Have you ever played a game of darts with your friends, and something just felt off? Your throw, the direction that the dart goes to, the balance.
It makes the feel of the game a little bit disappointing and annoying if we’re being completely honest.
You begin to question your skills, and that’s not good for anyone. Perhaps, the darts you’re throwing aren’t well made and/or balanced correctly. The point may be heavier than the flight, and it makes the trajectory drop lower than expected.
Other than weight distribution, the reason could be the material used to produce those darts like brass, steel, or tungsten, which will be discussed in greater detail below in this article.
What Are Tungsten Darts?
The word “tungsten” may be unfamiliar for certain people. Tungsten is a dense, heavy type of metal. Its density alone can be compared to the likes of gold or uranium.
The properties of tungsten make it easy to slim down but not to the point that it makes the entirety of the dart imbalanced; it still maintains the necessary weight.
Darts made out of tungsten are most commonly used in the games of today, be it; professional tournaments, amateur leagues, or just plain old backyard fun and games with your buddies.
Most darts these days are now made of tungsten. However, these darts are not completely made of tungsten.
Tungsten darts only contain a small amount of it, with the remainder made up of nickel. The amount of tungsten used in today’s darts can range from 60% to 97%.
So basically, say that your dart is 80% tungsten the remainder will most probably be 20% nickel, or the more uncommon copper and/or silver.
The more tungsten content in a dart, the more expensive it will be. You get a total bang for your buck, though, when it comes to buying quality tungsten darts.
You would think that 100% tungsten darts will be perfect for playing, right? Wrong, 100% tungsten darts are brittle. A complete tungsten dart can be more comparable to a piece of glass rather than a piercing tool.
Tungsten darts are currently the most reliable version of the dart since their creation; most people consider it to be the best. These darts are naturally dense, which gives them that natural balance that can’t be manufactured or made.
Compared to steel or brass, tungsten needs less of it to make the weight balanced. Thus, rendering the possibility of the barrel of a tungsten dart to be thinner, as opposed to the steel or copper darts.
Benefits
The benefits truly outweigh the limitations when it comes to tungsten darts. Tungsten darts are revolutionary; they completely change the player’s capability.
The first advantage of using tungsten darts is the availability of it. Since most manufacturers prefer making tungsten darts rather than steel or brass darts, this means that the array of choices players have when choosing darts is wide.
Tungsten darts are also much more durable than any other form of dart due to the nature of the material as is.
Tungsten is dense and durable, no need to worry about your darts bouncing off the metal parts of the dartboard or off of each other when you have tight groupings. Damage to tungsten-based darts is highly unlikely.
Another advantage when it comes to tungsten darts is that they can be manufactured with a thinner frame.
This is extremely useful for players who like testing their skills and join dart competitions. Slimmer darts mean less space used, ultimately meaning that your groupings will be tighter and easier to maintain.
After trying different kinds of darts, most players really want to go back to using tungsten darts.
This is because tungsten darts have a more weighty feel, which gives the users a psychological implication that wherever they aim, that’s where the dart will go.
Confidence in any sport is a must – and the same goes for darts, too.
Limitations
There are only a select few cons when it comes to tungsten darts. Although tungsten darts are more popular and have a wide variety of brands to choose from, the prices of these darts are more than darts made from either brass or steel.
Higher quality means higher prices, as does everything in the world.
Another disadvantage of using tungsten darts and this is just for very few people. There is a possibility of some people having an allergic reaction to nickel. It can cause itchiness and rashes if it comes in contact with your skin.
Please be informed that only 10% of the people in the US are allergic to nickel, but it’s more common in women, especially under the age of 18.
There are just a few tungsten darts on the market that are nickel-free. This is compounded even by the fact that most dart makers do not mention the other metals mixed with the percentage of tungsten.
If you are allergic to nickel, opt for tungsten darts that have copper or silver in them, or settle for brass or steel darts.
If you’re lucky, you can find a tungsten dart that doesn’t have nickel in it, but it takes a lot of patience and time to look for a manufacturer that does that. You could also try wearing gloves, but that might mess up your throwing and aim.
Things to Consider When Buying Tungsten Darts
Since the tungsten dart is the most popular amongst league players, there is a wide variety of brands to pick from. No matter which brand you are shopping for, be sure to check these important things before making a purchase:
1. Size of the Tungsten Dart
Size is a factor that plays a huge role when buying tungsten darts. When using tungsten to make a dart, the result is a smaller dart with the same weight as brass or steel made darts. Consider the weight balance and size of the dart before buying.
2. Tungsten Percentage
After choosing your preferred weight, the next thing you need to consider is the concentration of tungsten used in your dart. Since the 100% tungsten darts are way too brittle, you should make sure it’s at least 95% or below.
The reason for this is, you don’t want your tungsten darts to break that easily when hitting hard surfaces by accident.
The sweet spot for most tungsten darts is a percentage between 70% to 95%. The dart still has the same weight but less density. Thus, rendering your darts to be less prone to breaking earlier than expected.
3. Cost
The price of the dart has a somewhat direct correlation to the tungsten percentage used to make the actual dart. The more tungsten used in a dart, the more expensive it will be.
Same as when considering the amount of tungsten in a dart, the sweet spot in tungsten darts price-wise are those darts ranging from 70% to 95% tungsten.
These darts will do their intended job and match your budget at the same time.
4. Vendor
There are some stores that sell tungsten darts for really cheap. These darts that are advertised as “tungsten” darts will most probably have little to no tungsten content at all.
A dead giveaway would be the size and length of the dart. If the dart is longer and/or wider than most tungsten darts on the market, chances are they aren’t really tungsten darts.
Best Tungsten Darts: Our Top 3 Picks
There will always be “the best” in anything in life. No difference when it comes to darts as well. These three dart sets are the types of darts most players want to play with because of; feel, comfortability, and the overall look of the dart.
Viper Blitz 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts
With 95% tungsten and 5% nickel, it’s worth the price! These darts are made in four different weight variations: 22, 24, 26, and 26 grams—a bit on the hefty side.
After penetrating the dartboard, the aluminum shafts spin the flight, allowing for tighter grouping and reducing the risk of deflection.
Cuesoul Tungsten Steel Tip Darts Set 90% Tungsten
Made for beginner or intermediate players practicing their groupings. A slim design with good speed and great accuracy makes this dart set a must-get for novice players.
This dart set comes in a leather case with six aluminum shafts and four sets of dart flights. Plus, it’s available in three different weight variations: 21, 23, 25 grams, and two shapes: front-loaded & torpedo.
Pegasus Tungsten Steel Dart Set
A well-balanced, no-nonsense dart with a clean barrel for good gripping. This 80% tungsten dart set comes in 6 different weight variations: 21, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 grams.
The streamlined design is not only for show, but it also helps with the flight of the dart, making it the optimal kit for groupings.
Wrapping It Up
The tip, barrel, shaft, and flight of a dart can all be made of different materials, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Despite the fact that the periodic table contains over 90 different types of metals and perhaps hundreds of metal alloys, the majority of darts are made of tungsten.
Be it a tournament, backyard competition, or just plain target practice; you can’t go wrong with the dart sets that are tungsten-based.
In a nutshell, tungsten darts are the way to go when it comes to professional, amateur, or novice players. You owe it to yourself to have an enjoyable time, not a frustrating time that just ends up killing your mood. Go for gold and never settle for less!
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