Darts for beginners: your starting kit essentials
8/1/2024
Translation: Elicia Payne
The end of the World Darts Championship is just the start of the next World Darts Championship. If you’ve caught darts fever and want to emulate the stars at home, you need the right setup. I’ll give you tips on what you really need as a beginner, what you should look out for and what could be a nice addition.
The World Darts Championship at London’s Alexandra Palace is over. «Cool Hand» Luke Humphries is the new world champion, defeating 16-year-old Luke «The Nuke» Littler 7:4 in the final. It’s a long journey to the World Championships. But that definitely doesn’t have to be your goal. It’s all about having fun. For me, darts is a great sport to simply switch off after work. I got my own darts setup about six years ago and have since expanded it to suit my needs and wishes.
If you’re just starting out with darts or want to have your own darts setup at home, you probably have a lot of questions. What do I need to look out for? Which dartboard and darts do I need? What other accessories could be useful for me? That’s why I want to share my tips with you.
My first tip shouldn’t be underestimated: you need space. Before you can send your first dart flying towards a dartboard, you have to be able to hang or setup the board somewhere. The centre of the board must be exactly 1.73 metres above the ground. According to the official rules, you then throw the darts from a distance of exactly 2.37 metres. I also recommend that you leave enough space behind the dropping line – at least one metre to the back and to the side, preferably a little more.
Dartboards
First things first: you definitely shouldn’t skimp on the dartboard. In my opinion, it’s very important that the sisal disk has a modern spider, i.e. thinner wires. Especially for beginners, it can considerably reduce the fun of the game if the darts don’t stick properly because the wires are too thick.
I recommend the Target Aspar, Shot Bandit, One80 Gladiator 3 or the Winmau Blade 5 or 6 dartboards. All of them are now available in our shop. I have the Winmau Blade 6 Triple Core at home. A little insider tip, especially for beginners, are NPQ dartboards. NPQ stands for Nearly Perfect Quality. These are boards that don’t have the manufacturer’s logo, for example, because they have minor production defects. The rest of the print is often imperfect, but the functionality and quality of the board are unaffected. NPQ dartboards are considerably cheaper.
Darts
Darts usually consist of a barrel with a tip, a shaft and a flight. As a beginner, you should try out a few to find the right grip, weight and shape for you. You can only find out if you play with different darts. If you have a store nearby, go there and have a feel of the options.
Source: Kim Muntinga
To begin with, I recommend starting with around 23-gramme darts. I also find darts with a recessed grip interesting. That helped me a lot at the start. In general, I wouldn’t buy darts that are too cheap or too expensive to start with. At 40 to 50 euros or Swiss francs, you’re well within your budget. I’d advise against brass darts. Equipped with a brass barrel, they’re of lower quality. Instead, go for darts with tungsten barrels.
Another important tip for beginners when buying darts: although the shaft and the flights have a major influence on the appearance of the darts, they’re ultimately consumables that need to be replaced regularly. The barrels are much more important. You have to like them. Not just visually, but above all in terms of grip, shape and weight.
I’ve reviewed two sets of darts, which you can read about below.
Dartboard surround
For beginners in particular, it’s advisable to add a surround, i.e. a protective ring, to the dartboard. Its main purpose is to protect the wall from the sharp metal darts when you inevitably miss.You don’t want your wallpaper looking like a piece of Emmental!
Dart stand
Not everyone can hang their dartboard on the wall. For some it’s a lack of space, for others it’s a fear of getting into trouble with the neighbours because of the noise. If it’s the latter, you can add insulation between the dartboard and the wall. Alternatively, you can opt for a portable dartboard stand.
In my opinion, these are the four most important items for getting started with darts at home. A few smaller items could be added to the list, such as a spirit level for aligning the dartboard, a dart case for transporting the darts or a lighting system for the board. These aren’t necessary, but I have to admit the lighting system was an absolute game changer for me. What you should always have at home are spare flights and shafts for your darts as well as a sharpening stone for sharpening your tips so that they don’t fall out of the board as easily.
As for me, I’m currently in the middle of a move. Once I’ve set up my dartboard in my new apartment the way I envision it, I’ll show you the exact products I have.
*Are you thinking about how to set up your dartboard and still have unanswered questions? Ask away in the comments! And if you already have a dartboard at home, what does your setup look like? *
Header image: Kim Muntinga
My interests are varied, I just like to enjoy life. Always on the lookout for news about darts, gaming, films and series.
