As with any game, players are constantly going to try to get a leg up in the game without cheating. Basketball players use special shoes, gymnasts use hand powder, archers use wrist stabilizers, and fighters coat their skin in slippery oil to reduce impact force.
From the outside, darts may appear to be just another simple bar game to be played by the masses. However, outside of your local Tom and Bobs who like a quick game on the weekend over their beers, there is a whole subsect of individuals who are dedicated dart players. These people take the sport of throwing darts to a whole new level.
They’ll spend hours trying to make the perfect shot, invest hundreds into high-quality, precision-engineered darts, and compete in tournaments all over the country. If they’re good enough, they may even get sponsored and be able to compete on a multi-national level.
So what goes into making the perfect shot each and every time?
It's all in the grip.
Today, we’re going to be looking at one of the best ways to develop a consistent shot- namely by using grip wax. Before we go into our top five dart grip waxes, though, let’s take a minute to discuss some of the other factors that go into being a consistent shot.
Top 5 Dart Grip Wax Products
Now that you know some of the factors that go into making the perfect shot and how a good wax can greatly improve the consistency of your shot, let’s take a look at the top five best dart grip wax products on the market! All of these can be purchased on Amazon for less than $20, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to add some to your arsenal.
1. Target Darts Grip Wax For Fingers
For just under $5, you can get your very own Target dart grip wax. This blend of hardened polymers and all-natural wax is designed to give you a firm grip on your darts without being overly sticky and hard to remove.
The best part about this wax is that you don’t have to worry about it melting in the heat. Although they make different colors that are rated for different levels of stickiness, their red grip wax is their best-selling and provides the perfect texture for most people.
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This box comes with four small tubs of Forrest Mor slip control wax. It’s a bit more viscous than your average dart grip wax, but it does a great job. It’s also made out of organic wax materials which means that you’re making an eco-friendly choice as well.
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Red Dragon is a procurer of all things dart-related, so it only makes sense that they would have a high-quality grip wax in their lineup of products. When you buy this package, you get one bar of red wax and one bar of green wax. They are similar in hardness, but the green tends to have a little bit more stickiness to it.
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SportsWaxx was designed by darters for darters, and by purchasing this small tub of pink wax, you’ll be supporting Breast Cancer awareness and helping a good cause. Aside from this, however, this grip wax works incredibly well. It applies like a cream, but leaves a light filmy residue on your fingertips that gives you perfect control over your darts trajectory.
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If you’re just looking for some simple and cheap dart wax tablets to keep in your dart cabinet, then you can’t go wrong with the Dynasty #3111 line. This all-natural sticky wax will give you good dart control and easily washes off at the end of the night.
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Factors That Go Into Being A Consistent Shot
You could have the best grip wax in the world, but if you fail to control the physical aspect of your shot, it won’t do you much good. Here are some of the key factors that go into being a consistent shot in the game of darts.
Arm Positioning
Every player uses a slightly different arm position and angle to shoot at from the next. At the end of the day, the position that you can repeat comfortable and with minimal effort is what you should be using.
One key piece of advice to remember though is to always line your elbow up with the target. Even if you favor a side-angled throw, you should always begin your shot by creating a straight line from the tip of your elbow to the target area that you intend to hit.
Finger Grip Positioning
Most players prefer to grip the barrel of the dart towards the middle, and as a result most darts feature a balanced design that places most of the darts weight in its center. Along the way you’ll meet some experienced players who favor a front or rear weighted dart instead. While these are more complicated to master, these styles can allow them to throw the dart with a little bit more wrist power than you would otherwise expect.
Foot Posture
Foot posture is just as important of a factor as your arm positioning. Most players recommend that you keep your feet shoulder width apart with your leading foot facing your target. Your secondary foot should be used to stabilize your weight.
Angle Of Throwing
As we mentioned above, every player will eventually develop their own personal angle of throwing. If you’re just starting out and trying to master your form, however, the best thing that you can do to maintain a consistent shot is to throw straight.
Line your elbow up with your target and keep your forearm positioned vertically along the line.
How Dart Grip Wax Can Make You A Better Player
Once you get your angles and body positions figured out, the next best thing that you can do to develop a consistent shot is to make use of grip wax.
If you hold your average dart in your fingers, you’ll notice that they’re often slippery. While high-quality darts may feature extra texturing around the barrel to make it easy to grip, the metal can still spin and slip at the last minute, causing the dart to fly out of your fingers prematurely.
Grip wax works by creating a little bit more friction on the surface of your fingers and preventing this from happening.
How To Apply And Use Dart Grip Wax
When you buy your first grip wax, it will either come in a small soap-like bar or in a little container that you can dip your fingers into. You really don’t need a whole lot to get the job done.
Some amateurs will apply the wax to their entire hands, which does nothing more than wasting money. You may also notice that some players coat their darts in the wax. While this achieves a similar effect, it can also add extra weight to the barrel of the dart which can cause it to become unbalanced, ultimately hindering your shot more than it helps.
The best way to apply your dart grip wax is to just rub a light film onto the surface of your throwing fingers; your thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. If you notice that the darts start feeling slippery again, simply reapply.
Here's a short video that shows you how to apply dart grip wax:
Conclusion
If you want to take your dart playing game to the next level, then you need to be using dart grip wax. It will give you a competitive edge as it allows you to maintain a better, firmer, and more consistent grip on each and every throw.
So what are you waiting for? If you want to start hitting bullseye shots tomorrow, pick yourself up one of these amazing wax products!
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