How do you know what set of darts is right for you?

Every player will go through a trial-and-error process to work out what the best dart is for them. The great thing about finding your perfect set up is that it’s fun to do! Take your time, write notes on how each set up works (or doesn’t work) and most importantly enjoy yourself! 

A simple solution to finding the dart which suits you best is to let us do the hard work and book in for a Mission Precision session here at Darts Corner with our ex-professional player. However, we know that you can’t all get to Bolton, so watch the video below to find out some tips from Mission ambassador Wayne Mardle on choosing your darts, then read on for our summary of how to find the perfect dart for you!

Choosing a dart barrel

If you are a beginner, then we would suggest you start with heavier weights (28g and above) as this will give you a better chance of keeping the dart straight.

There are thousands of different types of barrels, but as a starting point if you find the dart slips out of your hand then look for a grippy barrel (for example razor grip or micro grip). However, if the barrel stays in your hand too long and you sometimes struggle to release or pull the dart then go for a simple ringed grip dart.

With such a massive choice of barrels to choose from, we have put together a detailed guide to dart barrels and materials here. 

Choosing a dart stem/shaft

Stems/shafts usually come in four different lengths (extra short, short, midi and medium) and in various materials (nylon, carbon, aluminium to name a few).

As a rule, a short barrel may require a medium stem, and a long barrel a short stem, for balance.

The key is to experiment and research what works for you. There are lots of options, but stems are usually fairly cheap, so the simplest thing to do is to try a set of them all! We have several try-at-home stem research packs available to buy to get you started.

If you want to look at stems in more detail, then check out our guide on how to choose a dart stem.

Choosing a dart flight

The most popular flights come in standard no. 2 and no. 6 sizes, but there are lots of other shapes and different thicknesses available to try as well.

As a rule, it’s better to use smaller, lighter flights with lightweight darts and thicker, larger flights with heavier darts. Generally, the smaller and thinner the flight, the faster and higher your dart will fly.

Just like with the stem, you need to experiment to find out what works best. You can buy a flight research pack which gives you a range of flights to try in one bundle.

If you want to delve into choosing flights in more detail visit our guide on how to choose a dart flight.

Watch the video below for some tips from PDC star Alan Soutar on how to pick the best flight for you.

Choosing dart accessories

There are other accessories available like flight protectors and locking rings. If you are new to darts it’s best to leave them alone to begin with, as they will change the balance of a dart and complicate things.

If you are feeling happy with your set up, take a look at our list of darts accessories to help you improve your game.

Check out our full range of dartboards, darts shirts, dart flights and darts cases to complete your darts setup.

Tips and Special Offers

Check out our Top 10 Steel Tip Darts and Top 10 Soft Tip Darts pages for our hand-picked selection of the most popular darts available right now. We also have a Top 10 Darts For Rear Grippers page for players who prefer a rear grip with their darts.

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