When it comes to recreation, few things are as satisfying as throwing darts. But you need to have the right ones whether you have your own board at home or you only use them when you go out to play darts with your friends.
Choosing the right darts can mean an improved game, and you’ll be more interested in the hobby once you have your own darts to play with. However, there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to buying a set of darts. Let’s take a look at what those factors are in this handy buying guide.
Darts Buying Guide
The first thing that you need to know about darts is that they are made of four different components. Understanding each of these components will give you all of the information that you need to buy the perfect darts.
However, what you may want to consider instead is building your own darts from the components that are available. This allows you to build a custom dart that is perfect for your playing style and gives you a great deal of control over your dart game because you have chosen the perfect dart to play with.
Dart Flights
The first part that we will discuss is the flight. Dart flights are the flimsy feather-type parts that are attached to the end of the dart. They allow your darts to fly straight.
As you might imagine, it is impossible to throw a dart at such a small space – such as a bullseye target – and get it to hit consistently without some sort of guidance. Flights come in various shapes, thicknesses and sizes, and you will have to decide what works best for you.
Dart Shafts
Next is the shaft of the dart, which is sometimes called the stem. It connects the flights to the barrel and is made out of plastic, nylon, aluminum or sometimes carbon fiber. Plastic and nylon shafts are less expensive than aluminum, but they can break easily. Aluminum is both lightweight and sturdy, and it is usually the preferred material for dart shafts.
Dart Barrels
Next is the barrel. The barrel connects the shaft to the tip. The barrel is also the part of the dart that you hold onto, so you want to make sure that you get one that has enough grip.
Barrels can be wide, extremely thin, long or short. They are also usually made out of aluminum, although they may be made out of plastic on cheaper darts.
Dart Tips
Finally, there is the tip of the dart. You basically have two choices when it comes to dart tips: hard/steel tip darts or soft tip darts. Steel tip darts, which are usually made out of tungsten, are much more durable, accurate and are what the professionals use.
However, they can be dangerous because they are so sharp. Plastic tips, on the other hand, are less dangerous, but they are not as effective, can easily get bent and need to be replaced much more often. You will have to decide which of these types of tips you want to put on your darts.
The first set that we’re going to be looking at is a perfectly balanced and extremely well-made set of three darts constructed of Tungsten steel. A total of 95% of the barrel is made from that material and it includes grooves that allow you to grip along with a rough, knotted surface. There are a total of eleven grooves throughout the barrel and the shaft, with metal tips and perfectly designed flights that will make your darts flight true every single time. This is the dart set that is made for professionals, featuring a medium shaft and an amazing center of balance that allows you to control the dart completely.
Pros
Cons
Summary
This is a set of three darts that was made for professionals to use. Most people, especially beginners, are not going to want to spend the kind of money that this dart set costs. Unless you are serious about darts, you may want to look at some of the other reviews here, but if you have the budget, and you want to use what the pros are using, then this is the perfect professional dart set.
Next are these steel-tipped darts from IgnatGames. These darts are not that expensive, but they are definitely nice, and they will be perfectly suited for anyone who is interested in getting serious about the game of darts but is not yet ready to move up the ladder to the really expensive pro sets. One of the great things about this dart set is that it comes with six darts in two unique colors. That means that you either have a backup set for yourself, or you are able to play with someone else on your dartboard at home.
Pros
Cons
Summary
When it comes to choosing darts, there are a lot of options out there. But this is actually the perfect mid-range option. Not only do these darts work so well that you could easily use them on the professional circuit, but they also cost a lot less than professional darts. Plus, since there are six of them, in two unique sets, they are the perfect complement to the dartboard that you set up at home.
The third product that we will be looking at is this dart set from Whimlets. These are also really amazing darts, and they cost less than the ones that we have previously reviewed. There are six darts total and they are actually intended for a single user that needs a solid set of darts to take out onto the tournament circuit because they are all the same design. You could split them into two if you want, but they are intended for tournament use. With brass barrels and aluminum shafts, these are well constructed darts that are going to do a great job.
Pros
Cons
Summary
These are not nearly as balanced and well-designed as the first set that we reviewed, but they are still pretty impressive nonetheless. These darts are made of the right materials, they are well-constructed, and by looking at the reviews, you can see that they work really well and fly straight. There are six of them as well, and that makes this set well worth the price.
Finally, these steel-tipped darts are the perfect budget option. While a national flag may not be the most unique design for flights, the fact that you can get 24 of them for about the price of a fast food meal and 12 of them for about half that make them the perfect budget darts. In addition, they also have stainless steel tips, a copper barrel and a solid shaft that holds the flights in place. You’ll have plenty of darts to throw with this set of either 12 or 24 darts.
Pros
Cons
Summary
When it comes to budget options, you really cannot beat these darts. They are extremely cost-effective, and you get plenty of darts to pass out to your friends if you play at home. Plus, they are still made from some pretty solid construction materials and feature stainless steel tips instead of plastic. Plus, they come with a bag to store them in and extra shafts.
Looking for more darts? Check out our other darts buying guides below!
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