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Has anyone ever shipped their skis?

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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
Trying to plan a trip with my brother for Feb out to CO. Spirit is flying super cheap direct to Denver right now but an oversided bag costs $100 to carry on. I think I could find a cheaper alternative by shipping the bags.

Has anyone done this before? What's the process, is it reliable? What service did you use, FedEx, UPS, some other service?

Any info is helpful. Thanks.
Dec 20 2014 11:10PM
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B.Quincy
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 963
Because when i travel, i totally carryon my skis.
Dec 20 2014 11:15PM
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Olimar
Posts: 3535 - Karma: 4,076
B.QuincyBecause when i travel, i totally carryon my skis.


Not saying I carry mine on, but bags got lost pretty frequently by airline companies...
Dec 20 2014 11:23PM
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Olimar
Posts: 3535 - Karma: 4,076
OlimarNot saying I carry mine on, but bags got lost pretty frequently by airline companies...


That being said, I am also curious. Im traveling in January to go skiing for the first time in which I will need to fly to my destination (Park City).
Dec 20 2014 11:25PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
Is it even possible to carry on skis?

Have you thought of just bringing your boots and then demoing skis instead?
Dec 20 2014 11:25PM
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theBearJew
Posts: 10951 - Karma: 15,633
Wow said carry on, I meant check. I can see how that is confusing. It is $100 to check an oversized bag. You cannot carry on skis.
Dec 20 2014 11:28PM
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stupendous-man
Posts: 8637 - Karma: 13,293
I remember shipping some heavy ass ninthwards with bindings for $30-40. just use their postage calculators...
Dec 21 2014 12:36AM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
30ish bucks each way. Pad the ski box with clothes and outerware. Bring one bag on the plane.
Dec 21 2014 12:46AM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
30ish bucks each way. Pad the ski box with clothes and outerware. Bring one bag on the plane.
Dec 21 2014 12:46AM
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123+ski
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
Lufthansa (maybe others too) let me bring a ski bag for $100 flat rate. Coming back from a semester in Germany, this think weighed over 80 pounds, no extra charge.

As far as shipping, I paid about $50 (including insurance, from PA to VT) and UPS bubble wrapped them and everything. Arrived without a scratch.
Dec 21 2014 10:59AM
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snowdon
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 391
OlimarThat being said, I am also curious. Im traveling in January to go skiing for the first time in which I will need to fly to my destination (Park City).


You could also look into sending it through a local company like Ship Pack Place. When I worked in PC a solid amount of people would do this to avoid bringing a big heavy ski bag to the airport entirely. Here's a link to their website: http://www.shippackplace.com/
Dec 21 2014 11:09AM
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Tucks
Posts: 2120 - Karma: 161
theBearJewTrying to plan a trip with my brother for Feb out to CO. Spirit is flying super cheap direct to Denver right now but an oversided bag costs $100 to carry on. I think I could find a cheaper alternative by shipping the bags.

Has anyone done this before? What's the process, is it reliable? What service did you use, FedEx, UPS, some other service?

Any info is helpful. Thanks.


What airline are you flying? Most bigger carriers have a clause that oversized sports equipment such as ski bags, golf bags, etc are the same as a regular checked so long as it is under the 50 pound weight limit…I would check or even call them prior to going through all the hassle of shipping. When I fly with skis I almost always try and fly southwest…can't beat 2 free checked bags
Dec 21 2014 11:58AM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
OP, it can depend on the skis youre shipping!

If you have skinnier skis and low profile bindings, you can usually find pretty cheap ways to ship it with UPS, Fedex, etc. If for some reason you can easily remove your bindings, you can press the skis together and they take up little enough space that its almost always economical. However if whatever you want to bring doesnt fit in their smallish ski box, they will charge a shit ton more. Also a lot of commercial shipping companies seem to charge more around Christmas, and packages get lost more easily and take longer.

There are ski specific shippers that work well and are cheapish, as in cheaper than checking them with the airline.

Now depending on how long your trip is and what type of skiing you want to do, and how much you love your own skis, but demo's can be affordable and let you try new skis without buying them. I'm only skiing three days and it was cheaper to rent 3 days of 4FRNT and Moment demos than paying to bring my own skis.

Source: just tried to ship fat skis for a vacation, it was a ton.
Dec 21 2014 12:00PM
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Six.0.Tree-ski
Posts: 4059 - Karma: 67
i have several times. i usually just take several old boxes cut them down, and wrap them around the skis making a custom box. wrap up tight with duct tape. some bubble wrap around bindings and tips. then i print off my own ups label with the correct dimensions but the weight being lighter than they actually are to an extent (12-15 lbs) which cuts down on cost. usually ends up being 20-25$, then just schedule a pickup with ups, if you bring them to a ups store they might weigh it and correct the label and charge you more. always safe to add the cost of a tracking number, they cant really lose them that way.
Dec 21 2014 1:06PM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
Six.0.Tree-skii have several times. i usually just take several old boxes cut them down, and wrap them around the skis making a custom box. wrap up tight with duct tape. some bubble wrap around bindings and tips. then i print off my own ups label with the correct dimensions but the weight being lighter than they actually are to an extent (12-15 lbs) which cuts down on cost. usually ends up being 20-25$, then just schedule a pickup with ups, if you bring them to a ups store they might weigh it and correct the label and charge you more. always safe to add the cost of a tracking number, they cant really lose them that way.


damn i need to do this. I tried to calculate my own preboxed skis and thought they would come out to about $30, but when i went into the store and they weighed it, the size and weight combination triggers some oversize classification that costs like $115.
Dec 21 2014 1:30PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
theBearJewSpirit is flying super cheap direct to Denver right now but an oversided bag costs $100 to carry on. I think I could find a cheaper alternative by shipping the bags.


Spirit, there's your problem, hope you aren't physically destroyed after being manhandled by their chairs the size of a Maxi-Cosi.

Fly premium, get perks.

Too bad Swiss doesn't fly continental in the States.

Dec 21 2014 2:48PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
omnidataSpirit, there's your problem, hope you aren't physically destroyed after being manhandled by their chairs the size of a Maxi-Cosi.

Fly premium, get perks.

Too bad Swiss doesn't fly continental in the States.



Lol this.
i flew spirit down to florida and unfortunately got the middle seat which was extremely small and my knees were jammed into the back of the chair in front of me. When i fly back home on tuesday im gonna try and get a big seat in the front that is next to the window so i can sleep.

Holy run on sentence batman.
Dec 21 2014 2:52PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
Lord_Byrondamn i need to do this. I tried to calculate my own preboxed skis and thought they would come out to about $30, but when i went into the store and they weighed it, the size and weight combination triggers some oversize classification that costs like $115.


Thats why you do it from home and schedule a pickup. Cheaper!
Dec 21 2014 3:31PM
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ChadThundercock
Posts: 3071 - Karma: 830
has anyone shipped pounds of crack?
Dec 21 2014 8:47PM
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Queen_Selassie
Posts: 1430 - Karma: 1,363
Spirit airlines is like the hood part on Soul Plane in the coach section, but worse.
Dec 21 2014 9:26PM
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dingus
Posts: 1328 - Karma: 7,877
I have a gang of flying chickens that carry my skis to any place needed
Dec 21 2014 10:05PM
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notspoicey
Posts: 1167 - Karma: 1,706
I just shipped mine through fedex for like 22 bucks. Don't worry about it just bubble wrap them they'll be fine
Dec 21 2014 10:40PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51585 - Karma: 161,687
Idk, it's been done but it's tough. I spent $650 to get my board bag back from NZ.

DHL'd it. Emirates and the whores that work there wanted to charge me 400+ to go from auckland to sydney. Could have bought my bag a seat and a beer for half that price.

Definitely go to a place or check online, call or whatever first. Would suck to go through the effort and not get it any cheaper.

Generally the size will kill you before the weight. My surboard was light as fuck but that was $100 each way to fly to california every time I went out there. And for that shipping was more expensive(at least what I checked)

If it's only one bag are you able to get away with the size? If you have a ski bag maybe pack all your shit in it?



Or switch to snowblades.
Dec 22 2014 10:31AM
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SupremeDeity
Posts: 695 - Karma: 1,112
theabortionatorswitch to snowblades.


OPs only option
Dec 22 2014 11:33AM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
thru fedex, the cheapest i can send my pow skis is $120, while my park skis are $25. Dats bubble wrapped, so i guess size matters.
Dec 24 2014 10:06PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,671
I fly back and forth between Denver and Maryland pretty often for school. Fly southwest with skis.
Dec 24 2014 10:12PM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
kung_powpowI fly back and forth between Denver and Maryland pretty often for school. Fly southwest with skis.


They dont fly to my airport or i always would. 2 free bags means you get to bring everything at no cost.
Dec 24 2014 10:33PM
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steeze4days
Posts: 358 - Karma: 1,948
Yes, i shipped my skis using fedex for a two week trip to the canadian rockies.

Never. Again.

$300

stopped by canadian customs, weren't there when i got there and remained in canadian customs for the remainder of the trip, utter shitstorm.

Just pay the extra $50 or whatever it is for your skis to go in with luggage and avoid the hassle, hope you have a good trip!
Dec 25 2014 10:22AM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7474 - Karma: 35,958
I only ship my pants.
Dec 25 2014 12:10PM
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