How to Choose Beginner Darts?
When we’re looking at buying a set of darts, there are several factors to keep in mind. One of the big things is that we must be mindful of our first dart set, when we’re just starting out, because choosing suitable darts at the right time will play a significant role in how well we can practice and learn.
How much your skills develop depends on the kind of darts you choose to play with. With cheap darts of low quality, they might bounce out every time they hit the board. Or they might break if you try to pull them out of the board too hard.
It’s always better to go with good quality darts (and dartboard) to enjoy a decent playing experience. It shouldn’t matter if you want to just play for leisure or sharpen your skills to play professionally.
Before actually going out to buy a dart set, we must do our research. There’s a couple of options on the market for you to choose from. This article has been compiled to help you make a more informed decision regarding those options, as well as a guide to help you better understand what you’re buying.
Things like build quality, feel, and flight material are a few things to be kept in mind. The following information will help you decide which darts are best for a beginner and why.
Parts of A Dart
Choosing the ideal dart set is extremely important regardless of why you are buying it, whether it be for leisure or serious play. Knowing the different parts of a dart can make a difference in the quality of play and overall performance. Once we understand a dart’s anatomy, we know what is worth investing time and money in.
Flight
A dart flight is known as the back portion of the dart. It is the large, often colorful fin on the end of the dart, usually made of plastic or rubber. The size and style of your flight matters a lot, and has an impact on your play.
There are various kinds of flights, some of which add stabilization to the dart, while others may slow its speed. The difference can be easily understood once you start using one for yourself.
Shaft
The shaft is the middle, pipe-shaped part of the dart. It connects the flight to the grip, or barrel. Shafts come in different materials such as nylon, plastic, and aluminum.
It’s usually best if your shaft’s primary material is aluminum because then it would be more durable, as well as light, and it isn’t affected even when hit by multiple darts. It can lead to improved accuracy and better scores.
Grip/Barrel
The grip, or barrel, is the portion of dart that rests between your fingers. In other words, it’s where you grip the dart. If you are a beginner, the ideal way to balance quality and affordability is a barrel made of around 80% tungsten. It is high quality enough to improve your game, but not too expensive like the top of the line options.
Identifying your needs first is the way to go when it comes to choosing a particular design or material. For example, it’s often better for beginners to have a grip with heavy knurling because that ensures you can grip the dart easily, and your aim will therefore be better.
Tip
As we know by its name, the tip is the dart’s front point, and is what hits the center of the dartboard. The sharp tip has a considerable role to play in the working of a dart. Just as all the above parts are essential, the point and tip are essential as well.
It is strongly recommended that your dart must have plastic tips if you want to play on electronic dartboards. For bristle dartboard, steel tips and some soft tip darts can be used. Keeping minor concerns such as these in mind will ensure that you have a smooth experience of play.
Types of Dart Tip
As discussed above, with how vital the dart tip is, it is essential that we learn about the appropriate kinds of dart tip for your gaming situation. There are three kinds of darts tips you should know about: Steel Tip Darts, Soft Tip Darts, and Magnetic Darts.
Steel Tip Darts
Steel Tip Darts are what you would think of as traditional darts. They are heavier than soft tips but more durable. Professional darts players, as well as many people throughout the world, prefer steel tip darts, and play with a bristle dartboard, as they feel more normal.
This sport originated with soldiers throwing spearheads at a tree trunk or wine barrel, and that is when steel tips became popular. If at any point you feel that tip of the dart is wearing down, remember it can always be sharpened.
Soft Tip Darts
Soft Tip Darts are safer to play with, when compared to steel tip darts. They have a plastic tip, and are primarily used with electronic dartboards. You can enjoy a less dangerous playing experience, which is even great for playing around children or if you don’t want to damage your walls or floor.
These darts have a lightweight design that ranges from 14 to 16 grams. One does not have to worry about the tip’s quality because it’s constructed with high-quality plastic and remains durable throughout the dart’s lifetime.
Magnetic Darts
Magnetic Darts have a flat disc at the tip that then sticks to a magnetic dartboard when it hits it. This type of dart is usually used by children, because it is much less dangerous than both steel tip and soft tip darts.
However, it is usually of worse quality, because magnetic dartboards are cheaper and do not last as long. If you have small children or want to decide if anyone in your family would enjoy playing darts at all, these are a great option.
Shaft Materials
If you have looked closely, you might have seen that dart shafts come in different materials. If you want to go for a less expensive material, nylon and plastic are the most ideal. If you prefer your dart to be solid and sturdy, you can go with better alternatives such as carbon-fiber, solid aluminum, and composite.
These materials are mostly recommended because they are believed to be both durable and affordable to replace. When you use these darts, you will experience comparatively less vibration, which keeps the shaft locked tight to the barrel.
What is the Ideal Dart Weight?
Like different factors such as price and material of the darts are essential, a dart’s weight is also important. All these factors combine to form a perfect dart set for your play. Even as beginners, you shouldn’t ignore the weight factor, so it does not create hindrance in your play later on.
Understanding the idea dart weight for your play style will only come with experimentation. For beginners, it’s good to keep using different weights between 16 to 20 grams, so you can learn what feels best for you.
Sticking to one particular weight range is like limiting yourself, and you should not do that. When you keep adding the experience of different weight ranges, you will ultimately find an option that will suit your preferences the most.
Price
This is a question most people struggle to answer for themselves whenever buying the best darts. As beginners, you might believe that if only you spend generously on a perfect set of darts, you will play better and automatically get better at the sport.
Firstly, try not to be overwhelmed with the available variety, and just pick what is best for you. You don’t need to pay a couple hundred dollars, and in fact as a beginner you should buy something that can accommodate your skillset. Top of the line darts won’t make a difference to your game if you’re not skilled enough to get the most out of them.
No doubt, inexpensive darts won’t offer the same quality as the expensive ones; the quality of craftsmanship will suffer in the case of cheap darts. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you want to practice with the best darts or the most price sensible set. Maybe start middle of the road, and you begin to feel you have mastered the play a little bit, you can go with better quality darts.
Part of A Set: Yes or No?
One of the big questions to ask when buying darts is how many to buy at once. Darts often come in groups of 3, so can be bought with up to 12, 15, or 18 in a pack. However, as convenient as it sounds, it’s not an ideal option to buy a huge amount in a single package. Beginners often make the mistake of doing so and regret it later.
When we buy such a large number in one set, we have no control over the quality of darts that come with it. When we buy darts separately, like single darts or those in groups of 3 or maybe 6, we understand the various factors associated with them, we can be sure about their quality, and we know what we are bringing home even if we have to spend a little extra.
Beginners are always recommended to purchase standalone dart sets because they will be high in quality, and you have the freedom to choose multiple different ones, according to your taste and preference. Once you have played at the beginner level and feel you have mastered the game, you can go with a larger set.
Premium Brands
A little knowledge about different dart brands will only help you to be better informed about what you’re buying. It’s not all about brand and dart material, but buying from one of the trusted dart brands will make sure anything you get will at least be made well and be backed with a good warranty.
Viper: Viper is one of the most popular options for steel and soft-tipped darts because they come at a reasonable price without sacrificing quality.
CUESOUL: If you see the range of products for darts that CUESOUL makes, you will be a fan of its quality. From a reasonably priced dart to a high-priced one, CUESOUL will serve you right whatever your preference is.
Unicorn Darts: Unicorn is another one of the many unique brands. It will offer a beginner the same style and design that is available to the expert players. The darts they manufacture are known for accuracy and balance.
Phil Taylor Target Darts: This brand is known to make tungsten-style darts and fulfill the needs of a professional player. The pricing may be slightly high, but it’s a value-for-money dart.
Bottles: This brand manufactures darts in the US and makes multiple different options for players to choose from.
The Top 5 Darts for Beginners Reviewed
#1. CUESOUL Tungsten Steel Tip Darts Set
The CUESOUL Tungsten Steel Tip Darts Set is the best reviewed and most popular dart set for beginners and new players. Featuring a 95% tungsten barrel, this dart is incredibly slim, which can allow you to throw multiple shots close together without worrying about bounce outs or your darts hitting and damaging each other. You can buy these darts either in three different weights as well, so you can personalize your order depending on your unique situation and playing style.
The barrels have 11 hand-painted ring grooves, and in the front half there are 4 knurled sections. Both of these features help to indicate where to grip and provide an optimal gripping surface for the best aim. Every throw with these darts is the same as the last one, which is what you want when you’re learning because it teaches you muscle memory and how to throw consistently and with precision.
Included in the set are 6 shafts made of anodized aluminum, so they are very sturdy and durable, but also lightweight so they won’t affect the balance and weight of the dart. There are three different types of flights, allowing you to further customize your darts to better suit your individual play. And all of this is shipped within a Deluxe Dart Case, so your darts are kept safe from being bent or scratched when they’re in storage or being transported.
#2. Viper Blitz 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts
The Viper Blitz 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts are great darts for players who are just starting out and want to learn how to play like the pros. These darts are on the more expensive side, but they are completely worth it for players looking for the best of the best, and for those looking to not be limited by the quality of the darts they purchase.
These darts are made of a 95% tungsten barrel, which is one of the highest tungsten ratios you can find on the market. Because tungsten is such a dense material, these darts are incredibly thin without sacrificing any weight or becoming imbalanced. You can use these darts to throw shots very close together and not worry about them damaging each other or bouncing out due to their size.
These darts can come in 4 different weights, and each weight has a unique knurling and groove pattern, so you can customize your dart style before you’ve even bought the darts. Each dart also comes with solid aluminum Spinster shafts, which have locking holes so you can securely fasten each dart together and not be worried that they could loosen during a match. Also included in the set are 6 wide glide flights and a TacTech dart case with EVA foam inside to provide complete protection for your darts while you’re travelling with them or storing them.
#3. IgnatGames Steel Tip Darts Set
For a less expensive option, the IgnatGames Steel Tip Darts Set would be great for casual players or those with less experience. It includes everything you need to get started with darts. For example, it has a free e-book titled “35 Ways to Play Darts”, which tells you everything you need to know about the rules and regulations of darts, as well as many game options to try out. Also included in the set is a dart sharpener and a dart multi-tool so you can learn how to fix your own darts, assemble them, and maintain them.
The dart barrels themselves are made of brass, which means they’re a bit wider and bulkier than the state of the art tungsten darts, but they still provide a good experience. They come with knurled grooves in a variety of styles, so you can choose which pattern best fits your grip and aiming technique. The strategic knurling and groove placement help guide your fingers to grip the dart exactly where you should.
Additionally, included are fully aluminum shafts that provide stability and durability, meaning the darts won’t bend or break easily. They also all come with rubber O-Rings which lock the dart together and makes sure they don’t loosen during the game, so you don’t have to retighten them.
#4. Viper Diamond 90% Tungsten Soft Tip Darts
If you are a beginner and are looking to get an electronic dartboard, then the Viper Diamond 90% Tungsten Soft Tip Darts would be a perfect soft tip darts set option. The barrels are made from an alloy that is 90% tungsten and 10% nickel, which is a very high grade alloy for soft tip darts. The large percentage of tungsten keeps the profile of the darts slim so they can fit closely together on a dartboard, as well as exceptional balance.
Also, these darts have an innovative technique for the grip, alternating between knurled grooves, rings, and deep cut grooves to help you place your fingers at exactly the right location for each and every throw. The completely aluminum shafts are diamond cut and boast locking holes. This feature allows the dart shafts to be leveraged to provide a tighter, more complete seal between shaft and barrel, both improving stability in the air and increasing durability.
The set also comes with additional convex nylon shafts to use for backup in case a mishap occurs, extra flights as well as flight protectors to keep the darts undamaged while on the dartboard, 2ba dart points and a dart wrench.
#5. Sametop Steel Tip 18 Gram Darts Set
The Sametop Steel Tip 18 Gram Darts Set offers a huge set of darts for a very reasonable price. You have the option to buy either the 12 pack or the 15 pack, which are 4 or 5 full sets of darts, respectively. For the price, both the quality and quantity of these darts cannot be beat. Each dart is 18 grams, which is relatively light and helps beginner level players aim and throw more easily.
The dart barrels are constructed from a premium brass alloy that is made to last. They have a fully knurled barrel, with 5 strategically placed deep cut grooves, so that anywhere you place your fingers you can have a good grip and make a good throw. The flights that are included in the dart set are stylish and designed specifically to minimize the amount of drag each dart encounters. This means your throws will be more accurate and precise to where you aim them, and the air resistance won’t knock them off course. It also decreases the likelihood of the darts hitting each other and causing deflections, unwanted damages, or bounce outs.
The darts come with aluminum darts shafts for additional support and resistance to wear and tear. Plus, the shafts all have an O-Ring to help lock the dart together and keep it in place throughout play, so you don’t have to retighten your darts mid-game. A dart sharpener and three extra flights are included as part of the shipment.
Conclusion: Which Darts are Best?
If you haven’t been persuaded in any certain direction throughout this article, our final and main recommendation for the best beginners dart is the CUESOUL Tungsten Steel Tip Darts Set. This set is made from tungsten, giving it a great ratio of durability and strength to weight and flight stability. It also can be bought in multiple different weights, so you can customize your order to best fit your personal situation and playing style. These darts will have you playing at much higher than a beginner level in no time.
As a beginner just into dart playing, there are various factors to be kept in mind when buying beginner darts, and this article compiles that. Always remember, it isn’t necessary to invest more to enjoy playing a fun game of darts with your friends and family.
