Most of us grew up using brass darts, whether it was at a local pub or at a friend’s house on a cheap dartboard.
And brass barrel dart sets are great; they’re inexpensive, durable, and come in a wide range of sizes and weights, which means that just about anyone can find a brass dart that fits their style.
However, once you reach a certain threshold as a darts player, as you shift your commitment to the game from amateur to a more dedicated play, you will be told to switch to tungsten darts because they are “better”.
You will hear this sentiment repeated over and over again. But,
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Why Are Tungsten Darts Better Than Brass Darts?
Tungsten darts are better than brass darts because the physical properties of tungsten allow the dart to be thinner while still retaining its weight, which results in better performance from the player.
Tungsten is denser metal, more than twice as dense as brass, so tungsten darts are both slimmer and heavier than brass darts. As a result, players are able to achieve tighter groupings, and there for more consistency with tungsten darts. This is very important for the smaller doubles and triples sections.
Though they are usually more expensive, tungsten barrel darts will last longer than brass darts, and provide players with a better bang for their buck.
Are There Any Disadvantages To Tungsten Darts?
Tungsten is a fantastic material with which to make darts; in fact, tungsten darts can be said to have revolutionized the game by improving performance and scoring across the board in most skill levels and player brackets.
However, not all is peachy and there are some marked disadvantages to consider when deciding to take the leap and get some slim tungsten darts.
For starters, tungsten darts are significantly more expensive than their brass counterparts. While tungsten is not considered a precious metal, like gold or platinum, the price of tungsten per pound is comparatively higher than that of brass.
Check out our Top 10 Tungsten Darts Review
Depending on the purity of the tungsten and the manufacturing complexity of the product, high-quality tungsten alloy darts can cost $100 and up.
To put that number into perspective, the average price of a brass darts set is currently around $10 to $25.
Another disadvantage to tungsten darts is that it can be hard to choose the best one because there are so many different styles and alloy compositions. Here are some common ratios for tungsten darts available in today’s market:
- 65% Tungsten – 35% Nickel
- 80% Tungsten – 20% Nickel
- 90% Tungsten – 10% Nickel
- 95% Tungsten – 05% Nickel
- 97% Tungsten – 03% Nickel
The Higher The Tungsten Percentage, The Higher The Density Of The Dart
The more tungsten the dart barrels have, the denser, and therefore slimmer, the barrels can be while retaining weight. But, if you are new to the world of darts, you may not know that and become confused in the face of so many options.
Another disadvantage is that, as can be seen above, tungsten alloys almost always contain nickel.
Why would this be considered a disadvantage? Because nickel allergy is the most common cause of contact dermatitis in the developed world, with close to 20% of adults being allergic to nickel.
The added control and improved performance and advantages that modern tungsten darts provide players of all levels, far outweigh these disadvantages. And, if you want to learn a bit more, check out why darts are made of tungsten.
Final Word About Tungsten Darts Vs. Brass Darts
So, if tungsten darts are better than brass darts does that mean that brass darts should not exist? Not at all. Brass darts provide a quality experience that is good across the board, but especially for the casual segment of players.
Nevertheless, if you care about engaging with the world’s greatest game at the highest possible level, tungsten darts are where it’s at.
