If you’re just getting started playing darts or looking to pickup some darts for your new game room, the number of options out there can be overwhelming. This guide will help you find the best options (which aren’t always the most expensive) and explain what to look for in selecting darts for your skill level and style of throwing.
The overall best darts for beginners are probably the Viper Blitz 95% Tungsten. That is because they are slim and well designed for beginners learning to throw. If you need soft tip darts then take a look at the Viper Jaguar 80% Tungsten darts.
If you want to know more about why I chose these and see some other great options…keep reading.
What’s in This Guide
- Best Steel Tip Darts For Beginners
- Best Soft Tip Darts For Beginners
- What Beginners Should Look For When Choosing Darts
Best Steel Tip Darts For Beginners
Steel tip darts are the most common and are the kind of darts that you’ll see in most competition. So if you aren’t worried about causing a little damage with mis-thrown attempts, then steel tips are the way to go.
| Vapor Blitz 95% Tungsten | CUESOUL 95% Tungsten | Ignat Games | |
| Number of Darts Included | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| Weighting | Center Weighted | Center Weighted | Center Weighted |
| Barrel Material | 95% Tungsten Steel | 95% Tungsten Steel | Steel |
| Weight Options | 22g/24g/26g/28g | 26g/28g/30g | 18g/20g/22g/24g |
| Flights Included | 6 “Wide Glide” Flights | 9 (3 Lantern Shape Flights,3 Standard Flights, 3 Alloy Flights) | 8 Standard Flights |
| Case Included | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sharpener Included | No | Yes | Yes |
| MORE DETAILS ON AMAZON | MORE DETAILS ON AMAZON | MORE DETAILS ON AMAZON |
Viper Blitz 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts
The Viper Blitz are probably the best darts on this list. They are also a little on the pricey end, especially for beginners. But they are a great dart, are well made with high quality materials, and are well designed for a beginner that is just getting started learning the game.
Dart manufacturers often use the material they are made with to name the specific models. These are no exception. The 95% tungsten refers to the barrel of the dart which is manufactured with 95% tungsten and 5% nickel.
Tungsten is a great material for darts as it allows them to be very slim while still having an ideal weight for throwing. The slim profile is something experienced throwers like because it allows you to fit more darts into a small area…for those times when you nail the bullseye three times in a row!
But tungsten can also break more easily then other materials, so you will want to keep these in a case and take good care of them.
These darts come in four specific weights…22g, 24g, 26g, and 28g.
You can get them in 4 different types of grip (the grip pattern is often referred to as the knurls). Because each style requires a different amount of metal in the manufacture process, they each correspond to different weights.
You can get these in finely ringed (22g), large knurls (24g), sharkfinned (26g), and banded knurls (28g). Each of these styles feel a little different in your hand. The 24g large knurls are probably the most “standard” type of dart and the ones I would recommend if you aren’t sure.
The pack also comes with 6 slim wide glide flights. The provide excellent stability for a standard arched throw. The Viper Blitz has an aluminium rotating shaft feature that allows the flights to rotate if they come in contact with other darts and flights. This reduces bounce outs and helps you win games.
Additionally, the shaft comes with locking holes so it fits more securely into the barrel. You won’t have to keep tightening the shaft throughout the game because it will be locked securely into the barrel.
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
CUESOUL 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts
The CUESOUL 95% Tungsten Steel Tip Darts are a great balance between quality materials, good dart design, and affordability.
You can find these in 26 gram, 28 gram, and 30 gram versions.
The shafts are made of anodized aluminum and come in at just under 2 inches. The use of anodized aluminum means that the metal will last longer and be less susceptible to corrosion.
One of my favorite features of these darts (and a feature that is great for beginners) is that they come with a variety of flight shapes. Included in the kit is 9 flights including 3 Lantern Shape Flights, 3 Standard Flights, and 3 Alloy Flights. As a beginner, you can try all of them out and see which you like the best (or which give you the best results).
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
Ignat Games Steel Tip Darts
If you are looking to stock your dart board at home with a solid set of darts, these Ignat Games darts are a great option.
Ignat offers a 12 pack that comes with a few accessories as well. It is perfect for those of you that may have multiple boards in your game room or frequently play games with more than 2 people.
Another feature of this kit that makes it a good option for beginners is the variety. With 12 darts, Ignat gives you 3 each of 18 grams 20 grams, 22 grams, and 24 grams. In addition to giving your guests different options if they have their own preferences, this means that you get to practice with different weights and see which works great for you.
They also come with 16 flights (in case you lose some). The flights are all the same style (but different colors), so you won’t get to try different flight styles like the CUESOUL above, but having varying weights to try is probably more useful for a beginner.
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
Best Soft Tip Darts For Beginners
Soft tip darts are necessary if you are playing with an electronic dart board (the kind that has a lot of little holes for the dart to stick in when you throw it).
You can check out our guide to the Best Electronic Dartboards too if you are looking to upgrade your game room.
If you need the soft tip variety, then these options should give you exactly what you need to get started.
| Viper Jaguar 80% Tungsten | Arachnid 90% Tungsten | CyeeLife 15 Pack | |
| Number of Darts Included | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Weighting | Center Weighted | Center Weighted | Center Weighted |
| Barrel Material | 80% Tungsten Steel | 90% Tungsten Steel | Steel |
| Weight Options | 18g | 18g | 18g |
| Flights Included | 6 | 6 | 30 |
| Tips Included | 13 | 10 | 180 |
| Case Included | Yes | Yes | No , but packaging can be used to store darts. |
| CLICK FOR REVIEWS AND PRICE ON AMAZON | CLICK FOR REVIEWS AND PRICE ON AMAZON | CLICK FOR REVIEWS AND PRICE ON AMAZON |
Viper Jaguar 80% Tungsten
The Viper Jaguar 80% Tungsten are a great soft tip choice for beginners. These are high quality darts that are designed for soft tip boards. They have a lot of the same qualities as pro level steel tip darts.
These are essentially the soft tip version of the Viper Blitz we talked about above.
The barrel is made from 80% tungsten (if the name didn’t give it away) and 20% nickel. You have your choice of three knurling styles (double band, single band with sharkfin style grip, and double band with sharkfin style grip).
The shafts have locking holes which means they fit more securely and prevent them from coming loose. I had a set of darts that didn’t have a feature like that and I ended up tightening them before every throw. I don’t know if that affected my rhythm and scoring, but it was really annoying!
All this comes with a real solid case that fits the darts and all the extra pieces. It contains foam lined slots to keep your darts secure so you can take them with you if you play darts at a friend’s house.
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
Arachnid 90% Tungsten Soft Tip Dart
The Arachnid 90% Tungsten darts are another great quality soft tip dart that is great for those of you just getting started. They are thinner and slightly shorter than the Viper above.
The grips on these darts are pretty standard. They have more of a smoother feel to them than most, so if you prefer a rough textured grip then you may want go with the Viper above. That being said, these are balanced nicely and have good aerodynamics.
The set comes with a decent carrying case so traveling with your darts is easy and it includes a small tool for adjusting or tightening your darts.
One of the big pluses of these darts is the price. Most 90% tungsten darts are priced around $50 but these are considerably cheaper. it may have something to do with the smaller size, but overall, they are a great option if you want a high quality dart for less money.
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
CyeeLife 15 Pack
If you are looking to stock your game room or new dartboard setup with a full set that you and your friends can use then the CyeeLife 15 Pack is a great choice. They are affordable, well made, and have a relatively standard feel and balance that is perfect for beginners and great for guests to just pick up and have a fun game with.
You won’t get the same quality with a 15 pack like this as you do with either of the choices above. However, if you have a dart board at home and like to have friends over to play, you’re going to need extra darts. There are a lot of inexpensive packs out there but these are actually pretty decent quality at a really low price.
They come with 30 flights so you’ll have a replacement for every dart. You’ll also get 180 tips in this pack. You can always buy more tips but the 180 you get right up front with this kit are enough to last you a while.
Overall, I wouldn’t get this set as your primary darts if you are learning the game and trying to get better. For that go with one of the higher quality sets above, but an inexpensive set like this are a necessity for any home darts setup.
To read reviews and check out the current price on Amazon CLICK HERE.
What Beginners Should Look For When Choosing Darts
Everyone will have different preferences when it comes to darts. But there are certain things you should look for as a beginner.
Dart Tip
The first think you need to decide is whether you need steel tip or soft tip darts. If you already own a dart board then this decision is going to be easy.
Steel tipped darts are for use with bristle or sisal fiber dart boards. Soft tipped darts are for use with electronic dart boards. The name can be somewhat misleading as the rigid plastic used for these are not actually soft at all.
Soft tip darts are great if you really need to avoid damage to the area around your dart board. But if you have enough protection (or don’t care about your walls) then I would recommend steel tips.
Shaft or Grip
This choice mostly comes down to personal preference.
There are two main factors to consider…diameter and surface.
Diameter is how thick the grip is. As a beginner, you can go with a middle of the road diameter. As you play more, you may decide to try something thinner or thicker depending on your tendencies or throwing style.
You’ll see a lot of the darts listed here indicate the percentage of tungsten contained in the shaft. The greater the amount of tungsten, the thinner the shaft can be.
The surface of the grip can range from very smooth to very rough. Again, as a beginner, you should really start with a moderately grooved grip. You don’t want something that is going to slip out of your hands but you also don’t want a shaft that will be awkward to release.
Weight
Generally speaking, beginners tend to do better with heavier darts.
Heavier darts help players with consistency but can be a little less accurate for more experienced and consistent throwers. That doesn’t mean that you need to get the heaviest darts that you can find, but it is a good idea to start at the heavier end of the range.
Flights and Stems
The stem or shaft of the dart attaches to the flight at one end and the barrel at the other.
The flights of a dart are the fin like attachment at the rear of the dart that helps the dart fly straight.
Both of these parts are a personal choice and can be adjusted based on your personal throwing style and tendencies. But as a beginner, you need to start somewhere.
Since you don’t know your throwing tendencies, start with standard flights and medium stems. That combination is going to be just fine for the majority of throwers. Also, by starting with a more neutral setup, it will be easier to identify your habits and tendencies.
Cost
Expensive darts will not make you a better player.
That being said, darts are generally not extremely expensive so there is no reason to get the really cheap ones.
One benefit of choosing a set of reasonably priced darts is that you can buy one set for practicing at home and one for competing. That way you can get comfortable with the look and feel of that specific style without beating up the set that you bring with you if you are competing in a league (or just playing for beer money).
Style
There are a lot of different styles of darts. But there are a handful of traditional styles that have stood the test of time. These are the ones you should stick to.
First, there’s a reason they have become the most common styles. They just work.
Second, new trendy styles are mostly marketing moves for the dart manufacturers to pump up sales. But those trendy styles don’t last forever. So every time you need new darts, you might end up with anything from a slightly different to completely different style to get used to.
Stick to the classics and you can develop consistency and feel without having to worry about whether that style will be there tomorrow.
