How to Ship Skis: The Right Way -10 Tips
If you are a winter sports’ enthusiast, you probably start planning your trip early. One of the first purchases you make is the right equipment such as skis. However, you may be quite demoralized if anything goes wrong. Here are a few tips to help you ship your skis hassle-free.
1. Look for the right Bag.
Before you begin your trip, ensure that you have the right type of bag. There are both wheeled and no-wheeled bags from which you can choose. You will work out more if you pick a cheap non-wheeled bag. However, if you have other baggage with you, think of using a wheeled bag for convenience.
2. Look for a Sturdy Shipping Box
A good box adds an extra layer of protection to your skis. Without it, you skis could be bent out of shape or damaged extensively. One thing to keep in mind is that you should never re-use an old box, always purchase a new one. An old box could cave in compromising the safety of your skis.
3. Cover the tips of Your Ski Poles
The ski poles will be shipped together with your skips. However, they could end up costing you a lot if their tips are left exposed. For instance, they could tear holes in your new ski bag. Use foam to cover the tips and hold it in place with rubber bands. Check to see if the rubber bands are tight enough to avoid a situation where they slip off during shipping.
4. Always Have a Piece of Paper with Your Details inside the Bag
Although it is quite rare, mix-ups do happen. You want to ensure that your skis will not remain lost for too long. One way to ensure that is by ensuring you have a way of proving the skis are yours if they are lost. A small business card can go a long way in helping you with this.
5. Take a Photo
Before shipping your skis, take photos of them and that of your bag. That way, if they are damaged, you will not have a hard time trying to haggle for compensation from the insurance company. The photos will give you leverage if the insurance company refuses to pay up.
6. Use a Dependable shipping company
There are many shipping companies fund online. However, not all of them are dependable. Besides that, some of them only offer a limited amount of services. Look for a shipping company such as RunRex. They are renowned worldwide for helping customers ship their skis to any destination. Customers are also likely to benefit from various perks offered by the company.
7. Remove the bindings on Your Skis
The bindings add to the weight of the skis. A bit of extra weight could tip the scales unfavorably. When you get to the ski resort, you could always have a technician affix them for you. Put the bindings in your carry-on bag to help keep costs as low as possible. Most airports allow you to bring them along with you on your flight.
8. Choose a Ski Shipping company
While you may be tempted to use a courier service, it might not work out well for you in terms of cost. Most of these companies charge high prices for shipping a single package such as a pair of skis. However, a dedicated ski shipping company like RunRex can get you some awesome deals. That is just of the perks of using their service.
9. Ensure you have insurance
Skis are expensive pieces of sports gear by any standard. If they get damaged during shipping, you do not want to bear the cost alone. Many insurance companies will offer you a good deal when you ship skis.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not always choose the cheapest option. Look for what you will get you compensated if anything goes wrong before making a purchase.
10. Choose a Box that is The Perfect Size
Choosing a box of the right size is quite important. If the box is too small, you can tell since the ski equipment will be pressing against the sides of the box. The result is that you will have little space for adding packaging material such as foam or fiberglass.
However, if the box is too large, your equipment will end up being thrown around during shipping. Additionally, your cost of shipping will go up. It is because shipping companies usually factor in the dimensions when billing you. There are numerous tools online meant to help you get the right size of a box. Consider using them.
Summary
If you are going to ship skis, you might as well do it right. Ensure that you follow all of these tips to ensure safe arrival of your skis. It is important to keep in mind that when you choose the right ski shipping company, you will have little worry.
Some of these companies like RunRex can pick the skis from your doorstep and ship them to your desired destination at a minimal cost and inconvenience to you.