[Pvillarr]

I just mailed a 4 piece 11’ rod via usps and it cost me $27 to ship domestically. This almost seems like shipping has doubled from only 2 years ago. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[NCL]

Yes, the shipping costs have gone up. I shipped a 9 foot rod to the East Coast a few months ago and it was $42.00. Shipped a spey rod to Portland two weeks ago and it was $35.00 with insurance, UPS seems to be a little cheaper than USPS,

 

[WNCtroutstalker]

Sometime last year, I forget exactly when but probably 6-9 months ago, USPS added a $15 surcharge for packages longer than 30". Fed Ex and UPS typically are much cheaper these days, often about half of what USPS charges.

 

[Pvillarr]

That is good to know. Thank you for your input! I will try UPS next time.

 

[chief]

I can't remember where I heard about it first, but the website, pirateship.com, has a hokey name but offers discounted shipping rates for both UPS and USPS. I have been using it for the past year or so and it works well.

 

[wetswinger]

If you use a tube, there is a big surcharge. Use a box. I ended up building a box, slipped the tube into it a saved $20+ $s...

 

[Otego]

If you use a tube, there is a big surcharge. Use a box. I ended up building a box, slipped the tube into it a saved $20+ $s...

I’ve been told that tubes will take longer on the mail too, because they need to be scanned by hand, not machine.

 

[Birdland]

I bought a 3 piece recently and paid $30+ for shipping. Like said above, it was about twice what I paid for rods a few years ago. I have several rods my of my dad’s that he asked me sell that are 4 piece. I’ll have to factor that in, or look into selling locally instead of shipping them.

 

[Richard E]

Yes, the shipping costs have gone up. I shipped a 9 foot rod to the East Coast a few months ago and it was $42.00. Shipped a spey rod to Portland two weeks ago and it was $35.00 with insurance, UPS seems to be a little cheaper than USPS,

Yes, and the shipping costs are also a function of from origination to destination; it's more money to ship to the East Coast from here (in Seattle) than it is to the West Coast. It seems like the cost used to not be so specific on delivery location/distance, but it definitely is now.

 

[iFishFish]

Yes like many others have commented I could ship a rod or reel to just about anywhere in the lower 48 for $15 with Fedex (found them to always be cheaper than UPS or USPS) for years. Not the case in the last year or so. I also just paid $28 to ship a rod 2 states away.

 

[dynaflow]

Y'all should be grateful that you're not buying and shipping from the U.S.A.using a foreign currency as the current exchange rates and shipping costs are simply outrageous.

 

[Bamboo_Rod]

That is good to know. Thank you for your input! I will try UPS next time.

I recommend that if you do to not use UPS store as that is not UPS it is a reseller that marks up the cost.

 

[Islander]

The post office sells triangular shaped boxes that are great for shipping rods in the tube. The rates have gone up everywhere, most likely because of higher fuel cost.

 

[Bony Fish]

Heres the link to the tubes Islander mentioned.
Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express Tube (Medium) | USPS.com

 

[WNCtroutstalker]

The post office sells triangular shaped boxes that are great for shipping rods in the tube. The rates have gone up everywhere, most likely because of higher fuel cost.

The stated reason for the $15 surcharge for those triangular tubes is that they need to be sorted by hand. While UPS and Fed Ex have increased their prices (what hasn't gone up in the last year?), for rods they are roughly half of what the USPS charges because of the long box surcharge.