UPS and Fishing Rods (A Nasty Combo)

[llPa1nll]

Well I thought I had made the "Indestructible" shipping rod tube, I was wrong. I started off with a 10ft section of schedule 40 PVC. I cut this down to 6ft 8 in I then got a solid end cap and used the pvc cleaner and glue to seal it. The other end I used a threaded cap and a thread insert to seal that up that I yet again sealed with pvc cleaner and glue. I packed each end with paper and packed the rods tip to butt tip to butt. Well I shipped it down to South Carolina and I insured it for $1000. Well I signed for it down in South Carolina at the place I was staying and got a very uneasy feeling in my stomach when I notice that the threaded cap I had put on was completely loose and cracked from one end to the other. I unpacked the rods and one spinning rod had the tip broke and one bait caster rod had one of the ceramic insert guides knocked out of the eye guide. Well I am giving my local UPS store a call to start a claim for 2 new rods I will let you all know how I make out. I honestly dont know what more I could have done to prevent this kind of damage.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Bummer :-/  Before the Holidays I was delivering rods from Cabela's every week. They were in long cardboard boxes...

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Pain- Be sure to keep that tube and the cap handy.  MOST IMPORTANT is that you keep ALL ORIGINAL PACKING MATERIALS.  This means the foam or paper, anything you used.  This is how they get you, by saying "well you threw the packing away, how can we be sure it was packed right?".  It is also in writing somewhere that it is your responsibility to do so.  

Being insured, you shouldn't have an issue.  

[Papa_Tom]

You should see what they can do to a trolling motor also.  Dealer gave me new covers that he had, but how can they (UPS) deliver something that looks like it went through a wringer washer and then challenge you on damage???  You may be (sorely) surprised about the coverage on the insurance as well.

[=Matt 5.0=]

Russ, no work today? You're home early  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Nope, on the main st EG route, stopped home for a 20 min break.

[=Matt 5.0=]

:DLOL, nice. I actually wish I was working.

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Wow I have had rods shipped UPS over the last 4 years both me shipping them out and recieving them without one problem From Hazleton PA where in PA are you shipping from

muddy

[cart7t]

I've heard this before with rods being shipped in PVC tubes.  Everyone thinks because it's PVC and so durable that some part time dock worker at UPS couldn't find a way to damage it.   ;D  

Of course, my brother worked at UPS years ago in the loading department.  He always told me to never send anything via UPS that you wanted to get there in one piece.

That said, I've shipped quite a few rods in the heavy cardboard tubes through the postal service. In all those shippings I've had a tip break 1" off and another person say they recieved the tube badly damaged but the rods survived.

It seems no amount of packing can safely protect any rod shipment.  

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Well im not trying to get all political here or trying to offend anyone but ..............this is what you call affirmative action in action  we all deal with it from service at fast food joints to the TELEPHONE calls we make customer service in america is a JOKE and now they are raising the prices on stamps .I remember not too long ago 20 yrs to be exact UPS ,USPS, FEDEX all made it a PRIORITY  to make the customer happy from the loading docks to the drivers deliveriing ur goods ...for example  The USPS motto was rain sleet snow or shine you will get your mail now if ur mailbox is blocked by snow they wont even get out and put it in your box SAD how america has become so lazy and careless.Dont get me wrong i LOVE america but it is changing so fast its not even close to the promised land anymore ...expect it to get worse before it gets better UNLESS we change it

[Guest the_muddy_man]

DID I MISS SOMETHING HERE WHAT DO DAMAGED FISHING RODS HAVE TO DO WITH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION???????? WOW THAT IS OUT OF LEFT FIELD :-?

[Redlinerobert]

Affirmative.  UPS broke his rods, so he is taking ACTION to get it corrected.  

[HPBB]

I work in the shipping business. Not UPS but a LTL trucking co. You would not believe what happen to some stuff. But it all comes down to the mighty $. people ship with what ever is the cheapest To make it cheep companies try to put as much on a truck as they can. putting things on top of other thing. Smashing things in. "Make it fit" is heard all the time. The companies that do not cram as much in as they can, don't stack anything, are falling away. They cannot compete since they are more expensive.

I bought two use outboards from a guy in VA, I live in Pittsburgh. He said he would "strap them to a skid" and ship them to me. I would have gotten free shipping from the company I work for. I said "no." I would drive down there myself and pick them up.  I can just imagine what they would have looked like after being shipped. You get what you paid for. Atleast you were smart enough to get insurance.

[FlipnFanatic]

This is actually a funny subject for me. I had a rod shipped to me through UPS that was broken when I recieved it. This was a couple of years ago as I was finishing college. Then I graduated, couldn't find a job right away so where do you think I ended up?

That's right... UPS... I figured out why my rod was broken. Employees there throw packages and smash boxes like it's their job. No pun intended. That's how your rods get broken. The people working there don't care. Needless to say, I packed every rod tube, Cabela's, and BPS package like it was one of my own.

Everybody, do yourself a favor and be wary about shipping anything fragile through UPS.

[cart7t]

The bulk of the rods I recieve from a guy come in the cardboard tubes which I save to ship later.  He's used UPS and Fedex to ship.  I've recieved at least 4 or 5 shipments where the tube was damaged, sometimes nearly broke in half and yet THE RODS WERE OK INSIDE.  The key I've found is to NOT pack the rods completely tight in the tube.  I use that styrofoam sheeting to wrap around both ends so it's snug in the tube and then wrap around the middle to provide support there.  That seems to be better than stuffing packing into a tube so the rods are incapable of flexing.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Everybody, do yourself a favor and be wary about shipping anything fragile through UPS.

Lets look at the facts first.  I'm not defending UPS because I work there, actually, I pretty much hate the company right now BUT......

UPS has less damages than any other shipping company.  Point blank, period. Check the numbers before making a decision on who to trust it with.

The nature of the business will result in some damaged pkgs.  As for the employees purposely smashing stuff....not in Providence.  I can't speak for any other facility but that crap don't fly here.  You would be fired on the spot, immediately if you were seen damaging someones parcel.  No union rep will defend you for it either.  This, like drugs and alchohol, is simply not tolerated.

[TrickyVT1887]

Oh man i know your UPS woes, I ordered in a older model 7ft MH shimano compre from another store at work because they were on clearance for like $50 it was shipped in PVC, and the PVC was bent a little. I opened up the container and the blank was busted completely in half right above the cork. Not blaming UPS but i understood accidents happen i just wished the store that sent it woulda packed it in a cardboard tube, dont know why but seems like less break packed that way considering thats how most major rod companys ship their rods.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Here we go again. :

All the shippers have accedents.  Humans make mistakes.  We all do.  Thats why we need to package stuff like its going to be run over and insure it for replacement price.  It is unfortunate he got his rods broke, really sucks.  But any shipper can do the same thing to any package.  As the old bumper sticker says "***** Happens."  

I wish life was perfect.

[=Matt 5.0=]

The people working there don't care.  

Not true.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

You could always drive your item there yourself :

[llPa1nll]

Funny thing is I have a cardboard rod tube sitting in the rafters in the attic, I actually figured this would be a better alternative. Its stronger and rigid. I packed each end in newspaper and wrapped the rods in newspaper. For them to put a crack that ran the length of the  cap had to have been a hard throw or a pretty bad drop. Im just glad I got my gear insured.  I am now hoping for a hassle free claim process to get me back where I was before my vacation. Since I hope ice out here is going to happen within the month.

[FlipnFanatic]

Sorry, I'm wasn't trying to offend anyone, but I described the facility I worked at. That kind of thing happened time after time. It may be entirely different where you guys work, but I have three other guys in my club that worked there when I did, and they would give the exact same description.

Just as a side note, I actually didn't mind working there, but with the knowledge I have as to how me old facility operates, I will never use their services unless its completely necessary.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

No offence taken at all.  

So do you just never ship stuff or do you specifically NOT use UPS when you do because of fear of damage?  I'm only asking because if a damged pkg is your fear, check the stats before you pick a service provider.  UPS is far ahead of the pack.  Just my .02 and again, not defending UPS by any means, I'm just going on the numbers.  (and there is no reply, concerning this company, that would offend me )

It offends me more that the company I work for has a fisherman P/o'd

[.ghoti.]

I guess I'll be the odd man out here. I've had several rods shipped to my house by UPS, and all arrived in fine condition.

Thanks guys, whoever you are.

Cheers,

GK

[KU_Bassmaster.]

I guess I'll be the odd man out here. I've had several rods shipped to my house by UPS, and all arrived in fine condition.

Thanks guys, whoever you are.

Cheers,

GK

Me too.