A darts grip is the single most important factor in determining the quality and worth of a set of darts. Sure, anyone can throw any dart, but what determines the level of control, consistency and accuracy is the amount of quality grip that you can get from a set of darts. By not having enough of a grip on your dart, and it will force you to grip your fingers tighter and that will complicate the way the dart will come off your fingers due to the slippage factor! And this also will happen if you have such a great grip that the skin on your fingers will stick to your dart! Confused? Don’t be. Just use your common sense, keep an open mind and register for a membership! The honesty and knowledge you will get here at DartSmarts.com will support you in increasing your level of performance.
Testing a Darts Grip
Take the dart that you want to test and put it in your throwing hand. It doesn’t need to have a flight on it. Just simulate the situation of when you throw a dart, hold it as IF you were actually going to throw it, and grip it in the exact same manner you would if you were going to throw it. Next, take the dart in that frozen position in your hand, and hold the point down on a flat surface, like a table or even a wall. Now, with the same effort that you would use when you would throw a dart, attempt to penetrate the dart into that flat surface. You need to pay attention to the feel of what happens to your fingers. One of two things is going to happen. The worst thing is that your fingers are going to slip and move towards the front of your dart. This is bad. If the dart slips here, then, it is not going to give you the control you need when you project it at your target! If it doesn’t slip, then you are halfway there!
Some darts have too good of a grip, such as the rubberized type. I’ve even seen where some shooters have experimented with a product that puts a rubberized grip on tools.
The next test for your dart is the pivotability test. Now hold the dart again as if you are going to throw it. Take the point of it and move it up and down. Pay attention to the feeling of the fingers skin that is on the barrel. If you feel some friction, then this is bad, and the dart won’t be coming off your fingers naturally. If the dart pivots freely, your dart has passed the test.
One last thing, you are going to perform more consistently with the exact same conditions repeatedly. This consistency also entails the surface of the barrel of your darts. Through the course of any day, there are literally dozens of different substances that will find their way onto your hands. Actually, the bar scene is one of the worst environments you could be in. There you have not only beer, wine, and numerous types of mixed drinks, all spilling, but you have the airborne cigarette residue, as well as everyone shaking hands. To be able to throw great, consistent darts in this environment is one unbelievable feat!