How long do darts last for?
Durability ranges from weeks to years, depending on how often you play and the quality of the darts. Tungsten barrels are typically very long-lasting, while consumable parts like flights, shafts, and tips wear out more quickly and may need replacement sooner.
This article outlines typical lifespans for each part and offers tips to extend their life, so players can plan replacements and maintain performance.
Factors that influence how long darts last
Durability depends on the materials, construction, and how hard the darts are thrown. Higher-quality components and careful handling generally extend life, while frequent misthrows, rough boards, and transporting gear without protection can shorten it.
Core components and typical lifespans
Below is a rough guide to how long common parts tend to last under normal home-use or club play. Durability varies with usage and maintenance, but this provides a baseline for planning replacements.
- Barrels (the main body): Tungsten or tungsten-nickel alloys are extremely durable and can last for years with normal use. Brass or nickel-silver barrels wear more quickly if heavily grooved, but can still last a long time with care.
- Tips (the points): For steel-tip darts, tips wear from impact and bending. Replacement frequency often ranges from every few weeks to several months, depending on throwing style and board type. Soft-tip tips wear similarly on compatible boards.
- Shafts: Plastic/Nylon shafts wear fastest; typical lifespans are 2–8 weeks with heavy use. Aluminum shafts may last 3–6 months; carbon fiber or higher-grade metal shafts can last 6–12 months or longer, depending on impact and thread integrity.
- Flights: Flights bend and fray with use and typically last 1–6 weeks under regular play; careful handling and storage can extend life.
In practice, the barrels tend to outlast other components; but once exposed to heavy wear, even the barrels should be inspected for cracks or loosened grips.
How to extend the life of your darts
Simple practices can extend the life of components and ensure consistent performance.
- Choose a quality, matched set and consider higher-grade materials for durability (e.g., tungsten barrels with secure-fitting shafts).
- Protect flights: store darts in a case, avoid bending or over-tightening shafts and flights, and keep them away from hard impacts.
- Rotate darts and replace worn parts individually rather than discarding whole sets; check tips for wear and change when needed.
- Store properly: keep in a dry, moderate environment; avoid extreme temperatures and moisture.
- Inspect threads and fittings regularly; tighten securely but avoid overtightening to prevent thread wear or damage.
Regular maintenance reduces premature failure and maintains consistent performance over time.
Summary
Durability is highly variable and depends on the setup and usage. Barrels tend to last the longest, while flights, shafts, and tips wear out more quickly. With proper care and quality components, a darts setup can remain functional for years for casual players; frequent players may replace consumable parts weekly or monthly, depending on intensity of play.
How long should a dart last?
Many factors affect the overall lifespan, including the frequency of use, playing style, environmental conditions, and the quality of the initial manufacturing. Professional-level tungsten darts, when used regularly in practice and matches, often show minimal signs of significant wear after 2-5 years.
When should you change your darts?
Three months. It's that simple. You could easily switch darts and in the first two weeks score really heavily but it will take six to eight weeks before the doubling and combinations start to embed themself into your game.
How long will darts last?
Casual Players: With occasional use and proper maintenance, a good set of darts can last several years. Regular Players: Players who practice or compete frequently may need to replace flights and shafts every few months, while the barrels can last for years.
How long does a game of darts last?
A single 501 game can last from 3-7 minutes for professionals to 10-20 minutes for club players, but a full professional match, which is often played over a best-of-11 or best-of-13 sets format, can last from 45 minutes to over two hours. The total length of a tournament match is determined by the specific format (best of X legs/sets), the players' speed, and the number of rounds played.
Factors affecting match length
- Format: Professional matches are often played in best-of-set formats, with later rounds having more sets. A best-of-5 sets match might take 20-40 minutes, while a best-of-13 final can last much longer.
- Individual game length: A single leg of 501 takes 3-7 minutes for professionals, but can take 10-20 minutes for less experienced players.
- Player speed: Some players are faster than others. A match with two slow players will take longer than one with two fast players.
- Tournament-specific rules: Some tournaments have "sudden death" rules. For example, if a score ties at 12-12 in a best-of-11 leg match, the next leg is played as a sudden death leg.
- Complexity of the game: The more complex the game is, the longer it can take. A single game of 501 is relatively fast, but it can take a lot longer if the players are using a more complex game like "Shanghai".
Examples of match lengths
- 3-5 minutes per leg
- 10-25 minutes for a best-of-11 leg match
- 20-40 minutes for a best-of-5 sets match
- 45-120 minutes for a professional TV match
