Stores? (of the sort you can walk into)

I know I can get most any thing on-line but what about stores? Who has a good selection flashlights and accessories at decent prices. Target and Fry's both have a decent array of lights, REI has a great selection of headlamps, but who else is out there?

And what about batteries (specifically CR123A) although I expect the bulk of mine will be ordered on-line I wonder where the best places to get them will be when those not available to me. Fry's has some (ultralast?) for about $2 each in packs of 2 are they any good? what more common stores would be worth going too?

I hope I haven't used up my yearly allotment of question marks. :candle:

If you want CR123A batteries, you're better off getting them online. $5 for one is no bargain. :thumbsdow

I've found that Target has the best selection, overall, of Brick & Mortar stores.
If you want Surefires or Streamlights, you'll have to look elsewhere. But Target has Maglites (including LED versions), Dorcy, Inova, River Rock, Nite-Ize bulbs & kits, Brinkmann, various lanterns, various spotlights, lights for children, Energizer headlamps / pen lights / lanterns in 2 sizes....

They're flashight section is better than what you'll find at K-Mart, Wal-Mart, HomeDepot, Ace Hardware, and Lowe's. (And yes, I've been to every one; looking for lights).

Around here, Target has a decent selection but for surefires, I have to go to the local Gander Mountain or down to Scheels All Sports. About the only thing Walmart has is the 3 watt led mags.

del

The uniform (LEO) supply places. Not always the best prices but they do stock many lights and parts for said lights. Just depends what local PD they service. The ones in my area only carried the lines from specific producers. Read that as either a dealer for SF or SL...both aren't together.

If there's one in your area, check out Batteries Plus. They are a national chain. They have an excellent selection of Streamlight and Photon products, plus a few Surefires and miscellaneous others.

cbdudley said:

If there's one in your area, check out Batteries Plus. They are a national chain. They have an excellent selection of Streamlight and Photon products, plus a few Surefires and miscellaneous others.

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Never heard of them. Will try to find. Thanks!

Here's a link to their store locator web page:

http://www.batteriesplus.com/t-storeloc.aspx

cbdudley said:

Here's a link to their store locator web page:

http://www.batteriesplus.com/t-storeloc.aspx

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Hey, thanks again.

Only one place in New York, but I've got a car.

In Australia, just about nobody

****'s Sporting Goods has the colored Nite-Ize mini-mag LED replacements. Bass Pro Shop (BPS) had those as well. BPS has most Surefire models. A few Streamlights and quite a few headlamps. It's nice to see/hold the items in person.
Doug

REI has pretty good flashlight selection - especially headlamps.

Surfed to Batteries Plus, $13.99 for a 2 pack of CR123A's. WOWZA. If a person is not into buying on the internet, really makes you re-think giving a present to a friend that uses those batteries.

Make using an M6 HOLA kinda harsh, eh?

Well I am glad to here of batteries plus unfortunately they are too far away form me but I keep an eye out for them in other places. I had always really expected that most of my flashlight shopping would have to be done on-line but I kind of like buying things in stores so I figured it was worth a try. I am still wondering if there were some reason you had to get CR123As in a store what stores would be the best bet.

Thank you all

Where are you located?

Bass Pro Shops has a gross (12) of Surefire CR123s for $30, I think Gander mountain is about the same. Both carry Surefire, BPS has a good selection of Streamlight.

The best handheld lights are all on line I'm afraid. But you can get great headlamps Brick and Morter.

I like Sportsman's Warehouse for lights. (and knives)

BTW, a gross is 144 (at least in the US)

cave dave said:

Where are you located?

Bass Pro Shops has a gross (12) of Surefire CR123s for $30, I think Gander mountain is about the same. Both carry Surefire, BPS has a good selection of Streamlight.

The best handheld lights are all on line I'm afraid. But you can get great headlamps Brick and Morter.

Click to expand...

I live near Seattle WA and it looks like nither one has any locations within a 2 state radius.

Sportsman's Warehouse is some what better although still in the same catagory as Batteries Plus (slight chance if my being in the area of one at some point)

I'll continue to keep an eye open.

In Baileys Crossroads Virginia (inside DC beltway) I walked into what looked like a shaving supply store and they had a whole wall and cabinets full of Streamlight flashlights. Weird Huh?

(Its across the tiny parking lot from the Best Buy and down the road from REI. There are also some very good Thai resterants in the area)

In my neck of the woods Mag, Inova, Led Lenser and possibly Dorcy are the only decent lights you can pick up in local stores.

Streicher's (www.streichers.com) is a nice place to buy flashlights. It's where I've bought some of mine.