The dart flight is the rearmost component of a dart and is often referred to as the fly or wing. Without the dart flight, a dart throw with the tip toward the board would be impossible, as it stabilizes the throw so that the dart lands tip-first in the board .
Dart flights are often completely underestimated by many amateur players. Experienced players, however, know the impact a slight change in shape or material can have on the flight characteristics of the darts .
This is exactly why we would like to explain in this article what dart flights there are.
Which shapes and materials are suitable for you? To answer this question, we'll provide an overview and hope this will help you.
The different shapes of dart flights
There are now well over ten different types of dart flights. However, we'd like to focus on the most important and common models here.
For this purpose, we distinguish between six different flight types . It's important to note, among other things, that the flight behavior is changed more than just the appearance.
Therefore, the flight must be adapted to your throwing style and the entire dart to achieve the perfect result. Each shape has its advantages and disadvantages.
The Standard Flight
The standard flight is probably the flight variant most commonly found among professional players. It also offers the largest surface area. This has the advantage of making the dart extremely stable in the air. This means that the dart usually lands relatively horizontally on the board. However, this isn't always an advantage. Depending on how well your throwing style and dart are matched, it's quite possible that the standard dart flights aren't the right choice.
The Slim Flight
The dart flight is considered the rearmost component of a dart and is often called the fly or wing .
The Slim Flight is significantly narrower than the Standard Flight . Otherwise, there aren't really any significant differences. It's worth noting that this type of dart flight is also included in the beginner's kits .
Along with the standard flight, the slim flight is the most commonly used flight type . The change in shape also naturally affects the flight behavior.
Unlike the standard flight, the darts with the Slim Flight hang slightly downwards. This makes it easy to place the next two darts on top of the first one in the board. Those who prefer this throwing style will be well served by the Slim Dart Flights.
The Pear Flight
Unlike its two predecessors, the Pear Flight doesn't have square edges, but rather a rounded shape . What's striking about this flight is that it's rarely used by a professional .
However, the flight can have one advantage, among other things, because its rounded shape gives the arrow tremendous speed . For players with a straight-line throwing style, the Pear Poly can be helpful, as it glides through the air incredibly quickly and consistently .
The Kite Flight
The Kite Flight is a hybrid of its three predecessors . It's not as large as the Standard Flight, not as angular as the Slim Flight, but also not as round as the Pear Flight.
If you're looking for a healthy mix , this dart flight is a good choice. However, it's not commonly used in practice. Even though many players try out 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 is more reminiscent of a feather than a regular dart flight. Its shape, in particular, makes it unique .
Nevertheless, it's not exactly an exotic flight shape. The Vortex flight has been on the market for what feels like an eternity and is still popular, especially among older players. However, it's also recommended for beginners .
The Fantail Flight
The last shape to be introduced here is the Fantail Flight. It's slightly wider than the Slim Flight and has rounded edges at the top instead of square ones .
Like the kite flight, the fantail flight is n't played very often . However, a few players can be found at tournaments who swear by this flight form.
Dart Flights – only trying will really help you
Without trying out the different flight types yourself, you won't know what's best for you. The reason is simply that every player has their own throwing style and darts.
Expert tip: Even if both things are coordinated, the shape of the dart flight can make a big difference in your throw . Ultimately, it's important that you feel comfortable throwing and trust the darts.
Different dimensions ensure different flights
The dimensions of the various flight shapes vary from brand to brand. This naturally means that no two darts will fly the same when you swap dart flights.
A quick tip: Try equipping your dart set with three different flight types and just start throwing. You'll quickly notice which flights you feel comfortable with.
Materials for Dart Flights
The flight is a consumable item . It's not without reason that you pay less than two euros for a set of dart flights. There's a reason for this.
A flight is n't exactly sturdy . It usually wears out significantly within a few hours. This is precisely why the material has been 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 a crucial role . It's important to note that thin flights generally offer less resistance, both in the air and on the board.
As is often the case, there are advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of a plastic flight is that subsequent darts aren't deflected as much by the board. The thin flight therefore tends to give more. In the air itself, this means the flight also needs a certain amount of stability . Thin flights are therefore usually cheaper than thick ones, as they don't last as long and usually have poorer flight characteristics.
However, the fabric flight is not as common as the plastic one. Fabric flights usually last significantly longer than plastic ones. How can this be explained?
The fabric flight actually lasts longer and flies better, but it's rarely used in practice – at least not for extended periods. The reason is simple: The fabric flight is stable . This ensures that the flight hardly gives .
It's quite possible that after a first triple 20, the next dart will bounce off the flight instead of also landing the triple 20. Keyword: bouncer!
This is precisely why fabric flights are more commonly used in soft tip darts . Here, only the tip needs to touch the target for the score to count. With steel tip darts, the dart must stay in the board.
Design your own dart flights
Of course, there are also options for designing your own dart flights . People are always looking for dart flights with the logo of their Bundesliga club .
Football fans are often also darts fans. This is precisely why there are now numerous Bundesliga clubs that make their logos available .
These can be printed on the dart flights. Bundesliga flights are also very popular, especially among beginners.
More experienced players place less importance on appearance . They use flights, for example, that are of higher quality .
How do I protect my dart flights from rapid damage?
Dart flights are the most vulnerable part of a dart . Therefore, it's important to protect them from rapid damage . For this purpose, there are flight protectors , for example, that fit over the flight .
Although the second arrow still bounces off the first, the flight is "spared" because the tip hits the protective cap. There's also the option to protect flights from falling off the shaft .
With a hole punch and appropriate mounting rings, the flight can be securely attached and is significantly less likely to fall off . All of this also ensures a certain degree of sustainability when it comes to plastic dart flights.
Another trick for protecting your dart flights is using Trident 180 caps . These are attached to the steel tips of steel darts . The caps help the dart glide easily past a dart stuck in the board.
Ready to upgrade your darts game? Discover everything you need to know about the best dart equipment and how it can boost your accuracy:
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