I travelled to FLA last spring and brought the rods. I got a travel tube at Galyans in Danvers. It was about 35 bucks. Put the rods in with some bubble wrap lightly at the tips and shipped them down UPS ground. I sent them about a week before I left to the hotel we were staying at.
You are better off shipping them, many many rods have gone home with the Samsonite Ape.
