The right darts should suit your board, your throw and your individual grip technique. There is no universally “best” set of darts. Weight, barrel shape, grip, balance, and the shafts and flights you use all influence the playing feel.
When buying your first darts, you do not need to get every characteristic exactly right. A well-chosen all-round set allows you to gain experience first and gradually fine-tune your setup later.
Steel-Tip Darts
Steel-tip darts have a metal point and are used on traditional sisal or bristle boards. They are the standard system for traditional steel-tip training, clubs and many league and tournament formats.
Soft-Tip Darts
Soft-tip darts have a plastic point and are used on electronic dartboards. The board handles the scoring and often offers a variety of game modes.
Many players use both systems. With so-called conversion points, the point can be changed on suitable barrels. However, not all barrels are equally designed for use with both systems.
2. Choosing the Right Dart Weight
Weight is one of the most important criteria when buying darts. With steel-tip darts, the weight of the barrel or dart without shafts and flights is often specified. Depending on the manufacturer and product information, the reference weight can differ – so always check the manufacturer's specifications for individual products.
Steel-Tip Darts
For many players, a sensible starting range is around 22–24 g. Lighter and heavier darts can also work very well – what matters is which weight allows you to throw with control and consistency.
Soft-Tip Darts
Soft-tip darts are often played at a lower weight than steel-tip darts. A range of around 18–20 g can be an interesting starting point. With electronic boards, the applicable weight limits must also be taken into account.
Practical tip: If you have no experience with different weights yet, start in the middle of the range and later try deliberately heavier or lighter darts. Your personal throwing feel is more important than any general recommendation.
3. Tungsten – Why Tungsten Matters in Darts
Tungsten is the English name for wolfram. The material is very dense and therefore makes particularly compact dart barrels possible.
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80% tungsten: A good introduction to the world of tungsten darts and often an attractive option in terms of price.
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90% tungsten: Very common in high-quality darts and a good compromise between a compact design and price.
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95–97% tungsten: Allows for particularly compact barrels. However, the additional density gain compared with 90% becomes increasingly smaller.
A higher tungsten percentage does not automatically make a dart more accurate. The main advantage is that a slimmer barrel can be produced at the same weight.
4. Choosing the Right Barrel Shape
The shape of the barrel influences the centre of gravity, grip position and playing feel. The right shape therefore depends heavily on where and how you hold the dart.
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Straight: A consistent shape and often a good starting point for different grip positions.
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Torpedo / front-loaded: More weight towards the front. Can be interesting for players who tend to grip the dart towards the front.
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Bomb: A shorter and often more substantial shape with a pronounced shift in the centre of gravity.
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Scallop, Pear, Teardrop and Tapered: Specialised shapes and transitions that can be designed specifically for certain grip positions and playing feels.
For beginners: A straight barrel is a straightforward starting point. If you later find that you prefer a particular balance point or a defined grip recess, you can specifically test other barrel shapes.
5. Barrel Diameter
The diameter depends, among other things, on the weight, tungsten percentage, length and shape of the barrel. A higher tungsten percentage generally allows for a more compact design at the same weight.
Slender barrels can be advantageous when grouping multiple darts because more space remains between darts that are already in the board. A thicker barrel, on the other hand, can provide more surface area for the fingers and may feel more comfortable for some players.
6. Grip: How Much Grip Do You Need?
The grip is created by machining the surface of the barrel. Typical variations include grooves, rings, knurling, pixel grip or combinations of different textures.
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Light to medium grip: Often comfortable for players who prefer a freer release.
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Strong grip: Provides more pronounced surface texture and can be helpful with certain grip techniques. However, an overly aggressive grip can also feel distracting when releasing the dart.
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Multi-grip: Different grip zones allow for different finger positions on the barrel.
The ideal grip is therefore a very personal choice. More grip does not automatically mean more control.
7. Balance and Centre of Gravity
The balance of a dart is closely related to its shape and the position of its centre of gravity. Front-loaded darts have more weight towards the front, while other barrels have a more central or rearward balance.
Your grip position can provide a useful general guide: players who grip the dart far towards the front often get on well with a suitable front-loaded design. With a central or rear grip, other balance points may feel more comfortable.
8. Choosing the Right Shaft
The length and material of the shaft influence the balance and flight characteristics of the complete dart.
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Short: Can shift the balance more towards the barrel.
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Medium: A versatile starting point for many setups.
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Long: Changes the balance and flight characteristics and can be interesting depending on your throwing style.
Available materials include nylon, aluminium and various plastic or carbon systems. Spinning shafts can give the flight more freedom of movement, while fixed systems hold the flight more firmly in a defined position.
9. Choosing the Right Flight
Flights influence air resistance, stability and the overall flight feel of the dart. The right shape also depends on the shaft you use and your throwing style.
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Standard: A large flight surface provides stable flight characteristics and is a good starting point.
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Slim: A smaller surface area and lower air resistance can be interesting for certain throwing styles.
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Kite, Shape and other forms: Offer additional ways to customise flight characteristics and your overall setup.
Keep it simple: Standard flights are a straightforward choice for many beginners. Once you understand your setup better, you can experiment with different flight shapes.
10. How Much Should a Set of Darts Cost?
Beginner
Affordable sets are suitable if you first want to find out which weight and shape you generally prefer.
Regular Players
In the mid-price range, you will find numerous high-quality tungsten sets with different shapes and grip configurations.
Premium Darts
Higher-priced sets often offer more elaborate barrel constructions, special coatings, advanced point or component systems and signature designs.
Price alone says little about whether a dart is right for you. An affordable dart with the right shape and grip can feel better than an expensive premium model with unsuitable geometry.
11. Player Signature Darts
Many well-known professional players have their own signature models. These darts are based on the setups actually used or developed by the respective players.
Such models can be a good source of inspiration, but they are not automatically suitable for every player. Pay particular attention to weight, length, shape, balance and grip. If these characteristics suit your own technique, a signature model can be an interesting choice.
12. Complete Set or Individual Components?
Complete Sets
A complete set is particularly practical for beginners. The barrel, shafts and flights are already matched and you can start playing straight away.
Individual Components
Once you know what you like, you can combine barrels, shafts, flights and points individually. This allows you to fine-tune your setup later.
With some dart systems, for example, points can be changed particularly easily. Whether a specific system is compatible depends on the particular barrel and components being used.
Which Darts Are Suitable for Beginners?
A sensible starting point for many beginners: Steel-tip darts weighing around 22–24 g, with a straight barrel, 80–90% tungsten, medium grip, medium shaft and standard flight.
For soft-tip darts, a lighter setup in the region of around 18–20 g can be interesting, although the specifications of the electronic board being used must always be taken into account.
This combination is not a fixed formula. If you prefer a different grip, weight or balance, that setup may work better for you.
Try Darts Before Buying
If possible, try different darts before buying them. This can be done at a specialist dart shop, with friends or at a darts club.
Do not only pay attention to which dart feels good on the first throw. More important is whether, after several sessions, you can maintain a consistent grip, controlled release and repeatable throws.
The right dart is a combination of the correct weight, a suitable barrel shape, a comfortable grip and a setup that matches your throwing style. Start with a simple, well-balanced combination and only change individual components once you know what you want to improve.
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