Dart selection guide

What Dart Barrel Shape Is Best for Your Grip?

Choosing the right dart barrel isn't simply about finding a set that looks good or feels comfortable for a few throws. Where you naturally grip the dart can have a major influence on which barrel shapes are suited to your throw.

A player who grips towards the front of the barrel may need something very different from somebody who naturally grips at the rear.

That's one of the principles behind DartsDNA: matching equipment to how you naturally throw rather than asking you to adapt your throw to the equipment.

Does Grip Position Affect Dart Barrel Shape?

Yes. Different dart barrel shapes place their grip zones, balance and reference points in different positions.

For example, a dart with a pronounced rear scallop is designed to provide a repeatable reference point towards the back of the barrel. For a rear gripper, that scallop can help the fingers return to the same position for every throw.

Put a front gripper on the same barrel and that feature may offer very little benefit.

Best Darts for a Front Grip

Front grippers hold the dart towards the point end of the barrel.

Torpedo-shaped and other front-focused barrels can work particularly well here because their wider section and balance are concentrated towards the nose.

Straight barrels can also work well because they offer much more freedom over exactly where the dart is held.

Best Darts for a Middle Grip

Middle grippers have perhaps the widest choice.

Straight barrels provide plenty of usable grip area, while bomb-shaped darts can provide a compact central reference point.

Some scalloped barrels are also designed specifically around a middle grip.

The important factor is whether the shape of the barrel complements where your fingers naturally want to sit.

Best Darts for a Rear Grip

Rear grippers need usable grip and control towards the back of the dart.

A rear scallop can provide a very clear reference point, while a straight barrel with grip extending towards the stem can provide greater flexibility.

The position of any taper, scallop or major change in diameter becomes particularly important for a rear gripper.

Grip Position Isn't the Whole Story

Where you hold the dart is only one part of the equation.

How many fingers you use, how those fingers interact with the barrel and how you release the dart can also change which equipment is best suited to you.

Two players could both describe themselves as front grippers and still benefit from completely different darts.

That's why DartsDNA looks beyond simply asking whether you grip at the front, middle or rear.

The aim isn't to find the most popular dart. It's to find a dart that makes sense for the way you naturally throw.