Shipping A Broken Rod Back to the Manufacturer

[Jcampbell577]

So of course I happened to have a hatch on the boat slam shut and break the tip off my new star rod. It has a lifetime warranty so I need to send it in. Not sure they will cover that but I am hoping so. My question is what is the best way to ship a rod? Where can I get something to put it in and how much should it cost to ship. I want to UPS and they quoted me $60 At that price I might as well buy a new rod.

[Mudfish]

Ask West Marine if they have a shipping tube you can have from a (8') VHF antenna.

[tadpole]

A piece of PVC pipe. Don't use the thin wall stuff. Cut to required length (of a new rod - they may use it to send the rod back....) add some foam or bubble wrap around each end of the rod. Glue a cap on one end, glue a threaded fitting on the other. Use a threaded plug or cap as needed to close that end. Drill a hole and add a sheet metal screw for security on the threaded plug.

Good luck!

[islandspeed2001]

UPS can be expensive. Ship it snail mail (USPS). Will a couple more days really matter? Probably not.

Yes, the pvc tube works well

[shallowrunner123]

Happened to me many times.
-Get a 2 ft. tube from staples etc.
-Brake your rod in smaller pieces so it fits
-send the cheapest
Did it with TFO, St Croix and never had a problem. Rod is broken already anyway...

[tadpole]

Now that's "out of the box" thinking! If it's broken, what good is it? Are they going to repair it? Not likely....

[dkal]

I would contact star rods before breaking the rod any further; you could just be putting yourself up the creek without a paddle. Breaking it down further is a great idea!

[kasteer]

Are there any local rod makers? Just curious, since that would support local businesses and make it easier to "return" a rod for repair.

[troutman]

I had this happen. I bought my rod from Stike-zone on beach. So i took it to them. They shipped it to st croix. Called me when new rod was there. Very easy!

[Scrumptrelecent]

Happened to me many times.
-Get a 2 ft. tube from staples etc.
-Brake your rod in smaller pieces so it fits
-send the cheapest
Did it with TFO, St Croix and never had a problem. Rod is broken already anyway...

This reminded me of one of my friends who had a software issue with a computer he bought from Best Buy. They wouldn't replace it because the software wasn't covered. However the computer was covered from physical damage so he walked out into the parking lot and smashed it. Grabbed all of the pieces and got back in the customer service line and later walked out with a new computer.

[Kudzu]

I can't see how breaking it further to fit in a container would make things better.

I'm hard on rods and have sent three back. They want the entire rod, not just the broken section. I can't imagine UPS charging $60 though. I think I paid $20 at the end of the year. The only reason I paid that much is because USPS was always out of the 3' mailing tubes (about $5) when I went and the stupid office supply stores don't seem to carry tubes. I'm keeping the box TFO used (triangle "tube") for the next time I have to return one.

[Jcampbell577]

Thank you everyone for the tips. Ended up going to Strike Zone and they took care of me on the spot! If you have not been there already I HIGHLY recommend it. Dave was super cool and really helped me out. Customer service is hard to come by these days and they went above and beyond. Also, they are stocked to the brim with sweet tackle and gear. Their prices are the best I've seen in the area. I am a lifetime loyal Strike Zone customer!