Do you find that local retail flashlights just suck?

The last time you walked into a Target, Walmart, Sears, or other large outlet with a flashlight section, were you impressed?

Sure, maybe they had some LED lights, but not exactly what you want. Or maybe one of those Tough Lights with the fancy design and metal plates, but they use fragile incandescent bulbs. So how can they be "tough"?

I can think of 4 lights I bought, but everything else was online. I just don't see the good stuff I want in local stores. Do you? Sorry for the poll, but it gives an answer "at a glance".

Kinda, yeah. I mean, every now and then there's a good bargain, and there's always inexpensive go-to lights like the Dorcy AAA. For the most part, the only really close place that has anything noteworthy is the gun range, and they sell Surefire and Gerber (yeah) but that's it as far as lights go.

Of course, my buddy lives about 10 miles from Greg and the crew at Bright Guy, so I'll count that as okay

love your top poll description with the monkey. It's a hilarious visual

In my area the selection is way too limited -- but I was able to pick up an INOVA XO3 from Sharper Image when they first came out. That's about the only exception for me.

Can't really say that this is the case here. Both Mag Chargers and Streamlight products are available through local retail outlets, though most of the Streamlight products tend to be primarily from stores catering to public safety employees. About the only thing that isn't available are some of the obscure Chinese imports that are more limited to web site sales.

There's no such thing as a bad flashlight. A Mag Solitaire might one day save your life. :nana:

nikon said:

There's no such thing as a bad flashlight. A Mag Solitaire might one day save your life. :nana:

Click to expand...

Hmm, you are the only one who actually indicates you might have voted to get me. :laughing: Gotta love you zealot types.

Solitaire save my life? Not likely, I had one explode in my pocket (battery shorted and popped), and it didn't work right since. I recently fixed it.

I do agree that by and large you will not find high end Flashlights on the shelves of Retail Stores.

That is in part a case of supply and demand, as not everyone needs or wants a high end Light.

However, just because they are not high end, to me does not mean they are awful. Rather they are a lower end Light that will more often than not get the job done when needed.

Of course, I personally still prefer my SureFire L4.

When you own something like a Surefire, or Arc (LSH/4+, etc), HDS, etc. Most lights uh... "unworthy"
Yes and no
M*ggot lights
Shake lights
Whatever 3x AAA 5mm overdriven LED

Good =
Riverrocks.

Not exactly. The Mags make nice hosts 2D/3D. Target has Inovas and they don't suck.

The River Rock 2AAA and 2AAA Headlamp at Target definately DON'T suck.

The Dorcy Super 1W 3D and 3AAA at Wallyworld do not suck.

Some Garrity stuff doesn't hoover too badly.

But no, you can't find any high end stuff at the usual suspects.

Edit: Oh yeah (smacks forehead) M*gs ain't at all bad as mod hosts. The only one that doesn't hoover as stock is the M*gcharger however, and you can't get those just anywhere....

Inovas... that's about it. River Rocks don't look too bad; I'm going to pick up a headlamp. Then there are Mags which make great hammers, and Dorcys... which I haven't touched. And don't get me started on the Eveready lights at Radio Shack.

There's some places 'round here (guns stores, knife stores) that sell "real" flashlights like Surefires and Streamlights. Everywhere else kinda sucks.

Depends on what you call "local". I have a SF distributor about an hour drive from home and a smaller shop about 20 minutes away.

The Ace near here sells AAA Mini-Mags for fourteen bucks, enough said. And the affordable lights, aren't worth affording. Those silver-plated junk-piles like the first thread described, plastic lights in general, and of course the cheap LEDs that run on watch batteries.

Until recently I haven't seen much in stores that is of any interest. We have a local BassPro shop and now a Cabela's and they both sell "our" kind of lights.

Recently I've seen more variety in LED's in more ordinary retail stores. Target has Inova, RiverRock and Dorcy. Sears has at least one light that gets talked about here, and our local Ace hardware has a couple of Streamlights, even if they are priced pretty high.

Good point. The nearest Streamlight/Surefire dealer is about 15 minutes away here as well, and it's in the same city!

greenLED said:

Depends on what you call "local". I have a SF distributor about an hour drive from home and a smaller shop about 20 minutes away.

Click to expand...

lets see,

Pelican is based in my city, there are dealers here that carry Streamlight, innova, Pelican, Surefires ect...

I am happy with availibility, but price points are harsh.


Life is good.


IF

here in Sydney the best you'll ever see in a department store is a Maglite and the price will be about $85 for a 6D. I think that about says it.

Actually, I'm pretty impressed with some of the less expensive lights I've seen in retail stores lately. Case in point, the Brinkmann Maxfire is very close to the Surefire G2 in performance and costs about half as much.