I put this list together of RC vendors. https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1750769 Looking through that list there made me wonder how many people shop at those places. I know for me, when it comes to buying RC stuff, I stick to maybe a half dozens stores.

This the key to this thread. These are your 100% trusted online stores. These stores are the ones you would send family and friends to without one single moment of hesitation. So think hard and choose wisely.

Here are my favorites:

Altitude Hobbies… www.altitudehobbies.com/
Cheap Battery Packs… www.cheapbatterypacks.com/
Heads Up RC… www.headsuprc.com/servlet/StoreFront
MaxAmps… www.maxamps.com/
Mountain Models/Laser Arts… www.mountainmodels.com/
Servo City… www.servocity.com/
Stevens AeroModel… www.stevensaero.com/
Tower Hobbies… www.towerhobbies.com/
Value Hobby -RC… www.valuehobby.com/

When I need something RC related and can't find it at my LHS, I am going to those places above and placing an order. Those are my no kidding places to order from and I know the order will be ship right away and I know if there are any problems with the order I can pick up the phone or email them and they will promptly "make it right."

Does anyone have any of those stores that fit in that category as your number one or best of the best online stores? Is so, I'd love to know what they are and perhaps from your suggestions, I'll create a poll and we can pick RCG's all time favorite online store.

Thanks

Frank

Here is the list as of right now of stores that you have called your most trusted resource for purchasing RC products online.


Store Name... Website

Aero-Model… www.aero-model.com/
Action Hobbies RC A/C Center… www.actionhobbiesrc.com/index.htm
AeroGraphix www.aerographix.biz/
All e RC… www.allerc.com/index.php
Altitude Hobbies… www.altitudehobbies.com/
Aloft Hobbies… www.alofthobbies.com/
Atlanta Hobby… www.atlantahobby.com/
Aztec Aeromodels… www.shop.aztechaeromodels.com/
B & E Graphix… www.bandegraphix.com/
Booma RC… www.boomarc.com/
BP Hobbies… www.bphobbies.com/
Castle Creations… www.castlecreations.com/
Central Hobbies… www.centralhobbies.com/
Cheap Battery Packs… www.cheapbatterypacks.com/
Chief Aircraft Inc…. www.chiefaircraft.com/
Desert Aircraft… www.desertaircraft.com/
Don's Hobby Shop… www.donshobbyshop.com/
EP Buddy… www.epbuddy.com/
Esprit Model… www.espritmodel.com/
Extreme Flight RC… www.extremeflightrc.com/
Fromeco… www.fromeco.org/
Gorilla Bob's… www.gorillabobsrc.com/catalog/
Grayson Hobby… www.graysonhobby.com/catalog/index.php
Hansen Hobbies... www.hansenhobbies.com/
Heads Up RC… www.headsuprc.com/servlet/StoreFront
Higher Plane Productions… www.higherplaneproductions.com/
Hobby Lobby… www.hobby-lobby.com/rc_airplanes_84_ctg.htm
Hobby Partz… www.hobbypartz.com/
Horizon Hobby … www.horizonhobby.com/
I Care… www.icare-rc.com/wilga.htm
Innov8tive Designs… www.innov8tivedesigns.com/
JTEC Radiowave… www.jtecrc.com/index.htm
Lazertoyz… www.lazertoyz.com/
Luke's RC Planes… www.lukesrcplanes.com/
Manzano Laser Works… www.manzanolaser.com/
MaxAmps… www.maxamps.com/
Maxprod… www.maxxprod.com/
MicroDan Brushless Motors… www.gobrushless.com/shop/
Mountain Models/Laser Arts… www.mountainmodels.com/
Nacho Cheese… www.nachoscheese.net/
National Balsa… www.nationalbalsa.com/
Nico Hobbies… www.nicohobbies.com/store/
Outlaw Hobby Products… www.outlawhobbyproducts.com/
Progressive R/C… www.progressiverc.com/RCStyx.html
PSP manufacturing… www.pspmfg.com/index.html
Quantum Hobby… www.quantumhobby.com/
RA Cores… www.racores.com/
Radical RC… www.radicalrc.com/
RedwingRC... www.redwingrc.com/
R/C Aircraft Components… www.rcaircraftcomponents.com/
RC Dude… www.rcdude.com/servlet/StoreFront
RC Hote Deals… www.rchotdeals.com/
RC Planebuilder… www.rcplanebuilder.com/
Revo USA Store (FMA Direc)... www.usastore.revolectrix.com/
RTL Fasteners… www.rtlfasteners.com/
Servo City… www.servocity.com/
Smart-Fly… www.smart-fly.com/
Soaring Circuits… www.soaringcircuits.com/
Soaring USA… www.rcdude.com/servlet/StoreFront
Stevens Aeromodel… www.stevensaero.com/
Strong RC Motors… www.strongrcmotors.com/
Stongville Hobby… www.strongsvillehobby.com/home.php
Subsonic Planes… www.subsonicplanes.com/
SuperFly RC… www.superflyrc.com/
T A S Foamies… www.tasfoamies.webs.com/
Tail Dragger RC… www.taildraggerrc.com/
Tecni Edge… www.techniedge.com/index.html
The Composite Store… www.cstsales.com/index.html
Thunder Power RC… www.thunderpowerrc.com/
Top Dawg Aviation… www.topdawgaviation.com/
Tower Hobbies… www.towerhobbies.com/
Trimcraft Aviation RC… www.trimcraftaviationrc.com/
Troy Built Models… www.troybuiltmodels.com/
True RC… www.truerc.com/
Twisted Hobbys... www.twistedhobbys.com/
Valley View RC… www.valleyviewrc.com/estore/
Value Hobby -RC… www.valuehobby.com/
West Michigan Parkflyers LLC… www.wmparkflyers.com/Pages/default.aspx

Got all my favorites up there, those are all great places to shop.
I have two to add though:

For chargers and related stuff-
ProgressiveRC.
http://www.progressiverc.com/ They have the best charging gear around, and great customer service.

And for servo wire, LED's, crimp connectors, etc.-
Hansen Hobbies.
http://www.hansenhobbies.com/ They've got good stuff and good prices. You can get a set of 3 or four servo connectors (crimps, housings) for about $2, vs $12 at the LHS. Great for making custom extensions, y's, etc.

Okay, I'll play too.

Besides the ones posted:
http://www.allerc.com
http://www.radicalrc.com
http://www.bphobbies.com
http://www.rcdude.com
http://www.servocity.com
http://www.truerc.com
http://www.gobrushless.com
http://www.innov8tivedesigns.com

Good one Ken, I totally forgot about Servo City. Also, if you had to pick a top one from those places that sell a random supply of RC stuff, which one would it be? In other words, which one could you NOT do without?

Thanks for the inputs!

Frank

PS I didn't have True RC on my list. Thanks for that one.

Heads Up RC is perhaps my favorite.

So far you have covered all of mine. Thanks for the compilation. Roy

I really believe there is a "core" group of online stores that 98% of people that purchase stuff online go to. I also believe they do that because that vendor is reliable, has good quality stuff at reasonable prices and if something goes wrong with the order they will make it right.

I'm trying to see if I can figure out what those stores are.

Frank

My RC dollars get divided between Tower Hobbies and eBay. I have had vertualy no problems with buying on eBay.

Tower Hobbies
HURC
Hobby King
MIllenium RC
Radical RC
Gorilla Bob's

I buy virtually all my stuff online, barring an exception at my LHS today for petty stuff. All six of the aforementioned vendors have met my needs on multiple occasions thus far.

Bought a Beast 3D on eBay because nobody else had 'em in stock at the time.

Originally Posted by Murocflyer

PS I didn't have True RC on my list. Thanks for that one.

Dan at True RC is great! Like many others on your list he really knows what he sells and loves to see people get setups that work. He's also big into getting kids into building. I talked with him after our WATTS flyin that he attended and he made an awesome offer to a couple kids, but it required them to build up a plane from balsa not just slap an ARF together.

I've seen other vendors on this list do the same. Those are the ones I like to support even if it costs me a little more. I know they are in it for more then just $$$ and often that is what it takes to stay in business since margins are tight.

Steve

I've used many of the above at one time or another.
Heads Up is at the top of my list as are these.
Aircraft and accessories
Esprit Model:http://www.espritmodel.com/
Soaring USA:http://www.soaringusa.com/
ICARE: http://www.icare-rc.com/index.htm
Castle Creations:http://www.castlecreations.com/

Building Supplies:
Techni Edge:http://www.techniedge.com/index.html
RTL Fastners:http://rtlfasteners.com/
MetalsDepot: http://www.metalsdepot.com/index.php
National Balsa:http://www.nationalbalsa.com/
Buydrillbits:https://www.buydrillbits.com/
The Composites Store:http://www.cstsales.com/index.html

Originally Posted by Minn.Man

My RC dollars get divided between Tower Hobbies and eBay. I have had vertualy no problems with buying on eBay.

Ebay? Really? My LHS sells on ebay also. They do a ton of business from there. Got any favorite sellers?

Thanks,

Frank

Originally Posted by Vintauri

Dan at True RC is great! Like many others on your list he really knows what he sells and loves to see people get setups that work. He's also big into getting kids into building. I talked with him after our WATTS flyin that he attended and he made an awesome offer to a couple kids, but it required them to build up a plane from balsa not just slap an ARF together.

I've seen other vendors on this list do the same. Those are the ones I like to support even if it costs me a little more. I know they are in it for more then just $$$ and often that is what it takes to stay in business since margins are tight.

Steve

I agree Steve and couldn't say it any better than that.

Frank

Originally Posted by Leadchucker

I've used many of the above at one time or another.
Heads Up is at the top of my list as are these.
Aircraft and accessories
Esprit Model:http://www.espritmodel.com/
Soaring USA:http://www.soaringusa.com/
ICARE: http://www.icare-rc.com/index.htm
Castle Creations:http://www.castlecreations.com/

Building Supplies:
Techni Edge:http://www.techniedge.com/index.html
RTL Fastners:http://rtlfasteners.com/
MetalsDepot: http://www.metalsdepot.com/index.php
National Balsa:http://www.nationalbalsa.com/
Buydrillbits:https://www.buydrillbits.com/
The Composites Store:http://www.cstsales.com/index.html

Got it. Thanks! And you even had a couple more entries for my made in America list. https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1751051

Frank

Originally Posted by murocflyer

got it. Thanks! And you even had a couple more entries for my made in america list.