Collection: Soft Tip Darts

A modern take on a classic pub game, soft tip darts is a fun game that is a great addition to any game room. Soft tip darts played on an electronic dartboard is a newer invention than the traditional steel tip darts. Electronic dartboards take advantage of automatic scoring technology and are safer to play around kids and pets, making it a smart addition to any family game night. Many soft tip dart boards come with a set of starter darts to use, but these are usually built to be low cost for the purpose of allowing you to get playing right out of the box. 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 many options out there for new soft tip dart sets - so many that finding the right one might seem like an overwhelming task, but worry not! Here we're going to go over the different types of darts and what to look for based on your own specific needs, so that you can find the best darts for you.

Dart Types

Before you buy darts online, you will want to determine if you need soft tip darts or steel tip darts. One type isn’t inherently better than the other type, but the type is going to determine, or depend on, the type of dartboard you play on.

Steel tip darts are designed for sisal or paper dartboards. They are the more traditional option for darts and have metal dart points to pierce the natural fibers of the dart board. They can’t be used on electronic dart boards because they will cause damage to the plastic segments and the electronics inside.

Soft tip darts, on the other hand, are designed for modern electronic dartboards. It's worth mentioning that since soft tip darts have screw-on plastic dart tips, it is possible to use conversion tips to turn them into steel tip darts. Soft tip darts also usually weigh less than steel tip darts because electronic dart boards have weight ratings. A dart that's too heavy can damage the board over time. Soft tip darts can also be known as plastic tip darts, however the most common phrasing you'll see is soft tip darts. 

Dart Barrel Material

When looking to buy soft tip darts online, you’re likely to see different materials in the dart names like brass, nickel silver, tungsten, plated silver, and more, and you might be asking yourself, why does any of this matter? And more importantly, which material should I get?

Well, firstly, material probably matters more than you might think, and knowing which material to look out for will help you choose the right dart for you.

One consideration regarding dart barrel materials is that different materials are more resistant to general wear and tear. Generally, better materials will last longer than cheaper ones. Another consideration is how dense the material is. Denser materials have the ability to create a very slim barrel while still being quite heavy. This is one of the main consideration factors for serious dart players because it makes it easier to group them together on tight segments on the dart board. 

Brass Dart Barrel Material
So on the low end of the totem pole are brass darts. This is because brass is relatively inexpensive and machining it isn’t very difficult compared to other dart materials. While brass can resist corrosion fairly well, it isn’t going to be as durable in the long run as the more expensive options out there. Brass is also one of the least dense of the materials darts are made of, so they usually have thicker barrels and are more likely to cause bounce outs from hitting a dart already in the board.

All of that being said, brass darts have one great benefit going for them: they are very affordable, which makes them great beginner darts and there are plenty of different styles, colors, and shapes available! If you're still figuring out what grip style suits you, brass darts are the best way to try different grip styles at a price that won't empty your wallet. For shoppers looking to buy cheap soft tip darts, brass is going to be the best material option for you.

Nickel Silver Dart Barrel Material
Next up on the totem pole are nickel silver darts. Despite their name, these darts don’t have any silver in them. Instead, silver describes their color. Like brass darts, they do well with resisting corrosion. However, they are denser than brass darts and will last longer against knicks and general wear and tear, which is why they tend to be a little more expensive.

Nickel silver darts make great beginner and intermediate darts. This is because while they are still an affordable option like brass, however they are also durable and corrosion-resistant, and make slimmer barrels than brass. 

Tungsten Dart Barrel Material
For those who are serious about their dart game, tungsten soft tip darts, no questions, are what you want. For reference, pretty much every professional dart player throws tungsten darts. They come with a higher price tag, but for good reason. A high tungsten content like 90% or 95% means you're looking at the best of the best. So why is this material so superior to the others we've mentioned?

Tungsten is both incredibly dense and durable. Because they are so dense, they make very slim dart barrels, which makes them 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.

Tungsten is also incredibly durable. It can withstand the normal wear and tear a dart goes through. Because it's such a durable material, you really won’t need to replace tungsten darts if you take care of them.

Dart Barrel Grip

There are several different styles of barrel grips to choose from and each one will feel a bit different and respond differently based on how you specifically grip and throw your darts. If you use less fingers to hold your darts, you might want a barrel with more grip. If you use more fingers to hold your darts you’ll most likely want a barrel style that has less grip. It's somewhat of a balancing act. You need to be able to hold the dart steadily in place as you throw, but your release also needs to be smooth so your dart can fly straight. So after knowing this information, what kind of grips are available? 

Smooth Dart Barrel Grip
The first type of barrel grip we can cover is no grip at all! That’s right, you can get an entirely smooth dart barrel with no grip or grooves on it whatsoever. Smooth barrels won’t help at all in the steps of your throw up to the release, but since there's nothing to get stuck on, these types of barrels are very easy to release smoothly without a hitch. 

Knurled Dart Barrel Grip
Next are knurled grip types. Knurling is a very common technique on dart barrels and consists of horizontal or crossing lines etched into the metal. Knurled barrels provide a good amount of grip and since it's so common, most darts will use it somewhere on the barrel. 

Ringed Dart Barrel Grip
Ringed grips are also used fairly often on dart barrels. Rings are often incorporated along with knurled bands but you can find some barrels that only have rings. These rings are going to be deeper grooves than standard knurling, making them easier to hold. Rings will typically provide more grip than knurled bands alone. 

Razor/Shark Fin Dart Barrel Grip
The last grip type we'll talk about is razor/shark fin grips. These are deep, angled grooves that provide a lot of grip. If you want a barrel that is really easy to keep hold of, then you should look for something that incorporates razor/shark fin grooves.  

There are a few more grip styles and machining techniques used on dart barrels, some of which are a bit more specialized, but these are the most common you will come across when shopping around. It's important to remember that there isn’t necessarily a “best” grip type or combination. In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and finding what works best for you and your style of throwing. 

Dart Barrel Shape

The last thing you'll want to be aware of is the dart barrel's overall shape.  And just like grip, this is going to be highly dependent on how you hold and throw your darts. 

Straight/Pencil Dart Barrel Shape
Straight or pencil shaped dart barrels are the first ones we'll point out, since they are one of the most common you'll see. These barrels simply have a consistent width from end to end. They can be quite slim and easy to group together on the dartboard, making them a great choice for many types of dart throwers. They lend themselves well to all different types of grips and materials. 

Bomb Dart Barrel Shape
Bomb dart barrels are shorter and fatter than other shapes available. This often makes them good for players 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 shorter and fatter like bomb shaped barrels, but they are also front-weighted. This allows them to hit the dart board with more force, which means they are less likely to fall out. These are good darts for people who like to hold their dart closer to the front of the barrel. Holding a front-weighted barrel towards the back of the barrel could cause instability in your throw.

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

Tapered Dart Barrel Shape
Tapered dart barrels start out straight like a pencil barrel, but the end of the barrel near the shaft tapers down and gets thinner. This is a very versatile shape for a dart barrel and can be held and thrown in a wide variety of ways. 

Shafts and Flights

The last two aspects to take into consideration are the flights and shafts, which are at the tail end of the dart. We're putting these last because they are incredibly easy to replace and play around with different materials and styles. For that reason, when you buy a set of darts, it's most important to buy the kind of barrel that suits you best. The flights and shafts, while usually the most colorful part of the dart, are easily changed out. 

When looking at dart shafts and flights, the most important thing to know is that the combination of longer shafts and wider flights will create more drag, which is good for steel tip darts. It creates more arch in your throw, which is most useful in steel tip darts because allowing darts to enter the board at an angle gives you more room for your other darts. On the flip side, shorter shafts and slimmer flights are good for straight and hard throws, which helps out in soft tip darts. Angling your throws too much on an electronic board will just lead to bounce outs, so it's best to try for straight throws with more impact. Thankfully flights and shafts are the easiest and cheapest parts of a dart to change, so don't be afraid to experiment and figure out which styles work for you! 

Finding the Best Darts for You

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when looking at soft tip darts, but each different style or shape has its reason. GLD Products has your back when it comes to all things darts. Whether you're casually throwing in your living room or playing in a competitive professional dart tournament, we have tons of soft tip darts for sale on our site to choose from. Having so much variety means you'll be able to find the perfect darts for you. When you're looking for where to buy soft tip darts online, we want to make sure you find what you're looking for. You can browse our dart selection by type, weight, or barrel material to find the best dart set for you. With a Lifetime Barrel Guarantee included with every Viper soft tip dart and Fat Cat soft tip dart, you can be sure you'll have quality darts game after game after game.