How do I package a rod for shipping?

[Mike J]

I need to send my St. Croix Premier rod in for warranty replacement.Whats the best(cheapest) way to package it? Thanks.

Mike J

[LightningBG]

Is it 1 piece or 2?

I'd head down to a UPS or Fedex store and see what they have as far as poster tubes, etc.

[waterwolff]

11/2" sch 40 pvc pipe with end caps is usually enough depending how far the line guides stick out you may need a 2"

MR

[CAMAN]

I like using pvc pipe and endcaps. Wrap and tape bubble wrap every couple feet of the rod and stuff some bubble wrap into the endcaps before pushing them on and tape them on.

Cheapest way is go to a place that sells carpeting/linolium and ask if you can take a carboard tube, many places will give them for free.

[Nate McVey]

PVC is good, but FedEx has a triangle poster box that is extremely sturdy. A little bubble wrap and it's good to go. I've shipped rods this way and have never had an issue.

[CAMAN]

PVC is good, but FedEx has a triangle poster box that is extremely sturdy. A little bubble wrap and it's good to go. I've shipped rods this way and have never had an issue.

The last blank I ordered came packaged with the triangle box and when it was delivered to my door it was broken in half and the rod blank was the only thing supporting it. Luckily the blank wasn't damaged, but IMO I wouldn't ship it that way without insurance. If the corner gets damaged it looses all of it structural integrity.

[Mike J]

It's a 7' 1 piece. St. Croix has a deal worked out with Fed Ex so I will be using them. Anyone know if they have a tube long enough and how much it would be? Thanks.

Mike J

[bucketmouth64]

I think you'll be charged for an oversized package too. I was charged that for sending a rod, can't remember if it was 6 or 6'6". I ordered a rod from cabelas and it was shipped in a cardboard tube with rod in plastic bag, the rod tip and butt was in foam the diameter of the tube probably to prevent rod from clanging around tube.

[harvey lee]

Triangle box will work very good.

[jeffreyd]

i made my holder out of pvc, shipped all of my rods to mn when my son and i went up there, put a tsa lock on it and sent it ups. i put end cap on one side and took a threaded cap and then mounted a hasp to the holder. Ran a bolt in the cap end with a chain and locked it in place. made 4 trips via ups with it and one on airline. no issues.

[delmuts]

Carpet tubes are probably the cheapest way to go. If you think you will be hauling rods in the back of a truck or some where they need protection once in a while, then i suggest buying a rod tube. I got mine from the big C store. I think it's called the mega tube. My 7 footers fit nicely inside, it opens on one end, has a place for a lock,and has a cross pin so it can be shortened if you don't need it to be full length.Many times i need to put my rods in the back of a truck, so this was my reason to get one, plus a buddy has used it to ship his rods when his fished a tournament as a non boater.

Can't tell you what it will cost to ship, but CERTAINLY put insurance on it!

[Tom7227]

If you send it in something that is worth a bit will they send it back to you in that device?

[Mike J]

Not sure. They say on their HSOforum that they prefer disposable shipping containers. I'm gonna stop by Fed Ex on they way home and see what they suggest. I may just end up making my own. The rod is already broken so I'm not too worried about the shape it arrives in.

[Slob_Samurai]

If it's a warranty replacement and already broken then why not break it again into half its size and send it in a small tube. I did that with one rod and it was 1/2 to 1/3 the shipping price. Or better yet bring it to Joe's Sporting goods and they will send it in to St Croix for you for $20. It doesn't matter if you bought it there or not. Give them $20 and the rod and a few weeks later they will call you to pick up your new rod.

[hockeybc69]

I have used USPS and shipped rods in the lighter duty PVC.

Cost is $20 to ship.

[Aaron Carrell]

With returning broken rods to St. Croix, you will almost never get the tube you used sent back to you. I've sent in several now, and each time I've just gone somewhere that would have spare heavy duty cardboard tubes handy and asked them. Some places like Gander will even let you have them, but I think they charge $5 or something minor. Making a PVC tube to send in a broken rod is just ridiculous, and a much more expensive option than is necessary. You'll probably get your new or fixed rod back in a nice tube which you can save for the next time you may need to ship.

Using St. Croix's Fedex program is top-notch as well by the way. Great service, and just put the sticker on and drop it at a store. Good luck! Finding a tube that your rod will fit in is always the key. Longer than 7' makes things difficult sometimes.

[Moose-Hunter]

The last time I did this I called first and was told to just send in the lower section of the rod that showed exactly what model/action it was. They even told me to make it as small as I'd like just so all the info was still on the rod.

Couldn't hurt to give'em a ring... Might save you a bit in shipping.

[jwmiller33]

Since it is a warranty replacement, that tells me the rod is already broken. Thus, break the rod into as many small pieces as possible and send it back to them in as small of a box as possible. That is what I did when I returned one of my compre's to shinmano. When I called their customer service, they actually recommended doing it that way.

[Mike J]

I ended up just making my own box out of scrap cardboard I had lying around. I went to St. Croix's HSOforum and clicked on the Fedex shipping label link and paid the $10 to ship it back and printed out the shipping label. I brought it to the local Fedex/Kinkos and dropped it off yesterday on my lunch break and then checked the tracking info today on my lunch break and it shows it was delivered to St. Croix at 8:51 this morning. Hopefully it doesn't take them too long to send me the replacement.

Mike J

[hitthebricks]

If it's a warranty replacement and already broken then why not break it again into half its size and send it in a small tube. I did that with one rod and it was 1/2 to 1/3 the shipping price. Or better yet bring it to Joe's Sporting goods and they will send it in to St Croix for you for $20. It doesn't matter if you bought it there or not. Give them $20 and the rod and a few weeks later they will call you to pick up your new rod.

I'm not sure about busting it again but I have used Joe's Sporting Goods and had good success. The first rod I sent to St. Croix was not replaced, the second one I used Joes and it was replaced. Funny thing, they both broke the same way

HTB