In the UK

[mcnair55]

Follow on from the op,s post

Looking for LED in the UK, £45 budget.

Spent some extra time this week to see how the market is to buy without having to use the net.

In no order but these are the most common brands you can buy by way of walk in stores.

Led Lenser Most industrial trade counters
Streamlight Limited range but some industrial trade counters
Cyba Lite Many motor factors and large DIY stores such as Homebase
Pro Lec CPC brand,many independent and trade electrical factors
Active Some industrial trade counters
Gerber Camping/hiking/climbing stores
Maglite Plenty of shops still carry this brand
Rolson Many high street cheap stores,markets,petrol stations-have a bigger range now but price varies,pay £4 in one shop then can get them for a £1 in others.
My observations:-

Led Lenser still has the largest base in the UK market place and growing
Cyba Lite appearing more and more
CPC spend is big on UK television and there catalogs are churned out by the 1000,s,there range is quite large now with some unknown brands but the Pro-Lec seems to an in-house brand.(Callers have a counter to buy in Preston)


My survey conducted in and around the Cheshire/Shropshire and Wirral areas of the north west part of the UK,with input from my son who works in the building wholesale sector in the West Midlands.

 

[Batou00159]

are you looking to buy from the internet or not

internet based light: try the itp a4 eos im still very impressed by this and so cheep 25 squids for 2 cr123/rcr123 and 1-17670 at 160 lumins for neary 2 hours by my tests.
As for the shops cant really help all the shops in this area (Blacks,Millets,argos ) all pratically sell ther own brand and argos just dose rubber torches it is a highly wraped up market.

anyhoo best of luck hunting

 

[Zatoichi]

I honestly think buying online is the way to go. If you really can't for some reason, the Heinnie showroom is probably worth a look (is that near you?). Even when the strongest urges kick in to walk into a bricks & mortar store and buy a new light, I just cannot bring myself to buy an LED Lenser from somewhere like Maplins.

 

[mcnair55]

are you looking to buy from the internet or not

internet based light: try the itp a4 eos im still very impressed by this and so cheep 25 squids for 2 cr123/rcr123 and 1-17670 at 160 lumins for neary 2 hours by my tests.
As for the shops cant really help all the shops in this area (Blacks,Millets,argos ) all pratically sell ther own brand and argos just dose rubber torches it is a highly wraped up market.

anyhoo best of luck hunting

You have jumped in with your reply without reading the post correctly

Nothing what so ever to do with internet shopping,this what I found in bricks and mortar.I know where to buy my lights from.
The thread goes back to another post about bricks and mortar shopping not net shopping.

 

[mcnair55]

I honestly think buying online is the way to go. If you really can't for some reason, the Heinnie showroom is probably worth a look (is that near you?). Even when the strongest urges kick in to walk into a bricks & mortar store and buy a new light, I just cannot bring myself to buy an LED Lenser from somewhere like Maplins.

You also are not reading the post correctly.

I am not looking for a light and I buy most of mine from the US or via other online sources and yes I already use Heinnie and other UK web sources.

The post is about bricks and mortar stores not via internet.

 

[Zatoichi]

You also are not reading the post correctly.

I am not looking for a light and I buy most of mine from the US or via other online sources and yes I already use Heinnie and other UK web sources.

The post is about bricks and mortar stores not via internet.

Sorry if I missinterpreted the post, but this bit threw me off:

Looking for LED in the UK, £45 budget.

Spent some extra time this week to see how the market is to buy without having to use the net.

I see you didn't say you were personally looking to buy a flashlight from a B&M store, but my point stands. Buying from B&M stores severly limits ones options (as you seem to have discovered), and is unlikely to be the cheapest way.

I see where you're going with your post, but I suspect no amount of research is going to make buying this way a good option unless you're a non flashaholic who needs to nip out and buy an LED flashlight there and then.

Having said that, I certainly don't wish to discourage creating some kind of database of UK stores that sell decent LED lights, I'm just... well, having had a good look around my area, call me cynical :sigh:

 

[mcnair55]

Sorry if I missinterpreted the post, but this bit threw me off:



I see you didn't say you were personally looking to buy a flashlight from a B&M store, but my point stands. Buying from B&M stores severly limits ones options (as you seem to have discovered), and is unlikely to be the cheapest way.

I see where you're going with your post, but I suspect no amount of research is going to make buying this way a good option unless you're a non flashaholic who needs to nip out and buy an LED flashlight there and then.

Having said that, I certainly don't wish to discourage creating some kind of database of UK stores that sell decent LED lights, I'm just... well, having had a good look around my area, call me cynical :sigh:

That is the whole point of the post,for me and you and countless others we have no option but to buy via the internet because our favored lights are just not available in UK stores.

Fred in the shed mechanics rely on the local tool van coming around but those mainly are well over priced.
The larger firms rely on the countless trade suppliers for there lighting needs.
The more savvy guys out there do use the internet.

 

[kzb]

B&M Stores -never thought ! is that what it stands for ?

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/

 

[Batou00159]

my bad that is gowing to be a mighty fine quest you are gowing on almost as great as the knight's of ould when they saught the HOLY GRAIL

 

[mcnair55]

B&M Stores -never thought ! is that what it stands for ?

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/

Yes I use these but never any light deals in there,but as they are close out traders you never know.Home Bargains there main competitor nearly always has light deals,recently Target (US company),were on offer with Husky stuff,at the moment it is mainly Duracell.

£2.99,handy and has focus,red filter is great, plus a blue filter and a pouch and batteries. Black-Blue or Grey available.

 

[Zatoichi]

B&M Stores -never thought ! is that what it stands for ?

http://www.bmstores.co.uk/

On forums like this, B&M usually means bricks and mortar stores, as opposed to online stores. I'm not sure if you knew that and were just joking...

 

[Batou00159]

Yes I use these but never any light deals in there,but as they are close out traders you never know.Home Bargains there main competitor nearly always has light deals,recently Target (US company),were on offer with Husky stuff,at the moment it is mainly Duracell.

£2.99,handy and has focus,red filter is great, plus a blue filter and a pouch and batteries. Black-Blue or Grey available.

oooo i spy me a duracell XL100 :naughty:

 

[Trancersteve]

I think over here in the UK it is quite embarrassing what is on our shelves, we are no where near what stores in the US stock. Even if I want to buy from a world wide known company named Energizer, their hard case headlamp is no where to be seen in the UK.

Many shops here still literally 'hold the torch' for Maglite and I am not sure why. Walk into Halfords, Homebase, Wickes and they are all about Maglite.

Tesco stock a couple of older Energizer headlamps and their own range of crude (they love their wind up lights!)

Maplin stocks quite a few of the LED Lenser range.

If Maplin jumped on some of the budget manufacturers like Solarforce or Romisen they would have many sales, they have the buying power to make it possible..

Can only dream

 

[mcnair55]

I think over here in the UK it is quite embarrassing what is on our shelves, we are no where near what stores in the US stock. Even if I want to buy from a world wide known company named Energizer. Their hard case headlamp is no where to be seen in the UK.

Many shops here still literally 'hold the torch' for Maglite and I am not sure why. Walk into Halfords, Homebase, Wickes and they are all about Maglite.

Tesco stock a couple of older Energizer headlamps and their own range of crude (they love their wind up lights!)

Maplin stocks quite a few of the LED Lenser range.

If Maplin jumped on some of the budget manufacturers like Solarforce or Romisen they would have many sales, they have the buying power to make it possible..

Can only dream

Take a look at Tesco own label led lights,good value for the price,when on offer they are a real steal.I have the double c cell (runs now on AA) via c cell adapter.Savvy mechanics buy the AA cell versions rather than spend shed loads on tool van over priced lights.

 

[Batou00159]

+1 for the tesco own brand aluminium lights they do run rather well,

as for maplin it is full of typos or just unknowing check the batt config

thought the p14 by led lenser was aa
4xaaa wooooooo

 

[kzb]

Yeh Maplins have got the batteries wrong -I thought it was a holiday camp anyhow. I went in local maplins again, they do indeed stock LL and Cybalites plus cheaper LED lights. I didn't spot the lights last visit.

The B&M thing was just a laugh. If you've ever been in I think you will have noticed the comic potential. To clarify, I have yet to see anything in B&M Stores that would be of interest to Candlepower forum members. This is slightly unlike Home Bargains where we have seen the Duracell LED lights and the CAMLink LSD cells at bargain prices.

 

[vasp1]

I went into Maplins in Tottenham Court Road today.

They are selling a Rolson torch for £3 that looks very, very similar to the $1 eBay light which has been much discussed in the Budget forum.

It has a piece of dimpled rubber tubing mid-body, presumably for improved grip, a lanyard with keyring attachment and some silver trim.

It comes in black or, for the truly classy members, lime green. There are also little diamond-shaped etchings around the head for that extra bling factor.

 

[mcnair55]

I went into Maplins in Tottenham Court Road today.

They are selling a Rolson torch for £3 that looks very, very similar to the $1 eBay light which has been much discussed in the Budget forum.

It has a piece of dimpled rubber tubing mid-body, presumably for improved grip, a lanyard with keyring attachment and some silver trim.

It comes in black or, for the truly classy members, lime green. There are also little diamond-shaped etchings around the head for that extra bling factor.

But that light is available in many of our £1 shops under the Rolson Tools brand,but bearing in mind London rating and rent not so bad at 3 quid.

 

[vasp1]

Hold on to your hats - I saw some "proper" torches on sale in B & Q Enfield today.

The brand is AP Pro Series. I've not heard of them before and I can't find them on the B&Q site.


There are 3 models, but only 2 were on display on my visit:-

1 x AA, 90Lm (not on display, info gleaned from shelf tag)
2 x AA, 120Lm (or maybe 110, I don't remember exactly)
3 x C, 210Lm


Prices are 15.99, 19.99, 29.99 respectively.

The leds are CREE, the 2xAA and the 3xC are both flood-to-throw, tail switches, IPX4, black anodised and come with a 3 year guarantee.

They were all in blister packs so I couldn't try them out. Still, it's encouraging to see the big DIY boys stocking something that CPFers might be interested in.

 

[mcnair55]

Hold on to your hats - I saw some "proper" torches on sale in B & Q Enfield today.

The brand is AP Pro Series. I've not heard of them before and I can't find them on the B&Q site.


There are 3 models, but only 2 were on display on my visit:-

1 x AA, 90Lm (not on display, info gleaned from shelf tag)
2 x AA, 120Lm (or maybe 110, I don't remember exactly)
3 x C, 210Lm


Prices are 15.99, 19.99, 29.99 respectively.

The leds are CREE, the 2xAA and the 3xC are both flood-to-throw, tail switches, IPX4, black anodised and come with a 3 year guarantee.

They were all in blister packs so I couldn't try them out. Still, it's encouraging to see the big DIY boys stocking something that CPFers might be interested in.

Nice one,will pop into B+Q tomorrow and check them out.