Darts and Dartboards?

Just got back from a lovely trip, which included a lot of fun one evening with my wife and I being terrible at darts together at the Black Sheep pub in Ashland.

Afterward, we wanted get some of our own darts just to avoid using the tattered mess they keep at the bar on these occasions, and also to get a board for home.

So... What do I need to know about choosing darts given that I don't think there's much of a local vendor. I know I don't need or want a $200 set of darts, but I'm dubious of the $5 set. What's weird is that while there seem to be steps in between, it's not as much of a gradient as I'd have expected.

So, what matters when buying steel-tipped darts, and what matters when trying to select a decent, normal, plain-Jane dartboard? At least the boards only seem to range from $50-$100 instead of having a 4300% price variation. I really wouldn't have thought this would need specialist info, but here I am once again at the Oracle of GRM... I'm sure someone here knows all about this topic.

For just playing around at home, I'd get a few of the cheaper sets of differing weights and styles and see what feels good in your hand, then return the rest.

Dicks sporting goods used to have a small section of darts and parts, they might still, it would be worth looking at.

A lot of darts are can be customized. You can find bodies, flights, tips, at reasonable prices and various specs, so you could mix and match to build something that works with your hands and throw. 

I've been happy with $20 steel sets with swappable tips. I don't remember the weight, but they were in the heavier side. 

I shot in the garage, only out in public once in a great while.  My father however was in a league for as long as I can remember.  I understand a Toohey Board is the only one acceptable for regulated play (competition).  Traditional chubby looking wood darts also; there are flashy weighted metal jobs out there, but no allowed where money or trophies are.

I couldn't find a Toohey Board, but click around.

Thanks, guys!

My dad used to do some very casual, local league play, but I've never seen those wooden darts before... Could that be a regional thing? That link makes it sound like there was more or less one guy making those boards...

Sounds like some good guidelines. I also found out that there is a local billiards and darts shop, so maybe I'll go visit them. It also hadn't dawned on me yet to check out some of the YouTube content on the topic.

What you want is a bristle dartboard.  I bought my NODOR maybe 30 years ago.  It's still in pretty good shape.

Darts are more a matter of personal preference.  Some like the so-called Hammerheads.  Me, I just like something that feels right in the hand, and has the right amount of weight.  If possible, try before you buy.

Bottelsen is a good brand.  Tungsten is the metal most often used in quality darts.

Edit:  Shafts and flights are consumables.  You will sooner or later "robin hood" a dart by landing the tip of your dart into the back of a dart you've thrown already.  If you use aluminum shafts, you bend the fingers that hold the flights.  If you use polycarbonate shafts, you'll break those fingers off.  Flights get beat up.  Carry spares.

And for heaven's sake, mount your home board at the correct height, and throw from the correct distance.

Center of bullseye to floor is 5'- 8".

Distance from the front of the dartboard to the throwing line is 7' - 9 1/4".

1988RedT2 said:

What you want is a bristle dartboard.  I bought my NODOR maybe 30 years ago.  It's still in pretty good shape.

 

Darts are more a matter of personal preference.  Some like the so-called Hammerheads.  Me, I just like something that feels right in the hand, and has the right amount of weight.  If possible, try before you buy.

Bottelsen is a good brand.  Tungsten is the metal most often used in quality darts.

Edit:  Shafts and flights are consumables.  You will sooner or later "robin hood" a dart by landing the tip of your dart into the back of a dart you've thrown already.  If you use aluminum shafts, you bend the fingers that hold the flights.  If you use polycarbonate shafts, you'll break those fingers off.  Flights get beat up.  Carry spares.

I've had my Nodor for 40 years or so & it's still good. Your other comments are spot on.

1988RedT2 said:

Distance from the front of the dartboard to the throwing line is 7' - 9 1/4".

That's somehow the most British thing I've read all day.

Is that a fractional Furlong? Oo, does it evenly divide into Nails?

Thanks all for the info! We're going to the local billiards-and-darts store tomorrow.

In reply to Jesse Ransom :

It is a bloody odd number.  I can remember 5' 8" high.  I have to look up the throwing line distance every time.

If you aim to mount a board in a room where its presence might be objectionable, there are cabinets that can be fairly nice that hide the board, and when opened, also provide a convenient place to keep score. 

https://www.billiards.com/darts/spencer-marston-wood-dart-board-cabinet?sku_id=14801&msclkid=135d9409ba33140bb0dcf65d9c283a69&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping%20(Billiards)&utm_term=4584963493787968&utm_content=Spencer%20Marston

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

To build your own dart board, start with a high-density fiberboard or cork material for the board. Attach a printed dartboard template to the surface, and then mount the board securely on a wall at the regulation height and distance.