""The Shadow"" wrote in message
...
You must be extremely lucky if you are using cardboard
tubes ,Steve. I use schedule 40 PVC and still had UPS
snap the tip off a rod last week . Go figure, at least I do insure them!

It's tubing that has wall thickness approximately 1/4" thick. I can stand
on it without crushing the tube and I weigh 200 pounds. I figure that if I
can't crush it, insurance can cover the risk. I've shipped literally
hundreds of rods this way and so far, it's been all right. Only two rods
broken so far, and those were both done by UPS.

I started shipping via the U.S. Post Office after I found out from my
brother in law (a UPS employee) that UPS is the largest single purchaser of
St. Croix rods in the world. That's right, UPS buys more St. Croix rods
than BassPro, Cabela's, or Gander Mountain, only they buy the rods in
pieces. I won't use UPS any longer for shipping rods.

I insure the rods heavily, package them well and let insurance cover the
rest. Besides, the shipping costs are less and they get there, for the most
part, in the same amount of time, and more importantly, intact.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com