G’day darters! If you’ve ever watched a game of darts, you’ve seen the colourful little wings at the back of each dart pirouetting through the air. Those aren’t just for show—they’re dart flights, and they are one of the most crucial pieces of kit in your setup. Get your flight choice right, and you’ll notice more consistency, tighter groupings, and a smoother throw. Get it wrong, and you might be chasing your darts all over the board.
Choosing the right flight can feel like a mystery, especially with the sheer number of shapes, sizes, and materials available. But don’t you worry. This guide will break it all down for you, from how they work to how to pick the perfect one for your game. Think of it as your mate at the pub giving you the good oil on everything you need to know.
What Exactly Do Dart Flights Do?
In simple terms, a dart flight is a stabiliser. When you throw a dart, it’s propelled forward, but it’s also subject to forces that want to make it wobble or tumble end-over-end. The flight’s job is to create drag at the rear of the dart, counteracting these forces and keeping the point flying straight towards the board. It’s the same principle behind the feathers on an arrow.
The size and shape of your flight directly influence how your dart behaves in the air:
- Larger Flights: Provide more drag and stability, slowing the dart down and creating a higher, loopier trajectory. Perfect for a gentler, more arched throw.
- Smaller Flights: Provide less drag, allowing the dart to travel faster and flatter. Ideal for a more powerful, direct throwing action.
The Four Pillars: Understanding Flight Shapes
While there are countless custom designs, most dart flights fall into a few standard shapes. Each shape offers a different balance between stability and speed.
1. Standard Shape
This is the classic, larger flight shape that most beginners start with. It’s the workhorse of the flight world.
- Trajectory: High and looping.
- Ideal For: Beginners or players with a lighter, softer throwing action. The immense stability helps correct a lot of minor throwing inconsistencies.
- Real-Life Scenario: If your darts tend to land tail-down or wobble significantly in the board, the Standard shape is a great place to start to build consistency.
2. Slim Shape
As the name suggests, this is a narrower version of the Standard flight.
- Trajectory: Flatter and faster than Standard.
- Ideal For: Players with a faster, more direct throw. They reduce the chances of darts deflecting each other because they take up less space in the board—a real bonus for players who group their darts tightly.
- Real-Life Scenario: You’ve developed a consistent, powerful throw, but your Standard flights are causing your darts to “bounce out” or deflect off each other. Switching to Slim flights can clean up your groupings.
3. Pear Shape
A hybrid design that offers a happy medium between the Standard and Slim profiles.
- Trajectory: A medium arc, balancing speed and stability.
- Ideal For: A very wide range of players. It’s a fantastic choice if you’re not sure what you need or if you find Standard too slow but Slim too unstable.
- Real-Life Scenario: You like the stability of a Standard flight but want a slightly tighter grouping pattern. The Pear shape is your logical next step.
4. Kite Shape
This shape is very similar to the Standard but is often slightly larger, offering maximum surface area and drag.
- Trajectory: Very high and slow.
- Ideal For: Players with a very delicate, lob-style throw or using very heavy darts that need extra drag to stabilise.
Beyond Plastic: Exploring Flight Materials
The material your flight is made from affects its durability, flexibility, and even its flight path.
- Polyester: The most common material. It’s cheap, comes in every design imaginable, and offers a good, consistent flex. They will need replacing as they get chewed up by Robin Hoods or bounce-outs, but they are affordable to do so.
- Nylon: More durable and rigid than polyester. Nylon flights are known for their resilience—they spring back into shape better and are more resistant to damage. They often provide a slightly different feel in the air due to their stiffness.
- Texex®/Flexible Polypropylene: This is the premium material for durability. These virtually indestructible flights are made from a woven fabric that is incredibly tough. They are a brilliant investment for players sick of replacing torn polyester flights.
How-to Choose: Start with standard polyester to figure out your preferred shape without spending a fortune. Once you’ve nailed that, consider investing in a more durable nylon or Texex® set in the same shape for longevity.
Putting It All Together: How to Find Your Perfect Flight
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Finding your perfect flight is a personal journey, but this checklist will set you on the right path.
- Assess Your Throw: Is it fast and direct, or slow and arced? Be honest with yourself.
- Start with a Shape: Based on your throw, pick a likely shape (e.g., Slim for fast, Standard for slow).
- Test and Observe: Buy a few sets in that shape. Play a few practice sessions. Where are your darts landing? Are they stable?
- Adjust: If your darts are still wobbling, try a larger shape. If they’re bouncing out, try a smaller one.
- Lock It In: Once you find a shape that gives you consistent, tight groupings, stick with it! You can then experiment with materials and thicknesses within that shape.
Remember, your stem (or shaft) length works in tandem with your flight. A longer stem will make any flight behave like a larger one, and a shorter stem will make it behave like a smaller one. It’s all about finding the right combination for you.
For a massive selection of all these shapes and materials, your best bet is to check out a specialised store. We stock a huge range of colours and designs right here in our dart flights collection to help you experiment.
Dart Flights FAQ
Q: How often should I change my dart flights?
A: Change them as soon as they show significant signs of damage—rips, tears, or heavy creasing. A battered flight won’t provide consistent stability, which will hurt your game. Some players change them every few sessions; others only when they break.
Q: What’s the difference between 100 micron and 150 micron?
A: This refers to the thickness of the polyester material. 100 micron is thinner and more flexible, while 150 micron is thicker, more rigid, and generally more durable. Thicker flights can offer a very slightly different flight path due to their stiffness.
Q: Why do my flights keep popping off?
A: This is usually a problem with the stem, not the flight. Your stems might be worn out, or the little prongs that hold the flight (the flight punch) might be broken. Consider using a flight punch and rings to lock everything together securely.
Q: Can flights really improve my game?
A: Absolutely. While they won’t fix a fundamentally flawed throw, the right flights will maximise the potential of a good throw. They provide consistency, and in a game of millimeters, consistency is everything.
Ready to Find Your Winning Combination?
Your dart setup is a personal thing, and the flight is a key part of that signature. Don’t be afraid to experiment—grabbing a variety pack of shapes is a cheap and fantastic way to learn what works for your unique style. The perfect flight is out there, waiting to tighten your groupings and lower your average.