Our evolving brick-and-mortar selections

Stopped by the local Fry's today, hoping they'd have the Mag XL100 in stock (no luck). They had the now-standard Fenix selection (LD01, LD10, LD20, PD30), the usual array of Mags, Inovas, LED Lensers, and no-name cheapies. And they also had...

...a pair of iTP Polestars.

Very nice indeed. The Frys flashlight isle has improved a lot the past year, Fenix, Stanley spotlights, now polestar... lets hope they get more ITP lights.

Wish we had Fry's around here, though I really don't need another source of temptation. Are they only west of the Mississippi? Sad when the best places are Target, WalMart, and REI.

Geoff

Almost all the Fenix light packages at the Fry's store in this area have been opened and boxes somewhat torn. One could tell that the lights had been removed from the package, then stuffed back in later.

In this store, it is common to see empty blister packs hanging on hooks. The contents are missing and the plastic packaging cut open. Shoplifters, perhaps.

REI and Home Depot are carrying a wider variety of Surefire products these days.

I was up at Redwood Trading Post...a pretty well stocked brick n mortar. Surefire, Fenix, Streamlight, Quark, 4Sevens, Pentagonlight (some leftover stuff), Mag XL100s and some HIDs.

JB

Uniform stores around the Sacramento area have a lot of Surefire and Streamlight.

parnass said:

Almost all the Fenix light packages at the Fry's store in this area have been opened and boxes somewhat torn. One could tell that the lights had been removed from the package, then stuffed back in later.

In this store, it is common to see empty blister packs hanging on hooks. The contents are missing and the plastic packaging cut open. Shoplifters, perhaps.

Click to expand...

I see the same thing in the Houston area Fry's stores. It's like shopping at Walmart :sigh: You have to dig through their stock to find one that hasn't been previously fondled or returned.

kelmo said:

REI and Home Depot are carrying a wider variety of Surefire products these days.

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I usually can't find the plumbing fitting I need at our Home Depot, much less a Surefire.

ejot,

My Depot hangs the Surefires up by the checkout area, not in the aisle. The LED Lensers were in the aisle with the Mags.

Just yesterday I went on a cruise to the newest Lowe's here in San Jose, CA on Cottle Road where my old workplace, IBM SSD, used to be located. I was specifically looking for the new Maglite XL100 to check it out, but they didn't have it. They had all the other usual Maglites, but nothing larger than a 3 D cell. They also had Surefire 6PLs and G2Ls in stock.

This small hardware store in downtown manhattan (squeezed between the J&R complex) carries a nice selection of SFs

Locoboy5150 said:

...the newest Lowe's here in San Jose, CA on Cottle Road where my old workplace, IBM SSD, used to be located.

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I just realized that, for some unknown reason, new Lowe's hardware stores are *always* being built on the former sites of companies that I got laid off from in Silicon Valley.

...strange.

Before I agree to work at my next place of employment, I'll be sure to do some research into what area Lowe's is looking at for their next store here in the Bay Area!

I was in another Fry's (San Jose, on Brokaw) this past week, and there were some new additions:

• Along with the usual Fenix quartet (LD01, LD10, LD20, PD30 - mostly open/returned, of course) they had the LD05, MC10 and HL20.
• Icon Rogue 1 and Rogue 2 - saw those that a local Radio Shack recently as well
• Surefire E1B, G2L and 6PL
• Full rack of Mag XL100's (all black) - I still have yet to see these at my local Fry's
• quite a few Pelicans

Pretty decent selection overall, and bigger then my local Fry's.

They did not have any Eneloops, and oddly no Rayovac 4.0's (my local Fry's - ten minutes away - has crates of the latter). It was interesting to note that there were probably six different brands of LSD NiMH AA's on the racks, all made in China. But aside from some old stock Rayovac Hybrids, all of them had white shrink wrap around the nipple (a la Eneloops), while as recently as a couple months ago, most made-in-China brands had black.

I was at the Brokaw store last night. Ended up walking out with an MC10 and a lenser 1AAA-nichia light. I would have picked up a polestar, but all they had were eneloops at $14/4-pack.

Surefire in full force as mentioned, CR123 cells too
They also had the Icon modus I and II in white/gray. They are not as "toilet porcelain" looking in person. Almost walked out with one of those.

The LD20 was on sale (I will post price on the marketplace good deal section).

Quite a few more pelican lights too. They had the new Pelican 2360 for $29, and a the L1 EDC for $12. These should appeal to those wanting USA-made lights on a budget.

Bad news for addicts with no self control.

I only buy flashlights at B&M stores, don't buy anything online. A local Kroger affiliate doesn't have anything decent. Some dirt cheap Everready's and such. The local HD only has Huskies (Brinkman), Maglites, and a few LED Lensor's, Everready and Energizer stuff. Nothing like what you guys have mentioned. I can find a couple of versions of Surefires at REI and Lowe's. A local only hardware store carries a good variety of <$80 lights and has a display case of Surefires. But the stores prices are list, 1 1/2 list, and sometimes even 2x list. They have almost anything you want tho, and have a lot of associates to help you find things.

Locoboy5150 said:

I just realized that, for some unknown reason, new Lowe's hardware stores are *always* being built on the former sites of companies that I got laid off from in Silicon Valley.

Click to expand...

Now that you mention it ... the old Philips building in Sunnyvale at Wolfe & Arques ... recently "raized" to make "Lowes!"

parnass said:

Almost all the Fenix light packages at the Fry's store in this area have been opened and boxes somewhat torn. One could tell that the lights had been removed from the package, then stuffed back in later.

In this store, it is common to see empty blister packs hanging on hooks. The contents are missing and the plastic packaging cut open. Shoplifters, perhaps.

Click to expand...

The local Fry's in Silicone Valley puts defective stuff back on the shelves for reselling. I've returned two different products, clearly defective and not simply unwanted, and the next day found them back on the shelf. There was very distinctive markings/tears from what I did myself, and lo and behold, back on the shelf to sell to the next sucker. I wonder how many times the exact same item was sold/returned before and after I had it.

You guys should be thankful you don't live in Australia (Melbourne) where I do. :scowl:

There are virtually NO bricks 'n' mortar stores retailing "real" LED flashlights, or torches as we call 'em. A couple of the big box stores sell a few off-branded el-cheapos, but that's about it.

We have to by all our brand-name LED stuff from online sellers. Which obviously means we don't get to handle the item in the flesh, and basically have to buy stuff sight unseen.

You guys may've noticed the research I was doing here as a first-time LED buyer... that's why!

— Cheers, Jack.

cityevader said:

The local Fry's in Silicone Valley puts defective stuff back on the shelves for reselling. I've returned two different products, clearly defective and not simply unwanted, and the next day found them back on the shelf. There was very distinctive markings/tears from what I did myself, and lo and behold, back on the shelf to sell to the next sucker. I wonder how many times the exact same item was sold/returned before and after I had it.

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Did you tell them specifically that the item was defective when you returned them? The 1-2 times I have returned defective merchandise, they tag them with an orange sticker and mark them as RMA for return to the manufacturer.

But yes, they frequently do re-stock returned merchandise. Its supposed to be tagged with a "previously returned" sticker. Thats another reason why I passed on the polestar, the box looked like it had been opened and re-taped.

The lights I saw the other night were all taped and sealed completely, I do not believe they were previously opened or returned.

I don't think this is significant enough to rule out Frys as a B&M option outright... you just have to be careful with what you are buying.