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A dart is an individual gaming device for every dart player. The structure of a dart plays a crucial role here, as the dart must match the player's throwing style .
In this blog post we will go into the dart structure and give you tips on how you can optionally expand or perfect your dart.
In addition to the typical components of a dart, there are a number of smaller components that are important for a good dart, but are often underestimated by players.
Nevertheless, the basic composition of the dart always remains the same: flight, shaft, barrel, tip - and this is exactly what makes the dart structure so interesting.
Although these four components are present in every arrow, there are huge differences in how an arrow lies in the air.
Dart arrow structure – the most important components of a dart arrow
For many players, the dart is a mystery in itself. I once played the limited version of the Phil Taylor Legacy darts - the darts with which Phil Taylor became the record world champion in his sport in similar versions of his career.
One thing became very clear to me: I personally wouldn't even play an average of 40 points with this exact dart.
What I'm getting at is: The most important thing in darts is that the game equipment suits your throwing style - not the other way around. Many players often forget this and try to adapt their throwing style to a specific arrow. This is the wrong path.
How is a dart constructed? The dart structure is always the same . The four main components that every dart actually has ensure the basic composition:
- dart
- Flight
- Dart shaft
- Dart barrel
- Dart arrow tip
However, there are several versions for each of these dart components. This ensures that you can put together the dart individually and perfectly, just like in our dart configurator .
The tip of the dart - grip & differences between e-darts and steel darts
Points are scored at the end with the tip of the dart - this is what the rules say. If the tip isn't in the board, the points don't count - end.
This is exactly why you should make sure that your tips, at least with steel darts, have the necessary grip . They should also be sanded every now and then with a grindstone so that they don't fall out of the board. There are even differences in the material and length of the tips.
Players with a light throwing style should definitely make sure that the tips are sharpened regularly or use tips that are slightly grooved so that they stay firmly in the board.
Logically, a plastic tip must be used with the e-dart. But here too there are differences. It makes sense to invest a little more to get stable tips instead of buying cheap tips that break off quickly.
The barrel on the dart – the heart of the dart structure
The barrel is considered the heart of the dart. Four important factors play a role in the barrel:
- Weight
- length
- Grip
- Point where you touch the dart
It is no longer a secret that the weight, length and grip of the barrel should be perfectly coordinated and also match the player's throwing style.
However, one aspect of this topic is rarely discussed - the place where the player grabs the barrel .
One thing is particularly important here: the center of gravity of the barrel must be designed so that there is good balance when the player releases the dart. For example, if you play a barrel in the shape of a teardrop (the arrow's center of gravity is very far forward), you often grab the arrow relatively far forward in order to maintain balance.
If you grip the barrel further back, then it makes little sense to play a barrel in the shape of a teardrop . Try it out for yourself and you will find out exactly what it means.
The shaft of the dart – the length makes the difference
The shaft connects the flight, the lightest part of the dart, with the barrel, the heaviest part of the dart. It is important in that it massively influences the length of the dart .
Because the shaft influences the length, it also influences the trajectory and even the flight speed of the arrow. While short arrows are often quite fast , it is not uncommon for long arrows to glide through the air a little slower.
At this point I would like to give an example that illustrates the importance of the shaft on the dart:
- You have a fairly lax throwing style and tend to throw based on feeling . Here it makes sense to use a long shaft - at least for the beginning: A long shaft also ensures stability in the cast, ideally in combination with a wide flight.
- However, if your throwing style is rather hard - i.e. you pull your arm through and throw the arrow with a lot of force - then it makes sense to use a short shaft . The powerful release gives the arrow the speed it needs to fly straight. The short shaft increases the speed a little. This causes the arrow to fly towards the board in a very clean line .
The flight on the dart – stabilizer of the trajectory
The flight is basically the end of the dart. To assemble a dart so that it flies straight through the air, the right flight is the key to success .
It is not uncommon for players to wonder why their arrow is stuck in the air or stuck in the board in a completely different way than desired. The flight is usually the decisive factor for this. Of all the dart parts, it has the greatest influence on the trajectory because it stabilizes the dart in the air .
Here again it depends on the throwing style to find out which material and which shape of the flight is best suited.
Wider or larger flights are often played by beginners. Due to the large surface area of the flight, the dart is extremely well stabilized in the air . Advanced players or professionals often adjust the shape of the flight a little.
Narrow flights in particular are mostly used by experienced players. However, this is only possible once you have developed a clean and practiced throwing style that you can repeat without any problems. As long as this is not the case, it is advisable to use wider flights.
Optional extensions for individual dart construction
Last but not least, we would like to point out a few optional extensions that can be useful for a dart:
- Flight protector : It is placed on the end of the dart flight to prevent it from breaking after a short time. This should extend the lifespan .
- Rubber ring : This is attached between the barrel and the shaft . This prevents the point where both parts are screwed together from coming loose again and again . Hobby players in particular are familiar with this annoying phenomenon when they have to tighten this spot again and again.
- Crownring : Very useful to prevent darts from flying off plastic shafts after each shot . The flight simply needs to be punched and can then be attached to the shaft with a ring like this.
- Tridents: The Trident 180 caps are simply attached to conventional steel dart tips, so that the transition between tip and barrel is as smooth as possible and possible bounces are prevented.
- Shaft crowns: Shaft crowns prevent the flight from slipping off the plastic shaft. In the long run it becomes very annoying without the shaft crowns because the flights often fall down.
There are also many other optional extensions. Just try a few yourself and then put together your dream dart in our myDartpfeil configurator .
After you have the right dart setup
Now you have the right dart and want to train to get better. We recommend some previous blog articles on the subject of dart training .
We also recently published our own e-book . A complete book full of training tips, motivation, and training plan. A must for every darter!
Ready to upgrade your darts game? Discover everything you need to know about the best dart equipment and how it can improve your accuracy:
- The agony of choice: Dartboard made of cork or sisal ? An expert will explain the advantages and disadvantages to you. Click here now and find out more.
- Set up a dart room Made easy thanks to cool tips and ideas » Click in now and create your personal paradise at home.
- Changing and sharpening dart tips : You can find out here what is important and what you need to pay attention to. Click in now!
