Shipping skis pro tips?

[macon]

Box it up yourself and ship via USPS. I've shipped from California to Wisconsin and it was $23 - that was 2 weeks ago. If it's above 76" (193s) then they'll tack on a little extra for it being oversize.

UPS and Fedex are regularly $50ish, avoid that.

If you do the priority calculator thing on their website it's gonna give you inaccurate results. Just go to the post office itself with it boxed up, you can walk away if they give you an egregious number, but for me it's never been above $30 and I've probably shipped 6 pairs of skis in the past 3 years (all unmounted).

[fleaches]

Did you check greyhound? Not sure if they'll do skis but sent a bunch of luggage and boxes West-->East coast recently and it wasn't too bad. Cardboard not required. I think busfreighter had cheaper prices than going through greyhound directly. Have to pick up at the bus terminal if that's a big deal but pretty fast.

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[Core Shot]

Yes smartass, but those sites are bitching about cardboard boxes, so i wanted to know if someone has experience shipping a std ski-rollerbag across states.

Is it that hard to wrap you’re roller bag in cardboard?

Don’t need a real box. Just wrap it and tape it into a cardboard burrito.

Ironically I had started to mention we used to use greyhound many years ago to ship surfboards. But I deleted it since I would never send my bag of ski gear through the cesspools of bus terminal hell.

[Drizzle]

For a package that is ski-sized, the weight does not matter. The smaller you can make the package, the cheaper it will be. You can make the package smaller by putting the bindings facing each other and staggering the skis (face the bases away from each other and towards the outside of the package). Or remove the bindings and ship them in a Regional A Flat rate box and ship the skis in a different package.

[BC.]

Box it up yourself and ship via USPS. I've shipped from California to Wisconsin and it was $23 - that was 2 weeks ago. If it's above 76" (193s) then they'll tack on a little extra for it being oversize.

UPS and Fedex are regularly $50ish, avoid that.

If you do the priority calculator thing on their website it's gonna give you inaccurate results. Just go to the post office itself with it boxed up, you can walk away if they give you an egregious number, but for me it's never been above $30 and I've probably shipped 6 pairs of skis in the past 3 years (all unmounted).

20 bucks to ship skis?

What the hell am I doing wrong.....I’m shipping a friggin pair of ski pants, and it’s 20 bucks all in to ship USPS.... I’d love to sell more stuff ...but I get absolutely killed on shipping from my local.

[frorider]

If you do the priority calculator thing on their website it's gonna give you inaccurate results. Just go to the post office itself with it boxed up, you can walk away if they give you an egregious number, but for me it's never been above $30 and I've probably shipped 6 pairs of skis in the past 3 years (all unmounted).

Hmmm this December I shipped unmounted skis from CA to CO via USPS in person, was over $40. Do you give your postal worker a six pack or something?

[macon]

Idk what you're doing or what to tell you, I've never paid that much for shipping skis via USPS. It was far and away the cheapest.


Decided to check my numbers, CA to CO, 72x4x4", 10lbs, and shipping 4/12:




I usually ship via retail ground - which is what they do if you just show up and say "idk whatever is cheapest" instead of "priority." It only takes 1-2 extra days and is by far the cheapest of any parcel service.

20 bucks to ship skis?

What the hell am I doing wrong.....I’m shipping a friggin pair of ski pants, and it’s 20 bucks all in to ship USPS.... I’d love to sell more stuff ...but I get absolutely killed on shipping from my local.

Dude throw it in the smallest possible box or a padded envelope. The cost to ship ski pants should be like $9.

[AEV]

Pad those tips.

[BC.]

Idk what you're doing or what to tell you, I've never paid that much for shipping skis via USPS. It was far and away the cheapest.


Decided to check my numbers, CA to CO, 72x4x4", 10lbs, and shipping 4/12:




I usually ship via retail ground - which is what they do if you just show up and say "idk whatever is cheapest" instead of "priority." It only takes 1-2 extra days and is by far the cheapest of any parcel service.




Dude throw it in the smallest possible box or a padded envelope. The cost to ship ski pants should be like $9.

I know right?.....it should be that way. When I walk in with my own boxes/envelopes...and they start bringing out their tape measures, I know I’m screwed...lol

My price here in PA always seems really high compared to what people say online.....especially when I’m usually shipping across the country.

I’ve got a bunch of stuff I’m ready to list this spring.....maybe I’ll try again and report back.

[retirwntm]

IME shipping with USPS is awesome...unless it gets caught up in the system or it gets lost. We had things from Christmas that took over a month. If you lose something via USPS you’re fucted.

UPS and FedEx are overly expensive especially now that everything is getting shipped somewhere. But they do deliver on time for the most part and if something goes wrong they do cover your stuff up to the limits they have or whatever the insurance amount you spent.


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[alpinevibes]

I know right?.....it should be that way. When I walk in with my own boxes/envelopes...and they start bringing out their tape measures, I know I’m screwed...lol

My price here in PA always seems really high compared to what people say online.....especially when I’m usually shipping across the country.

I’ve got a bunch of stuff I’m ready to list this spring.....maybe I’ll try again and report back.

Never take it to the PO. Always print yourself. Pirate ship or PayPal can save you some coin.
Always round down on dimensions.
Always use a flat rate envelope ($8) for anything soft/clothing like that’s more than 16oz. Under 16oz should be First Class in a reused Amazon envelope and cost $3-7.

As said above, shipping skis is all about the total girth measurement. For most 180+cm skis , shipped flat, you need to fit them in a less than 6x6”, but ideally 4x4” box and cut down the length as much as possible.

With bindings, you can usually get them into 6x6” with brakes banded flat and skis inverted with bindings facing each other.

[BC.]

Thanks for tips....I definitely need them. My past/ current methods suck.

[nord]

I just shipped some 209 SG without bindings from WA to Wyoming. for $33. I used Ebay's discounted USPS shipping rate. Instead of a ski box I used 2 4"X 4" X 40' boxes and just telescoped the boxes and taped them together. I think the boxes were Poster or Map boxes. That size box will work for long race skis. For other style skis I have used 4 X 6 boxes. I have also built 4 X6 boxes out of old bicycle boxes. It's not really worth your time to build a box. Just wrap the skis with cardboard.

[CascadeLuke]

Thanks for the bike flight tip. Was able to ship a truck grill at a reasonable $73 after getting quotes for $315 with UPS online and USPS wanted $208.

[Brasso]

I was able to ship a pair of flat skis from WA to CO for $26. Thanks for your own tips, Luke.

[rfconroy]

Does anyone have rough dimensions they typically use for estimating shipping?

Alternatively is it pretty settled on 72X6X4"?

[Phall]

just shipped a pair to vitamin I. SLC to CA, cut up cardboard sheets to custom fit 192 K2 Annex. Kept them small as possible. 12.3 lbs, doesnt give dimensions, but was $43 via UPS.

[Buzzworthy]

just shipped a pair to vitamin I. SLC to CA, cut up cardboard sheets to custom fit 192 K2 Annex. Kept them small as possible. 12.3 lbs, doesnt give dimensions, but was $43 via UPS.

SLC to Seattle via USPS was around $26 for skis/binders for comparison.

[chaka]

prices are all over the place. Just shipped skis/binders from WA to MI USPS through a slightly discounted shipper at my work ... $67. This place ALWAYS beats other pricing. I don't recall the exact weight, they were packed up really safe, but still.

[schindlerpiste]

UT to VT cost $33 via USPS Priority with Pirate ship. Thanks iriponsnow.

[SoVT Joey]

Pirate Ship is the only pro tip needed.

[Beder]

185’s flat, Hailey ID to Truckee Ca last month $37 via fedex

[optics]

Ups code “SPARK” ftw.

[iriponsnow]

UT to VT cost $33 via USPS Priority with Pirate ship. Thanks iriponsnow.

No problem! Thanks for the skis!!

Also factoring into the cheap cost is using a commercial address FTW.

[Bandit Man]

Pirate Ship is the only pro tip needed.

This!