Dart boards are fun for newbies and practiced hands alike as they don’t require much upkeep to keep them in good condition. As the traditional bristle dart boards are slowly being replaced in the market by the newer electrical dart boards, more people wonder what darts are best to pair with the dart boards they wish to use.
Finding the right darts to pair to your dart board doesn’t have to be a hassle. You just need to understand the material of your dart board and choose the appropriate types of dart that would ensure no damage would come to your dart board during your passionate dart games.
Darts with steel tips can’t be used on an electric dart board as they are made to penetrate bristle dart boards. Electronic dart boards are made of plastic and have hundreds of ready-made holes, which would make it unnecessary and rather damaging to use sharp and pointed steel darts.
You can probably tell that there are many choices when it comes to buying darts. Choosing the right darts for your dart board is as important as choosing the correct shoe size for your foot. It would be a waste to buy a dart whose tip is incompatible, if not severely damaging, to your dart board.
The best way to ensure you buy the right things for your next dart game is to understand your dart boards and determine which darts suit them best. Hopefully, this guide will help you find the ideal pairings of darts and dart boards to help create a safe and excellent gaming experience for you and your friends!
The process is easier than you think, so let’s go and explore!
Steel Tips on an Electronic Dartboard? A Big No!
With the changes seen in the last few decades, it is no surprise that the traditional game of darts underwent changes as well. It is unsurprising for one to wonder the million-dollar question of whether the traditional steel tipped darts can be used for the newer electrical dart boards.
Electrical dart boards have plastic surfaces that wouldn’t stand a chance if sharp steel dart tips (which are meant to penetrate the fiber of the traditional bristle board) are thrown at it. These dart boards are different from their traditional predecessors because they help keep the scores and allow more players to play at one time.
The battery-powered dart boards have features like lights, score trackers, etc., and thus contain many circuits. The circuits could easily be damaged by the sharp darts making it so that the board wouldn’t remain ‘playable’ for very long. Due to the features in electrical dart boards, they are pricier than traditional dart boards, hence constantly paying for repairs or replacements would be heavy on the wallet.
Electrical dart boards have small holes in them, ready-made to receive soft tipped darts, as a modern alternative to the traditional piercing of the steel tipped darts.
Steel tip darts are for the original bristle dart boards where their sharp points help them penetrate the board when they are thrown towards it.
Soft-tip darts can similarly not be used on bristle dart boards as their rounded tips would simply not allow them to pierce the surface and ‘stick’ onto the board.
How Are Soft Tipped Darts Different From Steel Tip Darts?
Simply put, soft tip darts are light and easily ‘stick’ because their flexible plastic tips fit perfectly into the small holes on the electronic dartboards. In comparison, steel tip darts are sharper and generally heavier as they puncture the hard surfaces of the traditional bristle dart board.
The fact that soft-tip darts are made of materials like plastic would ensure that you need to make frequent replacements. This is because these tips are prone to wear and tear, and can also break easily. On the other hand, steel has proven to be more durable, and purchasing a replacement would only be required if you lose your steel tip dart.
Due to their rounded tips, soft tips are a safer choice in darts as sharp steel tips can seriously hurt people, or even damage walls when thrown in the wrong direction. People with children or pets around would definitely prefer soft tip darts to avoid injury.
Another thing to consider would be how steel tip darts are obviously more expensive when compared to their ‘soft’ plastic counterparts. But it should be noted that there would inevitably be a constant need to replace soft tip darts due to the wear and tear mentioned before.
A Comparison of Electrical Dart Boards and Traditional Bristle Dart Boards
Traditionally, bristle dart boards are simple. They have a clock faced layout made of hemp or sisal materials that have just the right hardness to hold flying steel tipped darts.
Electronic dart boards are more sophisticated in their structure. Though they have the same clock shaped layout as traditional dart boards, they have hundreds of holes across the surface to catch the soft tipped darts. Their scoring options can keep track of one to eight players, which is a reason why these boards are used in larger parties.
Traditional dart boards are generally preferred by professionals or long-term players who know how to handle the steel tip darts without causing damage or injury. In contrast, the electronic dart boards are usually used by children or more casual players who don’t like the hassle of keeping track of the score. The fact that there are often lights on an electrical board also helps make the game more interactive than the traditional bristle dart boards.
Things to Consider While Choosing Darts (Steel and Soft Tips)
There are many types of darts in the market. The options range from choices in weight, removable parts, and material.
Weight is an important factor when it comes to darts. Lighter darts require more force to throw, while heavier darts are easier to throw and generally more precise. For beginners, a dart weighing between 24 to 26 grams is a great place to begin.
Some darts come with up to five removable parts, which can help in ‘fine-tuning’ your dart, and in extension, your throw. Tuning clearly affects the performance, and perhaps is one of the reason why professional players use darts composed of multiple separate pieces.
Darts can be made up of a variety of materials such as tungsten, copper, nickel-silver, and brass. Material choices affect the weight of the dart, subsequently affecting the comfort of more serious players.
Thus it’s important to consider these factors while also judging your personal expertise before buying a dart.
Conclusion
Dart games have always been immensely popular across different age groups. We can see how people have different requirements that influence their choices of darts and dart boards. More serious players would opt for the traditional pair of bristle boards and steel tip darts, while casual players would choose the electrical dart boards and soft tip darts, as they are safer and more convenient to use.
You can see how important it is to have harmony between your darts and dart boards to guarantee hours of limitless fun in your future games.
Now the fun can begin!