criteeker's Full Review: Dartworld Piranha II Steel Tip Darts
If you're going to become a dart hobbyist / player, you'll need a better than average set (or two) of darts. If you're going to get into the sport, there are many variables to consider. The first decision you'll need to make is whether to play with soft tips or steel tip darts. I play steel tip darts because I just don;t like the feel of soft tip darts - although the electronic soft tip machines are pretty cool. I think the difference between soft tips and steel tips is like the difference between playing baseball and playing softball. Once you get used to one, trying the other might just throw off your game.
Let's discuss the anatomy of a steel tip dart. The front section is where the point is embedded into the barrel. There are fixed point darts and then there are Hammerhead darts. Hammerheads utilize a micro spring between the point and the barrel. Fixed point darts will simply bounce off the dartboard when it strikes the wire of the board. With a Hammerhead, the point acts like a shock absorber on a car. If the dart strikes the dartboard's wire, the point retracts and then springs back out and (more often than not) will stick into the board.
The next section of dart anatomy is the shaft which screws into the barrel. These are usually made of plastic, poly, aluminum or some other metal. Each of these shafts affect the dynamics of the dart in flight. Speaking of, the rear-most section is the "flight" that nests in grooves in the back of the shaft. These, too, come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, weights and materials.
The next decision you'll need to make is what weight you'll be more comfortable tossing. I prefer a 23 or 24 gram dart. The most popular weights range between 21 and 28 grams. Yes, there are lighter and heavier darts made but the 21-28 gram range is the most widely used.
The best piece of advice I can give someone just getting into the sport is to go to a dart store or a billiards shop that sells darts and toss a few different dart weights and sizes to get a feel for your perfect weight and setup. After tossing a few darts, the way in which the darts land on the board will determine what weight adjustments need to be made before you buy a set of darts. If you happen to live in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California, there's a great dart shop called Darts n' Things where you can toss as many darts as you wish and get a great education about the sport.
Over the years, I have purchased many sets of darts that I use in different scenarios. At my house, I have two sets of "bar darts" and three sets of good steel tip darts. The cheaper "bar darts" are no frills cheap darts for those who might drink too much or those whose darts seem to wind up on the floor more often than not.
I reserve my Hammerheads for myself and the two Piranha II dart sets for those who are seasoned dart players. My first decent set of darts were these Piranha II steel tip darts. Once I found my ideal weight (23 grams) I had to get "comfortable" with the barrel. Barrels come very slender or bulbous and vary in length. Again, this depends on your fingers / hands (as well as your grip) as to what barrel would best suit your needs. Each different barrel has different grooves and lines in the shaft that will affect your toss due to your release style and wind resistance.
Speaking of, the Piranha II come with three basic poly flights. Flights are basically equivalent to the feather section of an arrow. As you progress in the sport, you'll want to investigate all the various flight sizes, weights, shapes and materials - yes, some even come made of feathers. Some shaft designs incorporate a spinning element to get the flights to spin in the air. Some think this is more accurate, but I prefer the static shaft and flight combo. If you become really proficient at darts and join a league, you can even have custom flights made.
This set of Piranha II darts come with a basic hard case, but as you progress in the sport (and you will wind up carrying more than one set of darts) you'll need to upgrade the case as well.
All in all, I think the Piranha II darts are a better than average starter dart for those who take playing darts a little more serious than the occasional dart player. The barrel is 90% Tungsten and the points are made of tempered steel. This is typical of middle of the road darts. Prices of darts go up when better materials and alloys are used and each part of the dart can be upgraded to better performing elements. I prefer a Hammerhead type of dart when playing darts competitively. Hammerheads do cost a bit more money, but they are well worth it - especially when egos and championships are on the line.
A solid 4.25 stars
If you'd like to read about a cool dart cabinet, click here
The Piranha has long been known for it's quality, balance and design. The Piranha is made of 90% tungsten which allows for tighter groupings. It's Top...More at DARTSandPOOL.com
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