How to choose darts
Weight, material, barrel shape, shafts and flights — what each one does to your throw and where to start. No brand plugs: the best dart is the one that raises your average, not the most expensive one.
The most common steel-tip weight. A good starting point until you know what suits you.
The PDC (DRA) limit; the WDF allows up to 50 g. In practice almost everyone plays under 30 g.
The whole dart from the point to the end of the flight; the WDF allows up to 30.5 cm (12 in). A typical dart is 14–17 cm.
Parts of a dart
- Point — steel for a bristle board, plastic for an electronic one. A textured point holds in the bristle better than a smooth one; file off burrs from hitting the wires, though, as they tear the fibres.
- Barrel — the body you hold. It sets the weight, balance and grip, so it is the first thing to decide.
- Shaft — joins the barrel to the flight. Its length moves the centre of gravity and changes how the dart flies.
- Flight — stabilises the dart. More surface means more lift and a slower, steadier flight.
Weight
| up to 18 g | mostly soft-tip; steel darts this light need a fast throw |
| 19–21 g | light steel; flies in more of an arc, needs a quicker throw |
| 22–24 g | the most common choice — where to start |
| 25–28 g | for a flatter, more powerful throw; small errors matter less |
| over 30 g | the exception; your arm tires sooner |
A change of 1–2 g is more noticeable than you would think. Change in small steps, one thing at a time.
Barrel material
| Brass | cheap, thick, wears quickly; fine for trying out |
| Nickel silver | tougher than brass, still thick |
| 80% tungsten | a first proper set at a sensible price |
| 90% tungsten | the most common among regular players |
| 95–97% tungsten | the slimmest and the most expensive |
Tungsten is denser than brass, so the same weight fits into a slimmer barrel. Slim darts block each other less in the treble — the second and third dart fit next to the first. The difference between 90 and 97% is mostly felt by experienced players.
Barrel shape
Straight — the same thickness along its length, balanced in the middle. Move your fingers anywhere and the grip stays the same. The all-rounder.
Torpedo — thicker at the front, tapering towards the back. The weight sits closer to the point, the dart flies nose first and leaves room behind it for the next one.
Bomb — thickest in the middle, short and compact. Easy to find where to hold it, but it takes up more room in the treble.
If your fingers sit near the front, try a torpedo. If you hold the dart further back, a straight barrel is usually more comfortable.
Grip
A smooth barrel leaves the hand cleanly but slips with sweaty fingers. Aggressive knurling holds firmly, yet sharp edges can "catch" the dart at release. Start with a medium grip and go sharper only if your darts slide in your hand.
Shafts and flights
Standard — the largest surface and the most stability. Suits a slower, arcing throw.
Kite and pear — less surface, a compromise between stability and speed.
Slim — the least drag, for a fast, flat throw. They clash less in the treble.
Shafts come short, medium and long. A longer shaft moves the centre of gravity back and the dart "climbs" more — good for an arcing throw; a short one suits a flat throw. Nylon is cheap but breaks, aluminium bends and loosens, carbon and titanium last longest.
Steel-tip
For a bristle board. The PDC allows up to 40 g and 20 cm, the WDF 50 g and 30.5 cm, but almost everyone plays between 20 and 26 g. Do not sharpen the point to a needle — a slightly rounded point parts the bristle fibres, a sharp one cuts them and the board wears out sooner.
Soft-tip (electronic)
For an electronic board with holes. Plastic points break, so they are bought in packs. Weights stay around 16–20 g — boards and leagues often set a limit, so check the rules of yours.
How to choose in practice
- Borrow darts at the pub or club and try several weights — friends' sets are the best test lab.
- Start around 22–24 g and 80–90% tungsten. Do not buy an expensive set until you know what suits you.
- Change one thing at a time — weight, or shaft, or flights. Otherwise you will not know what helped.
- Give a new set a few weeks. The first days are worse even with better darts while your hand adjusts.
- Keep spare shafts and flights — they are cheap and wear out fastest.
Check it by your average
Feel can fool you. In the World of Darts app, play the same practice with each set — say 10 legs of 501 against a bot on the same level — and compare the three-dart average in your match history. Play each set over several days: a difference from one evening is more likely luck than the darts.
Got your darts? Now hang the board correctly, and for finishing see the checkout table.
Let the app count.
World of Darts keeps score, suggests the finish during the game and tracks your average, checkout % and 180s. Play solo, against a bot or online with live video of your opponent.