Article: What Weight Darts Should I Use?
What Weight Darts Should I Use?
“What weight darts should I use?” is the first question most new players ask, and the answer is a lot less complicated than you might think. Quite simply, there is no perfect dart weight to suit everyone. There is only a recommended range to start with, and a simple process to follow to find your own number, so here is everything worth knowing in your search for your own set .
What darts actually weigh
Dart weight, which is measured in grams, actually refers to the weight of the barrel - the metal part that you hold. So, when we talk about a 24 gram dart, for example, we mean the barrel weight, which is the number you will see on the box: and whilst the total weight of a dart will be heavier once you add the point, shaft and flight, most steel tip darts sit somewhere between 20 and 26 grams.
You can go lighter and you can go a good deal heavier, but the bulk of players, both casual and professional, stay within that band.
What weight darts should I use as a beginner?
If you're buying your first set and you have no idea where to start, go for a dart weight between 22 and 24 grams . Most beginners settle in this middle band and never feel the need to move far from it, as these darts are heavy enough to fly with a stable, predictable arc, but light enough that you won't have to project them across the room.
You can pick a starting set from our best darts for beginners collection, where the weights are specifically chosen to be easy to throw from day one.
Lighter or heavier? What changes
The difference between a light dart and a heavy one comes down to how you throw.
Lighter darts - from 18 to 21 grams, need a bit more push to reach the board. They suit a faster, flatter throwing action, and are more affected by a slightly off release, so they can be less forgiving for a beginner.
Heavier darts - those 25 grams and up, carry their own momentum. They fly with less effort from you and many players find that a heavier dart calms a shaky throw. The trade-off, however, is that too much weight can drag the nose down if your action is too gentle.
Neither is better. It is about matching the dart to the throw you naturally have, not forcing your throw to suit the dart.
How to find your ideal dart weight
All you need to find your ideal dart weight is a board and a bit of honesty about how the darts feel.
- Start in the 22 to 24 gram band.
- Throw three sessions with the same set before you judge anything. First impressions aren’t everything!
- Notice where your misses go. If you are consistently dropping below the target, the dart may be a touch heavy for your action, so try going down a gram or two. Similarly, If you are sailing high and to the right, you may be over-throwing a light dart, so try going up.
- Change one thing - weight, shape or grip - at a time. If you swap everything all at once, then you won’t learn what works best for you.
The goal is to find a dart that lands where you aimed it, without overthinking the throw. When you have that, you have found your perfect dart weight.
What about soft tips?
Soft tip darts tend to be lighter than their steel tip counterparts, often weighing under 20 grams. If you play on an electronic board, then start with a dart weight in the high teens from our soft tip darts collection, and use the same find-your-feel method for your throw.
Shop by the weight you want
Once you know your number, you can go straight to it. We sort our steel tip darts by weight, so you can skip the guesswork.
If you want even more weight, we supply barrels right up to 32 grams, available in our full steel tip darts collection.
What weight do the pros throw?
Most touring professionals throw between 21 and 26 grams, which tells you that this range is the ideal place to be.
If you want to copy a setup that has worked for the pros, then you can see the real specs on the signature ranges from our four players. Their championship-winning barrel weight is listed on each of their product pages, so browse Ryan Searle, Dave Chisnall, Damon Heta and Luke Woodhouse, or view them all on our pro players page.
A final word on why weight isn't everything
Weight gets all the attention, but "what weight darts should I use?" isn't the only question that you should be asking. The grip and shape of the barrel matter just as much for how a dart feels, as after all, a 24 gram dart with an aggressive grip throws very differently from a smooth 24.
Pick a weight in the middle, throw it properly for a few weeks, then adjust from there. That is how every good player found theirs, and if you are tuning a setup, then the Quick Point range lets you change points without buying new barrels.