A classic pub game, darts is a great game that is a welcome addition to any game room. Many dartboards come with a set of starter darts to use, but these are designed to be low cost and easily replaced so you’re not spending an extra $20 on darts every time you buy a dartboard. So if you want to get serious about darts, one of the first things you’re going to want to do is upgrade your dart set.

There are a ton of options out there for new dart sets - so many that finding the right one might seem like a daunting task, but worry not! Here we are going to go through the different kinds of darts and what to look for based on your needs, so you can find the best darts for you.

Dart Types

The first thing to determine is whether or not you need steel tip or soft tip darts. One isn’t inherently better than the other, but the type is going to determine, or depend on, the kind of dartboard you play on.

Steel tip darts are designed for paper or sisal dartboards and they are going to be the more traditional option for darts. They can’t be used on electronic dart boards because they will cause damage to the electronics.

Soft tip darts, on the other hand, are designed for electronic dartboards. Since soft tip darts have removable plastic dart tips, it is also possible to use conversion tips to turn them into steel tip darts. Soft tip darts are also more likely to weigh less because electronic dart boards have weight ratings. 

Dart Barrel Material

When looking to buy darts online, you’re likely to see a bunch of different materials in the names like brass, nickel silver, tungsten, plated silver, and more, and you might be asking yourself, why does any of this matter?

Well, it actually matters more than you might think, and knowing what to look out for will help you choose the right dart for you.

One consideration regarding dart materials is that different materials are more resistant to corrosion and wear and tear so some will last longer than others. Another consideration is how dense the material is. Denser darts can be thinner while staying heavy. This is a huge consideration for serious dart players because it makes it easier to group them together on the dart board and can make their grip more comfortable. 

Brass Dart Barrel Material
So at the bottom of the pack are brass darts. This is because brass is relatively inexpensive and machining it isn’t very hard. While brass does resist corrosion, it isn’t going to be as durable as the more expensive darts you can find. Brass is also one of the least dense of the materials darts are made of, so they have fatter barrels and are more likely to bounce off of each other.

All of that being said, brass darts are very affordable which makes them great entry-level darts and there are plenty of different styles available! If you're still figuring out what grip style suits you, brass darts are a great way to try several different grips at an affordable price. For those looking for cheap darts, brass is going to be the best material for you.

Nickel Silver Dart Barrel Material
Next are nickel silver darts and despite their name, these darts don’t actually have any silver in them. Instead, the silver refers to their silver color. Like brass darts, they are corrosion resistant. However, they are denser and will last longer, which is why they cost more.

Nickel silver darts make great entry-level and intermediate darts. This is because while they are still affordable, they are also durable and corrosion-resistant, and slimmer than brass. 

Tungsten Dart Barrel Material
For those who are serious about darts, what you want, or more like what you need, are tungsten darts. Just for reference, pretty much every professional dart player uses tungsten darts. They come with a premium price tag but for good reason. A high tungsten content like 90% or 95% means you're looking at the level of professional darts: the best of the best.

Tungsten is incredibly dense, durable, and even has the highest melting point of any metal, able to withstand temperatures over 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The point is, you won’t need to replace tungsten darts if you take care of them.

Since tungsten is so dense, it makes very slim darts which are perfect for tight groupings on the dartboard. A good indication of how slim a tungsten dart will be is by looking at the tungsten percentage. If you have two 26 gram tungsten darts, the one with the higher tungsten percentage will be slimmer. This doesn’t mean one is better than the other, it just comes down to personal preference. Both are going to be good quality darts. 

Dart Barrel Grip

There are a few different types of barrel grips for darts and each one is going to feel different and respond differently based on how you hold and throw your darts. If you use fewer fingers to hold the dart, you might want more grip, while if you use more fingers you’ll most likely want less grip. This is because you need to be able to hold the dart in place while throwing, but your release also needs to be smooth so your dart flies straight. So what kind of grips are available? 

Smooth Dart Barrel Grip
The first kind of grip to cover is no grip! That’s right, you can get a completely smooth dart that has no grip. Smooth barrels won’t assist you at all in the steps of your throw up to the release, but since there is nothing to get caught on, they are very easy to release smoothly. 

Knurled Dart Barrel Grip
Next are knurled grips. Knurling is very common on darts and consists of horizontal or crossing lines on the surface of the dart. Knurled grips provide a modest amount of grip and most darts will use it somewhere on the barrel. 

Ringed Dart Barrel Grip
Ringed grips are also pretty common and rings are often incorporated along with knurled bands. These rings are going to be deeper grooves that are easier to hold and they will typically provide more grip than knurled bands. 

Razor/Shark Fin Dart Barrel Grip
And then you have razor/shark fin grips. These are deep angled grooves that provide a ton of grip. If you want a barrel that is really easy to keep hold of, then this will be your best bet.

There are a few more grips, some of which are a bit more specialized, but these are the most common you will come across. It's important to keep in mind that there isn’t a “best” grip. It all comes down to personal preference and finding what works best for you. 

Dart Barrel Shape

Like grip, the barrel shape you want is going to depend on how you hold and throw your darts.

Straight/Pencil Dart Barrel Shape
Straight or pencil shaped dart barrels are pretty straight-forward darts. These barrels have a consistent width and are one of the most common barrels to see. They are slim and easy to group together on the board, making them a solid choice for all types of dart throwers.

Bomb Dart Barrel Shape
Bomb dart barrels are shorter and fatter than other styles, which makes them good darts for people who want to use their first dart as a way to guide other darts to where they need to be. 

Torpedo Dart Barrel Shape
Torpedo dart barrels are also shorter and fatter darts and they are going to be front weighted. This lets them hit the board with more force, which means they are less likely to fall out. These are good darts for people who like to hold closer to the front of the barrel. 

Scallop Dart Barrel Shape
Scalloped dart barrels can come in a few different shapes and they can even be incorporated into other barrel types. These feature curved edges that will help maintain a consistent grip because of their pronounced shape. These barrels will have a lot more grip compared to others. 

Tapered Dart Barrel Shape
Tapered dart barrels will start out straight, similar to a straight/pencil barrel, but the ends near the shaft will taper down. These are very versatile darts and can be held and thrown in a wide variety of ways. 

Shafts and Flights

As you can see, there is a ton of variety when looking at darts but each different style has its reason. The last things to consider are the flights and shafts which are at the tail end of the dart.

The most important thing to know is that longer shafts and wider flights will create more drag, which is good for arching your throws. This is more useful in steel tip darts since having darts enter the board at an angle gives you more room for your other darts. On the other side of things, shorter shafts and slimmer flights are good for straight and hard throws. This combination is prevalent in soft tip darts since angling your throws too much on an electronic board will just lead to bounce outs. Thankfully these are the easiest and cheapest parts of a dart to change so feel free to experiment and figure out which style works the best for you! 

Finding the Best Darts for You

GLD Products has your back when it comes to all things darts. Whether you're casually playing in your living room or competing in a professional dart tournament, we have tons of darts for sale on our site to choose from.

When you're looking for where to buy darts online, we want to make sure you can find what you're looking for. Browse our darts by type, weight, or barrel material to find the best dart set for you. And with a Lifetime Barrel Guarantee included with every Viper or Fat Cat dart set, you can rest assured you'll have quality darts for years to come.