The dart flight is considered the rearmost component of a dart and is also often called a fly or wing. Without the dart flight, a throw with the tip towards the board would be impossible, because it stabilizes the throw so that the dart reaches the board with the tip first.
Dart flights are often completely underestimated by many hobby players. Experienced players, on the other hand, know what effects a slight change in shape or material can have on the flight behavior of the darts .
This is exactly why we would like to explain in this article which dart flights actually exist.
Which shapes and materials are suitable for you? In order to answer this question, we provide an overview and hope to be able to help you.
The different forms of dart flights
There are now well over ten different forms of dart flights. At this point we would like to first address the most important and common models .
We differentiate between six different flight types . It is important to know, among other things, that more of the flight behavior is changed than just the appearance.
The flight must therefore be adapted to your own throwing style and the entire dart in order to get the perfect result. So each form has its advantages and disadvantages.
The standard flight
The standard flight is probably the variant of the flight that is usually found among professional players. It is also the flight that offers the largest area. This has the advantage that the dart flies extremely stable in the air. This means that the dart usually arrives relatively horizontally on the board. However, this does not always have to be an advantage. Depending on how the throwing style and dart are coordinated, it is quite possible that the standard dart flights are not the right choice.
The Slim Flight
The dart flight is considered the rearmost component of a dart and is also often called a fly or wing .
The Slim Flight is significantly narrower than the Standard Flight . Otherwise there are actually no major differences. What is striking is that this form of dart flights is also included in the beginner packages .
Together with the standard flight, the slim flight is the most commonly used flight type . Of course, the change in shape also affects flight behavior.
In contrast to the standard flight, the arrows with the Slimflight hang slightly downwards. So it's quite possible to place the next two arrows on top of the first one on the board. Anyone who prefers this type of throwing style is well served with the Slim Dart Flights
The Pear Flight
The Pear Flight does not have square edges like its two predecessors, but rather has a round shape . What is striking about this flight is that it is rarely used by a professional .
Nevertheless, the flight can have an advantage, among other things, because the arrow's rounded shape makes it move at an enormous speed . The Pear Poly can be helpful for players with a straight throwing style, as it glides through the air extremely quickly and consistently .
The Kite Flight
The Kite Flight provides a mix of its three predecessors . Not as big as the Standardflight, not as square as the Slimflight, but not as round as the Pearflight either.
If you are looking for a healthy mix , this dart flight is a good choice. However, it is not often used in practice. Even though many players try most types of dart flights, they usually return to either the standard flight or the slim flight.
The Vortex Flight
The Vortex Flight is a very special variant . It's been around forever and looks more like a feather than a regular dart flight. Its shape in particular makes it unique .
Nevertheless, it is not one of the exotic flight forms. The Vortexflight has been on the market for what feels like forever and is still played primarily by older players. The flight can also be recommended for beginners .
The Fantail Flight
The last form to be presented here is the Fantail Flight. It is just a little wider than the Slim Flight and has rounded edges at the top instead of square ones .
Fantail Flight, similar to Kite Flight, is not commonly played . However, a few individual players can often be found at tournaments who swear by this form of flight.
Dart Flights – just trying will really help you
Without trying the different types of flights yourself, you won't know what is best for you. The reason is simply that every player has their own throwing behavior and their own darts.
Expert tip: Even if both things are aligned, the shape of the dart flight can cause big changes in the throw . Ultimately, it is important that you feel comfortable throwing and trust the arrows.
Different dimensions ensure different flights
The dimensions of the different flight shapes are different everywhere. Of course, this means that no two arrows fly the same when you swap dart flights.
A little tip on the side: Just try equipping your dart set with three different flight types and just throw it away. You will quickly notice which flights you feel comfortable with.
Materials for dart flights
The flight is an item of wear and tear . It's not without reason that you pay less than two euros for a set of dart flights. There is a reason for this.
A flight is not exactly stable . It usually wears out seriously within a few hours. This is exactly why the material was varied. In addition to the usual plastic flights , there are now also more stable versions made of fabric.
Plastic vs. fabric
The thickness of the material plays the most important role . It should generally be noted that thin flights offer low resistance. Both in the air and on the board.
It's like so often: there are advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of the plastic flight are that subsequent arrows in the board are not so deflected . The thin flight tends to give way. In the air itself, this means that the flight also requires a certain degree of stability . Thin flights are therefore usually cheaper than thick ones because they don't last as long and usually have poorer flight characteristics.
However, the fabric flight is not as common as the plastic flight. The flight made of fabric usually lasts significantly longer than the one made of plastic. How can this be explained.
The fabric flight actually lasts longer and flies better, but it is rarely used in practice - at least over a longer period of time. The reason is simple. The fabric flight is stable . This ensures that the flight hardly gives way .
It is quite possible that after a first triple 20, the following dart will bounce off the flight instead of also flying into the triple 20. Keyword: Bouncer!
This is exactly why the flight made of fabric is more commonly used in e-darts . Here only the tip has to touch the target and the score counts. As is well known, with steel darts the arrow has to get stuck in the board.
Design your own dart flights
Of course there are also options to design your own dart flights . People are always looking for dart flights with the logo of their Bundesliga club .
Football fans are often darts fans too. It is precisely for this reason that there are now a large number of Bundesliga clubs that make their logo available .
These can be printed on the flights of the darts. The Bundesliga flights are also very popular, especially among beginners.
More experienced players place less importance on appearance . For example, you use flights that are of higher quality .
How do I protect my dart flights from quick damage?
The dart flights are the most sensitive part of the dart . It is therefore necessary to protect them from rapid damage . There are, for example, the so-called flight savers , which are attached to the flight .
Although the second arrow still bounces off the first, the flight is “spared” because the tip hits the protective cap. There is also the option of protecting flights from falling off the shaft .
With a hole punch and appropriate fastening rings, the flight can be attached securely and falls off much less often . All of this also ensures a certain level of sustainability when it comes to plastic dart flights.
Another trick to protect your dart flights are so-called Trident 180 caps . These are attached to the steel tips of steel darts . The caps help the dart slide easily past a dart stuck in the board.
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