Shipping Backpacking/Camping Stoves

[goggination]

(I'm new here so if this topic should belong in a different part of the forum let me know and I'll delete and repost.)

A friend and I are going on a 9 day car camping trip through Joshua Tree, Sedona, and the South Rim in roughly 2.5 months and since we're flying in to Vegas to start the trip we'd like to mail or ship our stoves ahead of us rather than chance the fickle fickle TSA.  That said, does anyone have experience with this or instructions or even just general knowledge about how things need to be marked and shipped?  And can I just toss whatever other stuff I want in the box with it or does it have to ship solo?  (I mean, people sell and ship used stoves all the time so someone's gotta know...)

I tried looking at the USPS, UPS, and FedEx guidlines and all three aren't very straightforward.  I'd assume that camp stoves that aren't brand new need to be shipped ground, but other than that I'm pretty lost.

(FYI, I'd be shipping a GigaPower and a Primus Classic Trail or a standard Coleman 2-burner propane if it wont break the bank.  Not shipping fuel.)

[John B]

I have always taken my stove in checked baggage (sans fuel), and purchased fuel upon arrival.  If you're using canister stoves, it's usually very easy to find a fresh canister at your destination.  If I I have left over fuel, I have usually been able to donate it to a fellow camper.  Just a thought.....

[balzaccom]

John B is right.  The stove is not an issue--it's the fuel.  As long as you buy fuel at your destination, you shouldn't have worry much...until they lose your luggage.

[goggination]

Thanks for the advice.

The most frustrating thing here is that we're flying Delta and I've made a couple of attempts to get straight answers from them as to Delta's own policy (as I know that can trump the TSA if more stringent) and each agent has said something slightly different ranging from "yes, as long as you've cleaned it completely of fuel and vapor" to "no, you cannot carry that on or put it in checked baggage".  Although we could feasibly replace confiscated or refused stoves that's not something that we really want to take on as it will complicate our planned timetable and start us off on the wrong foot.  At this point I'm thinking I'm just going to mail the two backpacking stoves ahead and check with the post office before I tape the box shut.  Or possibly just rent one from one of a couple of places I've found in town.

This is why I need enough vacation time to drive to my destinations...