Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
I bought a Viper DEAD ON GLD bristle dart board at Meijer this morning. I bought a cheap pair of darts for $4.99 to go with it. I am just going to play darts casually when friends come over. Is there a middle of the line quality/price darts anyone can suggest?
Thanks,
EDIT: Also, should I get soft or steel tips?
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
I bought a bristle board not too long ago also. In the short time I've had it, I've found soft tips have a tendency to bounce out. I bought a set of darts from Meijer for 15 bucks that have plastic and steel shafts, nickel barrels, both soft and steel tips, and two different sets of flights. For casual play, a pretty good set if they fit your throwing style. You should try different flights to see what fits you best. You can get a pack of different flights pretty cheap. They make a huge difference. From what I understand, most serious dart throwers like Tungsten barrels. I'm not a serious player, so the 15 dollar set has me happy. I will suggest spending at least the 15 on a set. I've had cheaper ones and they are a constant battle to keep the parts together.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Steel tip is the only way to go IMO.
I am a bit removed from my league days (lessee, daughter is 6, so yeah, about 6 years ;) ), but I used to play in 1st a soft tip and then for many years a steel tip league. I am not current enough to give you brand recommendations anymore (Black Widows were "the thing" back in the day), but I'd imagine you can find something for casual use that is comfortable for you in the 20 range.
Remember you can get different flights as mentioned above and different shafts that IMO drastically cahnge the dart also. You can get some spinner shafts that actually rotate (not automatically, just by force of air or another dart impact).
Get the little rubber washers (or o-rings) both for the shafts (and for the tipos if you get a set that has the convertible tips) that keep them from coming loose every other throw. That will prevent endless aggravation.
Have fun!
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Thanks for your comments and keep them coming. :thumbup:
I have another question (SORRY - :) )
What should I get for protection around the bare wall area where the dart board exists? I can get a specialty covering from the web for about $26.
http://www.dartboards.com/backboards...lprotector.cfm
Could I just buy some cork board from Home Depot etc?
Thanks again,
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
I just bought these off EBAY (LOL). $2 for item / $2 to ship
Even if they don't work well, the items will be cool to display in the rec room. See PIC....
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
I have been playing 1-3 nights a week for seven years, so I guess you could say I'm pretty serious about it. We've been using soft tip darts and electronic boards the entire time.
We started with Halex boards the first few years but wore each one out in about a year. We've since switched to Arachnid boards and the difference is night and day. We currently have two Arachnid boards (a 13" and a 15") and switch between the two every few weeks, just to keep us sharp. We've had each for two years and both are still just like new!
You definitely want to go with tungsten darts, because you'll have thinner darts with more weight. The thinner the darts, the better your chances of wedging them into the slot you need when theres already two darts in that slot. The heavier darts (approx 17-18 grams) will do wonders for your game over the cheaper, lighter ones. A set will run you about $40 though.
Also, as has been suggested, order your some plastic spinning shafts online. (The metal ones tend to bend.) They'll save your flights!! Also, buy your flights online from ebay. You can get them for about $1.00 per set, while retail stores will charge $2.00 or more.
If you have never played scoring cricket, it's a game you must learn. We have a saying: "Every game is different", and it's so true. It gets the adrenaline flowing every time. The other game we play is ten-round high score. I have been keeping an Excel spreadsheet for seven years with all kinds of records and it makes it so much more interesting.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
macro
Also, as has been suggested, order your some plastic spinning shafts online. (The metal ones tend to bend.) They'll save your flights!! Also, buy your flights online from ebay. You can get them for about $1.00 per set, while retail stores will charge $2.00 or more.
Thanks for your suggestions. Ebay had short and medium shafts listed. Which size should I get or is there much of a difference?
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Cricket (scoring variety) is my favorite game as well, macro.
Whatever you choose, I think you'll have fun for sure. My earliest league experiences were in soft tip and we certainly did have fun, but then there was something that was more alluring to me about the original steel tip game. If you already have a bristle board I'd think that steel tips would work best. However if you start to like it a lot, you could get an electronic board too!
The convertible sets (replaceable tips where you can switch out between steel tips and soft tips) may be a neat way to go. I cannot recall the brand now, but I have one of those too for that transition time when I was playing alot of both styles. There are also hammerhead style darts with tips that slightly give when they make contact that help to reduce bounce-outs from hitting wires, etc... I am sure there's lotsa new stuff now from the last time I looked seriously that macro I am sure is more knowledgeable about.
Shaft length I think will be based on your particular throwing motion. I'd start with the mediums personally and see where you go from there. Or get a couple sets and see which on works since they are not that expensive.
I have a fairly nice backer board with slide out "drawers" on each side that contain dart storage and chalkboards. It really depends on how nice you want it to look, etc. I'd use some kind of backerboard even if you go with soft tips.
Also get some flight protectors. Those are inexpensive tiny little metal slotted "caps" that fit over the ends of the flights keeping them spread out better and reduces the chance somewhat of an incoming dart splitting them.
My buddy and I try to play whenever we get together. However that is rare nowadays but this discussion (if you cannot tell ;)) is rekindling my interest! I was never as good as he was, but had my highlights (which I am now fondly recalling thanks to this thread!) and certainly my share of enjoyment from the sport.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
goreds2
Thanks for your suggestions. Ebay had short and medium shafts listed. Which size should I get or is there much of a difference?
I've never used anything but the longer ones, but I would guess that it's just a matter of personal preference. I also should add that the actual spinning part of the shaft (where the flight is inserted) will be aluminum.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
I don't play as much since I'm on the road a lot, but I have a set of those hammerheads and they're pretty good. They don't bounce out much. Also, for protecting the wall, you can get some cork board pretty cheap at Home Depot.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
OldRightHander
I don't play as much since I'm on the road a lot, but I have a set of those hammerheads and they're pretty good. They don't bounce out much. Also, for protecting the wall, you can get some cork board pretty cheap at Home Depot.
Thanks again everyone. Unless they did not feel like looking, Home Depot said they had no cork board. :eek:
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
goreds2
Thanks again everyone. Unless they did not feel like looking, Home Depot said they had no cork board. :eek:
That's odd. I bought some there last year, little square pieces of it in a package. I used some of those double sided sticky tabs to put it up around the board.
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
OldRightHander
That's odd. I bought some there last year, little square pieces of it in a package. I used some of those double sided sticky tabs to put it up around the board.
I ended up buying this protector at a store in Columbus called Sports Authority. I paid $21.99. The web has them more expensive than that. It is especially made to go around the dart board.
http://www.dartboards.com/backboards...lprotector.cfm
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
goreds2
Here is a picture of my setup. Nothing fancy but I have enjoyed a few games on it thus far. :)
Re: Bought A Bristle Dart Board - Need Dart Suggestions
Quote:
Originally Posted by
macro
If you have never played scoring cricket, it's a game you must learn. We have a saying: "Every game is different", and it's so true. It gets the adrenaline flowing every time. The other game we play is ten-round high score. I have been keeping an Excel spreadsheet for seven years with all kinds of records and it makes it so much more interesting.
I have 100% been playing cricket on my dart board. I would like to try the ten-round high score though. Are there any special rules? Thanks,