We're going home to Florida for a few weeks this summer. Obviously I plan on fishing, but the last time we went it cost $100 each way to ship my rods in a rod container. Do you guys know of a more cash friendly way to ship my gear?

I ship 3-4 Rods in the 4 inch cardboard tube (thick sturdy kind) with bubble wrap on individual rods and it costs me $25 from Florida to maine for FedEx 3 day.

I use PVC pipe to ship my rods.

Either container mentioned above will work fine. If you are shipping high end rods I would use PVC.

Kelley

Interesting question.

The packaging will determine the cost as the rods weight hardly anything.

I have received G. Loomis rods in paper wrap from Fed-X and all was fine.

I have received and shipped other brands in tubes and when shipping the tubes it was expensive.

Go figure? An expensive G. Loomis rod in paper and a lower class rod in a tube.

Visiting friends or relatives, or just vacationing? I stay with relatives when I go. Purchased used rods from a local Mom & Pop shop while there & left them with my relatives. Would love to be able to ship back and forth, but a couple trips would pay for another new Eltie Tech Smallmouth rod, or another used rod of a different brand!

Carry my reels with me. May have to invest in a frog rod this year to leave there. Doubt the MH Falcon Original rod I left there has enough backbone & I'm taking a couple frogs with me to try. Going to have to talk my brother-in-law into buying a bigger boat so I can carry all my gear with me. LOL.

Thanks guys. Trip is coming up and I hate to think of being two weeks without my gear.

I ship 3-4 Rods in the 4 inch cardboard tube (thick sturdy kind) with bubble wrap on individual rods and it costs me $25 from Florida to maine for FedEx 3 day.

x2

It's actually the length more than the weight that jack's up rod shipping. Vacum or conduit are a little less expensive that the schedule 40 and seem to hold up well enough if the cardboard scares you.

I've taken mine on flights. The last time it cost me $20 to have them on the plane with the rest of the luggage. Get the best travel rod case you can afford, pad the ends, use stick jackets on the rods, and you will be fine. Pack your reels in a small case and carry it on the plane. A lot cheaper than shipping them, and you will have a nice travel case for your next trip.