Book both the same afternoon
Two Ground boxes tendered together from the same origin usually run on the same day count. Print both labels in one session so neither sits on a counter while the other is already moving.
Skis
Skis and boots: one box or two?
Packing both into a single carton feels efficient, and in our capture it cost far more than mailing them apart. A 74 × 16 × 13 in box carrying both quoted $210.63 on UPS Ground; the same skis in their own box quoted $85.85 and the boots in theirs quoted $39.62, on the same service, the same day, the same route. The reason is a single UPS surcharge line, not anything about the weight.
Three live quotes, one daySame lane, same serviceUPS rule cited, dated
Two boxes, less money
The combined carton crossed a surcharge line the two separate boxes never touched.
One box, two boxes, one lane
All three parcels below left Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 for Salt Lake City, UT 84101 in the same capture on 2026-08-18, so nothing changes between rows except what went in the box. Prices are the whole amount collected at checkout.
| What's in the box | Size & weight | Cheapest quote |
|---|---|---|
| Skis and boots together | 74 × 16 × 13 in 28 lb | $210.63 UPS Ground, 6-7 business days |
| Skis alone | 72 × 10 × 8 in 15 lb | $85.85 UPS Ground, 6-7 business days |
| Boots alone | 17 × 14 × 12 in 10 lb | $39.62 UPS Ground, 6-7 business days |
Skis alone on UPS Ground quoted $85.85 and boots alone quoted $39.62, both a good deal less painful than the $210.63 combined box on the same day. If speed does not matter, the boots alone were cheaper still on FedEx Ground Economy at $33.73 or UPS Ground Saver at $33.72, either of which trims the boot leg further.
Why the combined box costs more
UPS defines a large package, per the UPS shipping charge correction page read on ups.com on 2026-08-18, as one where “length plus girth combined exceeds 130 inches or its length exceeds 96 inches,” or where the cubic size passes 17,280 cubic inches or the weight passes 110 lb. Any one of those alone is enough, and the package is then billed at a 90 lb minimum weight no matter what the scale says.
| Box | Length + girth | Crosses the 130 in line? |
|---|---|---|
| Skis and boots together, 74 × 16 × 13 in | 74 + 32 + 26 = 132 in | Yes, by 2 in |
| Skis alone, 72 × 10 × 8 in | 72 + 20 + 16 = 108 in | No |
| Boots alone, 17 × 14 × 12 in | 17 + 28 + 24 = 69 in | No |
Two extra inches of length plus girth is what separated the combined box from the ordinary rate. It also picked up the Additional Handling surcharge on top, which UPS applies to any package with a longest side over 48 inches or a cubic size over 10,368 cubic inches, per the same UPS page. So did the ski-only box on length alone — both boxes clear four feet — but only the combined one also cleared the larger, costlier line.
Packing them separately without losing either one
Boots want a snug box, not a big one
A 17 × 14 × 12 in carton fit our pair with room for newspaper padding around the buckles. Oversizing the boot box for no reason adds dimensional weight for nothing in return.
Label each box with the pair number
“Skis 1 of 2” and “Boots 2 of 2” on the outside, plus a note inside each with the destination and your phone number, so a mismatched arrival still gets sorted out by whoever opens it.
Where these rules come from
- United Parcel Service, How To Avoid Shipping Charge Corrections — the large-package definition (length plus girth over 130 in, length over 96 in, cubic size over 17,280 cubic in, or weight over 110 lb), the 90 lb minimum billable weight, and the Additional Handling criteria (longest side over 48 in, second-longest side over 30 in, or cubic size over 10,368 cubic in). Read 2026-08-18.
- Prices: our own capture of three parcels against production on 2026-08-18, from Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 to Salt Lake City, UT 84101. Nothing on this page is a list price or an estimate.
UPS revises its surcharge thresholds without notice. Pack your own box to these dimensions and run it through the calculator before you tape it shut, since a half inch of padding can be the difference between the two lines above.
Common questions
Should skis and boots ship in the same box?
Not if the combined box is long. In our 2026-08-18 capture, one 74 x 16 x 13 in box holding both skis and boots quoted $210.63 on UPS Ground, while the same skis quoted $85.85 in their own box and the same boots quoted $39.62 in theirs, on the identical service, from the same origin, on the same day.
Why does putting them together cost more?
The combined box crosses UPS's large-package line. UPS defines a large package as length plus girth over 130 inches, length over 96 inches, cubic size over 17,280 cubic inches, or weight over 110 lb, and bills a 90 lb minimum regardless of the scale. Our combined box measured 132 inches of length plus girth; the ski-only box measured 108 and stayed clear.
Do the skis alone avoid every surcharge?
No, just the large one. UPS also charges Additional Handling on a package whose longest side passes 48 inches, and a 72 inch ski box clears that on length alone. It stays out of large-package territory, which is the expensive threshold, but it does not ship free of every fee a short box would avoid.
Which service was cheapest for the boots alone?
FedEx Ground Economy and UPS Ground Saver landed within a penny of each other, $33.73 and $33.72, both slower than UPS Ground. UPS Ground itself quoted $39.62 for the boots on their own, still a small fraction of what the combined box cost.
If I ship them separately, do they need to leave the same day?
Not for the carrier's sake, but for yours. Ground services on two boxes from the same origin usually land within a day of each other if tendered together; ship one a week later and you risk boots arriving with nothing to wear them for. Book both the same afternoon and track them as a pair.