Freight Forwarding Companies from the USA - any recommendations?

[Ruffy]

Hi all,
Post COVID and Mystic have stopped international shipping. Frustrating, but understandable given they can't be expected to know the shipping regulations and fees of every country etc.

Chasing a shiny new anodised gold spool for a Penn 704z, to replace a corroded old black one. Does anyone here have experience with freight forwarding companies and can recommend someone? This is completely foreign to me.

Cheers,
Andrew

[JasonGotaProblem]

I have a couple of NIB 704z spools, and have no such restrictions on international shipping. You'll just be the one to pay whatever it costs. $50 USD plus whatever it takes to get it to you.  What country are you in?

[foakes]

Hi Andrew —-

Since you are in Australia, and I am sending you some DQ 110 parts anyway —- Jason could send me the spool, and I would handle the shipping to you at no charge —- since our trade is already completed.

Or I could send you one of these, also N/C.

Whatever works the best, and Jason's generosity is always appreciated!

Best, Fred

[foakes]

Looks like Jason is charging you $50 for the spool, which is a bargain, Andrew —-

So I shouldn't have butted in —-

But if Jason wants to send the spool to me, I will still handle the shipping to you at N/C —- since it can just piggyback in the box of DQ parts.

Best, Fred

[Ruffy]

I am happy to go with you Jason, if we can get it to Fred would probably be the easiest as he is going to send me some parts for a DQ110 (thanks again Fred!).

Also, nice Sigma on the bench Fred! Still one of my top three reels, more probably for nostalgia than anything else, but they keep on catching fish!

I'll PM you both.

If anyone does have any advice on freight forwarders feel free to add to the chat, I am sure I won't be the first person with this problem.

[jim mcnamara]

Ruffy
I have used shipito many times from the US, excellent never failed. They also now have expanded their operation to Japan.
Jim

https://www.shipito.com/en/

[boon]

I used shipito for several years on a semi-regular basis, then one day out of the blue they flagged my account as "suspicious" and suspended it, and despite providing all sorts of identity documents etc. I never managed to restore access. Kinda sad as I was very happy with their service up to that point.

[Ruffy]

Thanks Jim and Boon, will keep that in mind.

This time around Jason and Fred are to the rescue (thanks again gents). I took the 705z out with the old spool, roughly cleaned up and minus a clicker. It functioned as it should on some big fish, but the lack of drag clicker was very frustrating! In addition to three reasonable Mack's, it also hauled in a very large shark which was not photographed, as the line was cut when it surfaced. It was in the 7-8 foot ballpark.

The chap I went fishing with is in his 60's, and had a box of old fishing gear long forgotten sitting on his shed shelf. In there was a Penn 130 Sailfisher, that apparently nearly led to his fathers divorce due to the cost back in the day. It's still surprisingly smooth but needs some TLC. He also has an old jiggy somewhere he will find for me, and a swag of other neglected reels in various states of repairs. I still may need a freight forwarder yet...

Andrew