Flights - Exploring the Variety - Shape

When it comes to dart accessories, there are literally millions out there to choose from. It could be the shafts, it could be the little add-ons you can purchase, but in this instance, we're going to explore the wide variety of darts flights you can add to your collection.

So what are flights? Well, they're the finishing touch to your dart, and they're the peculiarly shaped object that sits nicely in the wide array of shafts you can buy. But where on Earth do you even start? Well, we're going to start by looking at the different shapes you can get, and work out which shape is best for you and your throwing action.

When working out the best dart for you, the flight is an important consideration to make. Trying out several different shapes is vital, as different shapes do different things, depending on your throwing action. A few of the differing shapes of flights you can get include:

• Pear
• Standard
• Heart
• Kite

So, what on Earth do you pick? Let's try to find out!

As you can see from the image shown, all dart flights have a wide range of size. The smaller your flight is, you'll notice the dart will fly faster and have a straighter trajectory towards the board. There will be less of an arc when the dart is thrown. If you use a larger flight, the dart will travel slower through the air and have more of an arc attached to it. If you throw with a swift release, a smaller flight will be best for you, as it will compliment your swift action, with a smaller trajectory.

The standard dart flights (which is the kind of flight in the bottom left of the image) tend to guide the darts more efficiently because they have a larger surface area. They tend to be more forgiving of darts thrown at an angle to the board because the larger surface area catches the air and straightens them up. But that doesn't mean they're right for you, far from it.

If you've already tested out a number of dart shafts in your quest to darting supremacy and decided that a shorter shaft is best for you, then standard flights are the kind of flights you should be steering clear of. It's quite simple really, a shorter shaft/stem should be complimented with a smaller flight.

With shorter shaft/stems, there is an urgency for the dart to cut through the air quicker, which is why a smaller flight will be a much better option for you. A balanced throwing action is recommended for this alternative, though.

Conversely, if you're using longer shaft/stems, bigger flights may well be on your radar. The beauty of dart flights is that they are - for the most part - extremely cheap, and most are incredibly durable. That means you can pick up a good range of dart flights for a very low cost, and your local darts shop will more than likely be able to help you out if you're struggling with what kind of flights to purchase.

So, when it comes to the shape and size of your dart flight, study your throwing action. Flat trajectories will be better complimented by a much smaller flight, whereas a looped throwing action will suit a larger flight. There's no right or wrong, it's about trial and error, and practice does genuinely seem to make perfect!