Darts Equipment You Need

Summary: Darts just might be the perfect game. It is an equalizing sport that virtually anyone can play, regardless of age, size, strength, or sex. There is no elaborate equipment or specialized training involved. All that's needed to enjoy a round of darts is a board, a set of darts and for some, a cold pint. The Dartboard The key piece of darts equipment is the board. Clearly, the game is pointless without a board to shoot at and count scores. Most dartboards meet a conven...

Darts just might be the perfect game. It is an equalizing sport that virtually anyone can play, regardless of age, size, strength, or sex. There is no elaborate equipment or specialized training involved. All that's needed to enjoy a round of darts is a board, a set of darts and for some, a cold pint. The Dartboard The key piece of darts equipment is the board. Clearly, the game is pointless without a board to shoot at and count scores. Most dartboards meet a conventional size, but quality does make a different when playing the game. In traditional dart rules, the board is hung so that the bullseye is 5 feet 8 inches from the ground. In a true dart game the shooting line, or oche, is to be marked precisely 7 feet, 9.25 inches from the face of the board. It is wisely recommended that you hang your dartboard against a backboard to protect the wall. After you have measured and correctly hung your dartboard, it needs to be rotated. Dartboards are rotated to make them last longer. In darts, higher numbers are shot the most, so those wedges tend to get worn more quickly. Some people will suggest spraying the board with water; however experts hold that this will damage a bristle dartboard and cause the board to bubble, fray and fall apart. Rotating the board is only possible if your dartboard has a removable metal ring with numbers on it. If the numbers are painted on to the board itself, you will not be able to rotate the board. The Darts The other obvious darts equipment is the darts themselves. Darts can be crafted from many different materials, each with its own weight and points. Common materials used for constructing darts are brass, tungsten, nickel-silver and wood. * Brass: Brass is the lightest of the three metallic dart choices. The "brass" used to make these darts is actually a soft allow of zinc and copper. The mixture is easy for crafters to work and shape. * Tungsten: Unlike brass and nickel, tungsten is a dense and weighty metal. Tungsten is usually blended with nickel. It is harder to work with, but the darts last longer than other metal darts. Many professional throwers use tungsten darts for tournament play. * Nickel-Silver: This is a lightweight alloy of nickel, copper and zinc. Like brass, it is easy for manufactures to work with and mold this material. * Wood: You don't see too many wooden darts on the circuit these days. As the name suggests, these darts are created with a lightweight wood shaft and turkey feather flights. Wooden darts usually weigh about 12 grams, making them much lighter than today's darts. Darts equipment is pretty basic. A set of darts and a board is all you need to play a round. Of course, it's more fun with a few friends, and maybe a pint or two. Why not try it out soon; you may find you like it more than you imagined.