How to Ship a Baseball Bat Without Paying a Fortune

How to ship a baseball bat is easy if you figure out how to protect it throughout transportation. Use some bubble wrap or packing peanuts to prevent dents and scratches, and use shipping software to save money on the shipping.
Shipping a baseball bat – or a soft bat – may seem relatively simple if you think about it.
But then, whether it is a collectible unit or it has a famous player’s autograph, you need to ensure it does not get damaged.
Figuring out how to ship a baseball bat is not hard – a bit of cushioning will protect it and the correct box.
Here are all the steps you need to go through.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Prepare
How to Pack Baseball Bats

In this guide, you will learn how to ship baseball bats safely and efficiently, like a pro. By following these steps, you can minimize the risk of damage during shipping.
1. Get the Baseball Bat Clean and Ready to Ship

If you stored the baseball bat in a dusty place for too long, wipe it before sending it.
Dust can go into the wood and even stain it.
Besides, improper handling may cause the dust to scratch the surface.
There are more options to clean the bat.
If moisture is involved, ensure it is perfectly dry before shipping.
You do not want it to start rotting.
2. Get a Tube or a Long-Shaped Box

You can find such boxes in most mail stores.
You can even order them and get them delivered to your home.
Some couriers will ship them for free.
If you want to go cheap, you can get a large piece of cardboard and make the box yourself.
For example, if you get it from a courier like USPS or FedEx, it must be assembled.
If you make it yourself, you can roll cardboard and leave a gap in the middle for your baseball bat.
3. Wrap the Baseball Bat

A few layers of simple wrap will do.
Wrap will not necessarily prevent chips and damage, but it can help against spillages or rain if the package is not handled accordingly.
Bubble wrap is better, as it also acts like cushioning.
4. Get the Ball in and Add Some Cushioning

Packing pellets represent the best way to add cushioning to an item for protection, but not the only one.
Got some old newspapers?
All those flyers you get or free newspapers may help too.
Crumbled newspaper is excellent protection, yet not as soft as packing peanuts.
Add packing peanuts at the bottom of the box first – come up with bedding of about an inch.
Place the baseball bat in the middle and hold it with one hand while adding more packing peanuts around it – to the top.
Close the box and shake it a little.
Open it up, and it will settle the peanuts, but there will be more voids.
Fill everything up again, shake again, and so on until there are no more gaps.
Add packing peanuts to cover the top, too, and you are ready to close the box.
5. Seal the Box

Add tape all over the edges of the box, all the openings, and all around it.
Cover the box with a few layers of tape to make sure.
A single layer can get damaged, and your package will open up accidentally.
You can add more wrap around the box to keep everything together if you want.
Although a baseball bat is not a fragile item, it pays off by writing “fragile” on the package or getting a fragile sticker.
Such things will add to your peace of mind – it is not guaranteed that the courier will be more careful with it, though.
6. Get the Shipping Labels and Ship it

Shop around for couriers and get your shipping labels.
Keep in mind that shipping labels also need to be considered in terms of budgeting, as they will come as a separate cost.
Stick them on, and your parcel is ready to go.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Baseball Bats?
Generally speaking, most couriers will charge you between $8 and $20 to ship your baseball bat.
It depends on the actual distance.
Shipping internationally will most likely double the cost.
You will also pay more for express shipping.
If the baseball bat is rare or extremely valuable, it might also be worth purchasing insurance.
The Cheapest Way to Ship Baseball Bats
Again, each courier will give you different rates, but they are close in range.
UPS is one of the cheapest options for international and domestic shipping.
Express shipping will cost more. No matter which courier you choose, you must pay for shipping labels separately – they are not included in the rates.
Those who rely a lot on couriers choose to print shipping labels themselves – cheaper and time-saving too.
Sign up with Pirate Ship, and you can print your shipping labels for free.
Weigh the parcel yourself. Print the shipping labels and stick them on.
This way, you will not even have to wait in the queue by the post office – there are specific counters that allow cutting the queue if you have shipping labels.
You need a scale to do it yourself, but you will also need to input the box size – so get some tape measure.
Final Thoughts
In short, figuring out how to ship a baseball bat is not that difficult.
While solid and less likely to damage, improper handling can still damage the wood.
Dents are quite common, hence the necessity of some cushioning around them.
As for the shipping, it will not cost you a fortune but do shop around.
The possibility of saving money on printing labels yourself for free is a plus, regardless of which shipping courier you choose.