What Do We Mean By 90% Tungsten Darts?

Browse any darts collection and you will see numbers everywhere, from the popular 90% tungsten darts, to 80% tungsten, and even 97%. This term looks technical, but the idea behind it is simple, and once you understand it you will know exactly what type of darts you are investing in.

Here is what the tungsten percentage means, and why it matters for your game. 

Why darts use tungsten

The reason comes down to the density. Tungsten is a very dense, very heavy metal, which means you can pack a lot of weight into a small dart. 

In darts, a slim barrel is the goal, because the thinner the dart, the closer your three darts can sit together on the board. Tight grouping is what scoring is all about, and with tungsten, your darts can have a slim yet dense barrel that hits your target weight and never crowds the board.

What the percentage actually means

Pure tungsten is too brittle to make into darts on its own, so it is mixed into an alloy with other metals (usually nickel). The percentage tells you exactly how much of that alloy is tungsten, for example: 

• 90% tungsten darts means the barrel is 90% tungsten and 10% other metals.
• 97% tungsten darts have an even higher tungsten content, delivering a denser, slimmer barrel.

The higher the percentage, the denser the metal, and the slimmer the barrel can be for the same weight. That is the whole story.

The quickest and easiest way to remember this is that the higher the tungsten, the denser the metal: and the slimmer the barrel can be for the exact same weight.

Higher percentage = slimmer dart

Let’s simplify this even further. 

Take two darts that both weigh 24 grams. One is 80% tungsten, and the other is 90%. The 90% dart will be noticeably slimmer, because it does not need as much bulk to reach 24 grams, and that extra slimness helps your darts to group tighter together on the board.

It will also likely cost a little more, because tungsten is an expensive metal, so the percentage is really a balance between performance and price.

What about brass and nickel darts?

When shopping for darts, you will sometimes see cheaper ones made from brass or nickel-silver. There is nothing wrong with them for a first throw, and they are perfect for a casual game in the garage, but the trade-off is bulk. 

Brass is far less dense than tungsten, so a brass dart of the same weight is much thicker. That makes tight grouping harder, and most new players who stick with the game move up to tungsten fairly quickly for exactly that reason.

So which percentage should you buy?

Here is our honest advice for players at different stages in their game.

• New to tungsten? 90 percent tungsten darts are the sweet spot for most players. They are slim, perform well, and sit at a sensible price, and the vast majority of our Quick Point range is 90% tungsten for this very reason.
• Want the slimmest possible barrel? Step up to a higher percentage with our Wolfram Trinity 97% Quick Point. This dart uses a 97% tungsten alloy for a barrel that is about as slim as it gets for its weight, and is a premium choice for players who want every advantage in grouping.
• On a tight budget or just starting out? A lower percentage or a brass set will start you playing for less, and you can always upgrade later. Shop our most affordable options in our best darts for beginners collection.

Tungsten is not the only thing that matters

Tungsten percentage gets a lot of attention, but it is only part of the picture. The grip pattern on the barrel and its shape both change how a dart feels far more than a few percentage points, and a slim 90% barrel with the right grip will beat a slightly slimmer 95% one that does not suit your hand.

Use the percentage as a starting point for slimness and price, and then choose your darts based on feel. The professionals do exactly this: their signature sets are 90% tungsten, chosen for grip and balance rather than chasing the highest number, so see exactly what they throw in the pro player darts range.

A quick word on the Quick Point system

Whatever percentage you choose, our Quick Point barrels let you swap the point in and out. That means you can change point lengths, or move between steel and soft tip, without buying new darts, so stock up on spare Quick Points to keep your one set of barrels going.

The takeaway

Don’t forget - a higher tungsten percentage means a denser, slimmer barrel for the same weight, which helps your darts group tighter.

90% tungsten darts are the go-to for most players, so why not browse our full steel tip darts collection to compare options and pick the one that feels right in your hand.