Types of Throwing Darts

Throwing darts will change depending on the type of darts you are playing. Here I will cover the types of throwing darts that you should learn about and understand.

Steel Tip Throwing Dart

Steel Tip darts are used to play on a standard dartboard generally made of bristle. They get the name steel-tip as the points on the barrels are made of steel. This allows them to easily penetrate the board. The steel tip variety of darts are what are mostly seen on tv and in the media.

Steel Tip is the oldest variation of darts and because many more brands exist. In general, barrels made specifically for steel tip darts are heavier.

Soft Tip Throwing Dart

Soft Tip darts are given this name as they use a plastic tip. These are used for playing on electronic darts machines most commonly found in Asia and parts of Spain and Portugal. These days more children are taught with soft tip darts due to it being safer to play.

Soft Tip darts are generally lighter. These darts WILL NOT work on a bristle dartboard. The points are simply not sharp enough to penetrate the bristle.

Point Changing

In more recent years with the rise of darts point removers has happened. Therefore, it has become possible for players to easily remove their points and change them. Some players who play both steel and soft tip darts now use the exact same barrel and equipment. They’re able to just change the points over depending on which variation of the game they are playing.

Types of Throwing Darts – Which is Better?

The simple answer is, neither. They are both designed to play completely different versions of the game. They would not work if you attempted to cross over to the other version. A steel tip dart would break a soft tip machine and soft tip dart would not stick in a bristle dartboard.

If you are a younger player however soft tip darts is the safer way to start playing the game. Steel tip darts are sharp and can cause injury when not being used properly. It is unfortunate the number of times people are admitted to hospital after taking a dart to the hand. The only issue with this is depending on where you live places like The USA and Asia are places you are more likely to find a soft tip board whereas in places the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium you would struggle to find a soft-tip board as the variant is seldom played in these countries.

If you are starting out and want to get started with soft tip darts certain soft tip boards are available on the internet for purchase. These can be a great way to get into the game in a safe and enjoyable way without risking any damage. Once you feel more comfortable with darts you can work yourself up to playing on the actual steel tip boards with the more dangerous equipment.