Hi, and thanks in advance for your help. I've been playing darts 1-2 years. I recently bought some Harrows Black Knight 21 gm steel-tip darts and noticed immediate improvement in the path, stability, feel, etc. Having both a steel tip and soft tip board, I decided to buy the same dart in soft-tip 18 gm. Now when I throw the soft-tip darts, the tail of the dart is consistently hanging a little lower than the tip when in the board. My steel tip darts consistently enter the board straight as an arrow. The soft-tip darts I used previously did not present this issue but they were shorter and 16 grams. Is it because the soft tip Arachnid board does not provide as much stability for the longer dart or am I doing something technically wrong? Could a different flight help?
The issue with your soft-tip darts hanging is likely due to different weight distribution and design between your steel-tip and soft-tip darts. Soft-tip darts, especially when longer and lighter, can behave differently on impact with the softer surface of a soft-tip board.
Try experimenting with different flights and shafts to adjust the dart's trajectory. A change in flight shape or a different shaft length could help correct the dart's angle of entry.
@ppgadoo Thanks, the short shafts helped a lot. I am also trying some shorter tips. I like the way they're performing now.
Took the words from my mouth. Your tips may have too much flex in them. Look for stiffer or shorter tips. Unless your darts are weighted at the back or weigh 28 grams, they should not have a problem sticking straight into a soft-tip board.
Hi, and thanks in advance for your help. I've been playing darts 1-2 years. I recently bought some Harrows Black Knight 21 gm steel-tip darts and noticed immediate improvement in the path, stability, feel, etc. Having both a steel tip and soft tip board, I decided to buy the same dart in soft-tip 18 gm. Now when I throw the soft-tip darts, the tail of the dart is consistently hanging a little lower than the tip when in the board. My steel tip darts consistently enter the board straight as an arrow. The soft-tip darts I used previously did not present this issue but they were shorter and 16 grams. Is it because the soft tip Arachnid board does not provide as much stability for the longer dart or am I doing something technically wrong? Could a different flight help?
The issue you're seeing with your 18 gm soft-tip darts landing tail-down is likely due to a few factors:
Weight and Length Difference: Your 18 gm soft-tip darts are lighter and possibly longer than your 21 gm steel-tip darts. Lighter darts are more sensitive to inconsistencies in your throw and are more affected by drag, leading to less stable flight and causing the tail to dip.
Board Type: The Arachnid soft-tip board may not grip the dart as firmly as a steel-tip board, especially with longer darts. This could result in the dart landing at an angle.
Throwing Technique: The lighter darts require a smoother, more consistent release. Any small variation in your grip or technique might cause the dart to tilt more than your steel-tip darts.
Experiment with these adjustments to improve your soft-tip dart performance!
@meetstevans Thanks for your comments. It is all great advice. I changed to shorter tips which helped a lot. I think you are right about technique. I've been focusing on my hand position throughout the throw and pushing the dart towards the target with my fingers while keeping head and elbow still. After trying several different flights I ended up with medium size kites. My results are improving.