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If you’re looking to fully equip the dart board set up in your basement, bar, game room, or other hangout spot, you’re going to need a set of high-quality darts. The darts that come included with a generic dart board are often flimsy and lightweight, with an annoying tendency to bounce off the board when thrown. A good set of darts will include a variety of flight styles, and often extra accessories like a dart sharpener. In fact, there are a few qualities to look for when shopping for darts.
What Makes a Good Dart?
Weight, shape, and materials all factor into how comfortably and accurately a dart flies when thrown. Here is what to keep in mind.
Materials:Darts can have a soft or steel tip. Soft tips are made of flexible plastic and thrown into a plastic or digital dartboard which have small holes to catch the dart. Steel tip darts have steel tips fitted to the barrel and thrown into a paper or bristle dartboard. Because they tend to be a bit weightier and front-heavy, they’re often favored by beginners.
Weight and Balance:Heavier darts are also favored by beginners, as they suit a more relaxed throw and get more power. As for balance, weight can be front, back, or center-loaded. Front-loaded darts give a bit more loop when throwing, making them another favorite with amateur dart players.
Shape and Grip: Dart grips come in a variety of distinct styles. In general, the rougher your hands, the rougher a grip you might prefer. Popular styles include shark fin, knurled, ring, wave grip, micro grip, and precision, which are great for consistent finger positioning.
Flight Styles: Flight styles refer to the shape of the feather wings at the end of the dart. The flight pattern of the dart changes depending on these shapes. Standard and slim dart flights are most common, but other styles include kite, teardrop, lantern, and No. 6. Standard shapes are often preferred because the larger surface area gives maximum leverage. Many dart sets include a variety of flight style options so you can play around to find what works best for you.
