and why

I fedex my board ahead of time on most of my trips. The only time I have failed to do this in recent history was SES last year, and of course, the airline lost (and recovered) my board.

[Pat Donnelly]

Have had good results with shipping in a double ski SporTube via FedEx. Had a Sr. moment this year as I grabbed the wrong key ring when we left home and the key to the paddle lock stayed home. Had to visit the Glenwood Springs Police Dept upon arrival to have them use a their bolt cutters to cut the lock. At Mike T's suggestion, I established an account with FedEx for ease of billing and a bit of a discount. We also ship a stereo receiver box with other items (boots, goggles, helmet and gloves).

[Bobby Buggs]

My boots and bindings fit in my carry on Roller bag, I figure Im more fuched if I lose my boots than anything else

[Corey]

I used UPS for my boards and my wife's skis for SES last season, it worked well. Just clear it with your hotel first to make sure they can accept and hold the package for a few days. With the oversize baggage fees the airlines now charge meant that we saved something like $200 doing this.

The best part for me is that you can actually insure the box for what it's worth. With the airlines they have a maximum value, usually $200.

"Sorry that we lost your 3 boards, here's $200."

Bomber had a good deal last year for just this, maybe they'll do it again this year. I think Michelle said that very people actually used the service though.

[bjvircks]

A few years back I shipped my boards (not SES though :() via UPS and was screwed. I was using a Burton wheelie bag which was just under a size limit and just under a weight limit. The UPS Store staff were jerks:freak3: and absolutely insisted on measuring the size of the bag wrong, tripling the cost. In retrospect, I realize now that I would have been money ahead by just paying the airline extra bag fees.

Anyway... aside from the cost, it was very convenient. I arranged with condo and so the front desk knew it was coming and stowed it to await my arrival. Using UPS tracking I knew that it was there.

Would I do it again? Depends on the situation, I guess. Sometimes I travel with just too much crap!

[crucible]

My history with shipping boards ahead of time is spotty - I have done it 4 times, and had them delayed twice. In both instances they were only delayed by a day, and I know that I would have equal odds of having them waylaid if I had checked them in as luggage.

What I tend to do nowadays is travel with them as checked luggage, but I make sure that when I book the flights that I make sure there are a MINIMUM of connecting flights, and that the connecting flights have at least 2 hours of interval to make sure that there is enough time for luggage transfers.

YMMV.

[Dave ESPI]

I'm shipping my boards in a SPORTTUBE 3 case thru Fedex ground. Will get them to BOL drop/pick up or the Hotel Im staying at. Will also have 1 as carry-on baggage with my boots for the plane.

[philw]

... Had a Sr. moment this year as I grabbed the wrong key ring when we left home and the key to the paddle lock stayed home.

Oh, the TSA will take those off for you no problem. It's a bit of a pain when your sport-tube comes out on the conveyor in two separate pieces mind, but that's the TSA for you. I guess they sent all their tie-wraps to Guantanamo. I don't use locks any more.

[pow4ever]

Anyone have more data on the actul cost on shipping?

carrier ,cost round trip, weight, origin, destination

ie

ups, $150, 80lb, NY, CO

I usualy travel with my ski club. Airline tend to be more lenient when it's a big group. However that's changing too. Last year I was only 3lb over and they want to charged me $50. I just pull a shell out of my board bag and save $50.

Thanks in advance.

[Pat Donnelly]

Dry run - I first took an empty SporTube to FedEx and extended to the know length and estimated the weight at 40 lbs so they each could provide cost and timing to deliver to our destination.

[patmoore]

I've done thee trips to Steamboat from Harftord for NASTAR Nationals and opted for UPS the last trip. Couple of thoughts: Judicious packing can save the extra airline fees. As a dual event racer I have to carry two sets of boots, skis, poles, and a GS board. When flying with the gear I use a Burton 181 cm snowboard bag to carry the skis, poles, board, and assorted, jackets, speedsuits, etc making sure the total weight is under 50 lb. My suitcase has one pair of boots and the rest of my clothes and tuning/waxing gear (also under 50 lb). The boot bag has my other pair of boots and helmet. The laptop is my carry on. With this combo I've never paid a penalty but each airline calculates things differently.

This year I opted to ship everything but the suitcase and laptop via UPS. I should point out that, as the Director of online sales for www.suburbansport.com, I get a pretty hefty discount through UPS. I wound up paying about $50 to ship all the gear round trip to and from the hotel. In retrospect it was a good move even if I had been able to fly without incurring any extra airline fees. I broke my ankle on my last run and it was nice not having to deal with luggage along with the crutches.