Mailing Gear

I am planning a trip to Banff and was hoping to mail some of my gear to myself and pick it up there. Has anyone had any experience with this, and if so, how is it done? I have to local post office address. Is this something a post office in such a popular destination is familiar with? I appreciate any suggestions.

Your main problem, I suspect, will be Canadian customs, which will also cause quite a bit of delay. Hopefully Phat can answer your questions. Is there a reason you can't take the gear with you?

I was primarily thinking of my stove and empty fuel bottles. I know I can't check them on my flight, but thought if everything was drained and dry I could mail it. Do you know if this is a problem? I have a WhisperLite so I was planning on buying fuel once I arrived. Thanks for your input.

An alcohol stove in checked bags is not a problem.

I suspect a compressed gas stove also is not a problem - just the canisters can not be shipped.

Since you need the fuel anyhow can you rent a stove in Banff?

Switching to an isobutane canister stove (MSR Pocket Rocket, 3 oz., $40) or an alcohol stove (antigravitygear.com, 0.4 oz., $12, or make your own, free) will save you almost a pound of pack weight, a lot of time, a lot of pumping, international postage charges, delays and hassles from Canadian customs. (I am assuming you are from the US, although you didn't fill in your profile.) Fuel for either should be readily available up there.

I have considered using a canister stove and this thread has nudged me further in that direction. This may perhaps be the easiest route. My only hesitation lies in the fact that I have been using my current stove for over 10 years and am very familiar with it. As all of you probably agree, I think this is important in backcountry travel. I'm sure stoves such as the Pocket Rocket are quite reliable (and I know lighter), but it makes me a bit nervous taking equipment that I have never used before on an 8 day trip.

OregonMouse, I am indeed flying from The States and have updated my profile. Thanks for your comments. As you can see, I'm new to the forum.

Thanks for updating your profile! It really helps us to help you if we know something about you. As you may have noticed, there are a number of Texas folk on here!

If Phat (one of the moderators) doesn't come on here, I suggest you PM him. He's from Edmonton and can help you with all things related to the Canadian Rockies. The main reason I know about mail and Canadian customs is that I sold him a tent two years ago. As I recall, it took almost 3 weeks to get to him! See the thread, "The Gear You Once Sold" in the Lightweight Gear section. I had the privilege of meeting Phat, Bigfoot, son_of_Bigfoot, Food, Jimshaw and Bennie (dog_of_Bigfoot) last fall when we had a "TLB Forum" hike in the Columbia River Gorge.

I know I'm the one who asked the question, but I came across this web page and thought it might be helpful for anyone else who searches for this topic.

Transportation Security Administration: Camping

The TSA rules allow stoves and fuel bottles in both cary-on and checked luggage as long as there are no vapors or residues present. I feel I can clean and dry my empty bottles well enough but not so sure about removing all residue from inside the stove itself. I'd hate to have it confiscated on my way up there.

You can probably bring your empty, cleaned fuel bottles on the flight no problem, wash with dish soap and dry thoroughly, and you shouldn't get hassled.

I expect you will be flying into Calgary, you can buy white gas in Calgary, or in Banff itself, and fill your bottles.

Mailing the stove to yourself could definately end up with you getting delayed at customs - and them charging you GST (Government Sanctioned Theft - national sales tax) when you ship it up and all sorts of other nonsense - the kind of thing that delays you getting it for a week. probably not what you want.

If I were you I would be doing one of two things

1) cleaning your fuel bottles appropriately, and buying fuel in banff/calgary when you arrive
2) buying yourself a snow peak gigapower or pocket rocket stove and then getting isopro canisters in calgary or banff.


Personally I use all three types of stoves in the rockies, depending on what I am doing.

1) For shorter trips in above freezing weather, with not incredibly exposed campsites, (most of my trips) I use alcohol - a homemade "penny stove".

2) For longer trips in warm weather, or really exposed campsites (planning on tenting it on top of a mountain, in a pass, foot of glacier, etc.) I take a canister stove (snow peak gigapower) with a windscreen.

3) For any trips where I expect significant time below freezing, and/or melting snow for water, I take a white gas stove.

All of them will work ok - yes white gas is significantly heavier.

Thanks for your input.
Heading to the Sawback Range.

I am not sure how this would work with a stove, but to get gasoline fumes out of clothing you just wash with another oil base. Baby oil works fairly well, olive oil, sometimes canola oil, etc. Get very hot water and soap, let it soak, rinse, and then place into a warm bath of water + another oil. Pull out and rinse again in extremely hot water. I am 99% certain this would remove any oil fumes from your stove. However I am not sure how it would affect the stove overall, someone else will have to chime in on that.

Thats awesome, what a great idea that was!