I have read your post about the cost of $128 to ship 3 rods using the new math of the USPS with interest since i am employed with USPS as a Express Mail Clerk. I do not work at a window station or small post office but i process all express mail that has been accepted each day, sort, make sure customer has correct zip, and i place correct destination tag on every express bag and parcel before i turn all express mail over to FED-X. Yea, a lot of people do not realize Fed-X flies all of our express. Last night i received a package and soon i saw it, i thought about your post. This package was LxWxH, 102x3x1.5=106.5". I understand this package was not a tube as in your case but seeing this package and how little it cost to mail it to Virgin Island, $100 less than your quoted price. Like i said, this was not a tube and not insured, but i could not beleive the difference in price. Since express mail is based on weight only, have you considered this option. Dont get me wrong, i am not trying to drum up buisness for the USPS, just thought i would mention the express service. If you insure over $100, the first $100 is free. Oh, by the way, i read a news letter that the reason of the new rate and price change was that all the other shipping companies complained that our prices was not competitive with their rates.

I never considered Express because USPS shipping prices WERE competitive with everyone else, and Priority is just about as Express as I needed it to be. When the numbers popped up on teh screen, all I wanted to do was leave and post on RBO, lol.

I wil look into the Express cost - for me the USPS is 100% more convenient than any of the other companies since they are located close to me & I dont' drive.

I forgot to mentioned, i see pvc and heavy duty cardboard tubes come through the mail few times a week.

Thanks for the heads up.

USPS has done well by us. Our local UPS Store seems to be a bit of a rip-off by comparison. The surcharges for anything longer than, say, 6" are ridiculous, even when we have our own packaging.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Am I reading all of this correctly ???? Our U.S. Govt. is in competition with UPS, Fed Ex. DMX etc. ???? and they are crying because the USPS is not charging enough so our Govt. increases their prices ???? Am I the only one that is confused completely on this matter or are there others as dumb as I ????...Enough questions...when someone totally figures out the best was to ship our tubes PLEASE let the dumbies like me know...In the mean time I think I'll go feed the pack mules and carrier pidgeons.

Tight Lines
Tight Wraps
Fishin'Stix by Fred

There is no best way, they all suck. Once you hand over your rod, assume tht all teh care you took building it is NOT handed over as well, lol.