Mail Drops And Home Packed Resupply Boxes

Some thru hikers prepare resupply boxes at home before a trip, filling them with food and selected gear items. These boxes are then shipped to towns, hostels, businesses, or post offices along the route, where they are held until the hiker arrives. This approach supports dietary restrictions, brand preferences, or cost savings achieved by buying certain items in bulk.

Using mail drops involves confirming that the chosen locations accept and hold packages for hikers, understanding address formats, and checking any fees or conditions. Post offices often have specific holding periods, and private businesses may set their own policies and hours.

Timing is an important consideration. Boxes sent too early may arrive before holding windows begin or sit for long periods, while boxes sent too late may not arrive before the hiker passes through town. Some hikers rely on trusted contacts at home to send boxes on a flexible schedule based on progress updates.

Mail drops can be especially valuable in areas where local stores have limited selections, where specialized dietary products are hard to find, or where certain gear items may not be available. At the same time, they can reduce spontaneity, as hikers feel more anchored to specific towns.

Many long distance hikers use a hybrid strategy, combining some pre-planned boxes with on-the-fly purchases in larger or well-stocked towns. This balance allows for both structure and adaptability as conditions, preferences, and appetites evolve over the course of a trip.