[pct-l] Bounce Box

Wed Jan 30 18:39:31 CST 2013

My suggestion would be to use a USPS Priority Mail *REGIONAL* Rate box.

The one I used throughout my hike of the PCT was specifically the Priority
Mail Regional Rate Box-B1(12x10x5).
It costed $7.70 to send out which included delivery confirmation/tracking.
Obviously it's cheaper without confirmation/tracking.

Size-wise it is equivalent to the USPS Priority Mail MEDIUM FLAT Rate box
which costs $12.35 to send out, not including
delivery confirmation/tracking.

However, the receiving PO has to be within the jurisdiction of what the
USPS deems as regional. I have no idea what the regional limts are, but I
bounced my box several times from Idywyld to Snoqualmie Pass.

*How to obtain the REGIONAL rate box:*

The post office DOES NOT have these boxes available at post offices. You
need to order them online and have them sent to your office/house. Ordering
them is free and more info can be found here:
https://www.usps.com/business/priority-mail-regional-rate.htm

OR ! I did see many of these boxes used by other hikers and discarded after
their use in resupply towns, at POs, and trail angel households. So, best
keep your eye out while at a motel with other hikers resupplying, at a PO
on your resupply, or at a trail angel household. (There were several
discarded at Kennedy Meadows:South)

I learned of this REGIONAL box while in the PO at Idylwyld when Hollywood
saw I was using a Large Flat Rate Box as my bounce box and no longer needed
his REGIONAL box. BOOM! Trail magic in the PO!

However, SENDER BEWARE! These REGIONAL boxes look just like regular flat
rate boxes. On occasion, the postmaster would ring it up as the $12.35
medium flat rate box and I would have to kindly remind them that it's a
REGIONAL flate rate box. After showing them the side of the box that says
REGIONAL Rate Box B, followed by some digging in their computer, sure
enough they would find it and say, "that's smart!" Yes, Hollywood is a
smart man.

Good luck! and HYOH!

-VirGo

On Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 4:07 PM, Stephen Clark <rowriver at gmail.com> wrote:

> Home Depot orange plastic buckets w/ lid works well, are sturdy, reusable,
> resealable... and allow extra room for newly purchased items when you find
> them.
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 30, 2013 at 2:58 PM, Wally Neal <wallyneal at cox.net> wrote:
>
> > A bounce box seems the only way to have repeated access to any item that
> > you
> > only have one of, like chargers for electronic devices, that you
> definitely
> > don't want to carry, or that you need in some sections but not others ...
> > like switching some clothing items from light to heavy to light to heavy,
> > etc.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Bob Bankhead [mailto:wandering_bob at comcast.net]
> >
> > Use a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate box. If it fits in the box, it ships,
> no
> > matter the weight. The boxes are free and available at every post office.
> > Pick up your box when you get to town, open, take/add what you want, put
> > everything back into a new flat rate box, and mail it ahead. If you
> decide
> > you don't need anything from it at this time, it can be forwarded
> > indefinitely for free, as long as you don't "receive" it.
> >
> > Three caveats for both bounce and resupply boxes:
> >
> > ONE - to ship a bounce box to a location with no out-going service is to
> be
> > stuck with it (this can be a problem with UPS and FedEx at some remote
> > resorts).
> >
> > TWO - even Priority Mail can take a week or more to reach some remote
> post
> > office destinations, so ship your box from point A to point C, not to
> point
> > B. I always allow 2 weeks to assure a box arrives well before I do. UPS
> and
> > FedEx are more reliable time-wise. Note that PO's don't have to hold a
> > package for longer than 2 weeks, although most will. Always put your
> > expected arrival date on the outside of the box. "Hold for hiker. Expect
> > arrival Aug 23".
> >
> > THREE - If travelling in a group, address your boxes to all members of
> the
> > group so that any one of them can pick up all the boxes if needed.
> > Occasionally, it may be necessary to send one person on ahead in order to
> > reach a PO before it closes for the weekend.
> >
> >
> > That said, I've never found bounce boxes necessary. Most resupply points
> > along the trail are a week or less apart, and a regular resupply box
> works
> > fine. If I do need a replacement something, I can usually buy it locally,
> > although I may have to wait until the next resupply stop in or near a
> town
> > vs. a back country resort. I try to anticipate when I'll need specific
> > items
> > like prescription refills, cash, etc. and just tuck them into the
> > appropriate resupply box. If I anticipated incorrectly, I just have to do
> > without for a while or carry the extra items along with me.
> >
> >
> > Wandering Bob
> >
> >
> >
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