[pct-l] Bounce Box

[Stephen Clark]

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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