[roguejim]

From time to time, I'd like to be able to ship a single bottle (12oz, or 22oz) to a worthy friend.  Does anyone have a simple, yet effective way to do this?  I'm talking breakage free as well as cheap.  There has to be a better way than wrapping a single bottle in bubblewrap, and then paying shipping on the box that could get crushed.  Tricks?

[euge]

I think those dark brown plastic beer bottles are pretty much fool proof. Wrap some cardboard around the bottle, tape shut and unless it gets punctured (unlikely) you're golden.

You could put the bundle in a bubble mailer. I get stuff- phones, books, various crap etc... like that all the time.

[tumarkin]

A lot of liquor bottles come in cardboard tubes, with metal ends. Save those, or ask your friends to save them for you. Would protect against all but most serious crushing.

[jeffy]

Funny thing happened with my shipping technique: I thought it would be really cool when sending two bottles for the AHA Club Only comp to insert each glass bottle into a one liter soda bottle with the top cut off, and then tape a plastic cup onto the end to capture it.  I put this into a box with plenty of insulation/bubble wrap and amazingly one broke anyway.  I'm not sure how the bottle escaped, but it got loose and knocked against the other one somehow.
I'm back to insulation/bubble wrap only these days, but I usually double box so it can survive a four foot drop.

[Mikey]

Find a carpet installer and go through their trash. The padding works great and it's free,

[The Professor]

I've had a number of single bottles shipped to me for analysis,  sealed in a FoodSaver bag (to prevent messy leakage in case of breakage) and rolled in a good amount of bubblewrap (lightweight and effective).  Every one of them arrived safe and sound.

[bluesman]

I've had a number of single bottles shipped to me for analysis,  sealed in a FoodSaver bag (to prevent messy leakage in case of breakage) and rolled in a good amount of bubblewrap (lightweight and effective).  Every one of them arrived safe and sound.

^^^^ This

I use bubblewrap to send bottles for competition and it hasn't failed me yet.
It may be a hassle but it works.