This is my 1st of many reviews that I hope to bring you over the next 12 months of new and exciting products to hit the darts market. I hope you enjoy reading this and would appreciate any feedback to help with future reviews that I intend to do.

When it comes to darts I think I am quite fussy with my choices of barrel, stem and flights. Some might even say it’s obsessive behaviour, as everything has to be just so, but aren't all dart players like that? I believe the best set up for any dart player is the one that feels right for you. I also feel your set up may need to be changed over time due to weight gain/loss or from an injury like the one I suffered recently with my prolapsed discs and sciatica. As a result of this I have completely changed my set up and it is currently working well.

All this aside I am always ready to try new products and write up my findings. Paul Gillings from The Darts Performance Centre was kind enough to take up my offer to review their New High Performance darts which are the new model (with extra grip to the rear of the barrel) of their original Performance Darts.

I set up a Competition on the DartsNutz forum to guess how many treble 20’s I would hit during a 1 hour practice sessions every day for 2 weeks and below are the results and a write up of the darts.

1st 1 hour session at 1-45 on Sat 27-10-2012 141 trebles hit
2nd 1 hour session at 10-15 on 28-10-2012 177 trebles hit
3rd 1 hour session at 1-15 on 29-10-12 174 trebles hit
4th 171 trebles hit
5th 199 trebles hit
6th 214 trebles hit
7th 174 trebles hit
8th 186 trebles hit
9th 201 trebles hit
10th 212 trebles hit
11th 204 trebles hit
12th 211 trebles hit
13th 208 trebles hit
14th 209 trebles hit

Total 2,681 The winner of these darts was Avaholic with a great guess of 2,621

A few 180 Pics. I have tried to show a few pics where the grouping is tighter so you can see how well the tapered nose allows good grouping.

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In total I hit 116 180's

Initial thoughts on the ‘New High Performance Darts’ when I opened the packet:

Looks: A classy dart that looks like it should be very expensive but is actually very reasonable (I will tell you the price at the end). It is a very well made dart with a nice shape that at first glance looks like a straight barrel with a gently tapered nose but the barrel is slightly narrower at the back, around 5.8mm as opposed to 6.3mm on the front where the rings are the tip of the nose is 3.5mm. The barrel is 50.8 long and is 78mm in length including the point, these measurements are approximate as my Vernier Caliper is a bit old now so may not be exact, but it gives you a rough idea of the measurements. What sets these apart from the original Performance Darts is the extra micro grip at the rear of the barrel that extents to within 4mm of the shaft.

You get a set of Black medium nylon shafts with grip rings, a set of black poly flights in standard shape and your standard point protector. The case is a standard bar wallet with the Darts Performance Centre logo on the front.

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This picture shows the darts with my Harrows Quiver stems

The weights were all pretty accurate to at 22.75, 22.76 and 22.81 so not quite the 23g they advertised but with your shaft and flight you can add another gram or so dependant on what you use.

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Feel: These darts have a nice balance that is pretty central. The grip is surprisingly good but not sharp like the Purists or Razors, it’s more like a sticky grip without the stickiness. I like a sharp grip as I grip my darts very lightly but these performed very well with no problems on release and I found I adjusted very quickly to the new grip.

Throw: Very smooth on the release. Excellent for good grouping as the nose is tapered so the darts can all fit into a tight area as you will see from a few of the 180 pics posted. Deflections happen as we all know but they were minimal by comparison to my Purists phase 2’s that deflect a good inch away from the previous dart. The points are a good quality but were a little short for me as I use 30mm Storm points but I persevered as I didn't want to alter them due to them being given away at the end.

After the first week I changed things a little by using a shorter stem and pear flights for 1 day and kite flights the next and I have to say the darts still felt smooth, but I struggle with these combinations and it showed in my scores, but this was no fault of the darts just purely down to my own preference of set up. I also tried holding the darts in different areas on the barrel but that proved quite difficult to do as I have a set way of throwing but the grip runs the full length of the barrel so wherever you hold them you have the same level of grip and the barrel is similar in thickness for its entire length so in fairness it shouldn't be too much of a problem as to where you hold them. I reverted back to my set up after these 2 days and my scores were back up in the 200’s again.

After the 2 week trail I can see the usual marks on the barrel from the tight grouping but in my opinion the marks stand out a little more than they would on a smooth barrel as the micro grip does go right down to the nose of the darts. For me this isn’t a problem as I like the feel of grip to the end of my darts but it may make some feel their darts look a little more worn in a shorter time, but this is something that I have found in the past to be the same with all micro grip darts. I think the trade off here is having a full barrel grip so I was happy with the trade off.

All in all I found the High Performance Darts a pleasure to play with and a very easy dart to throw and get along with. They would suit all levels of player from beginner to very experienced County players due to their shape and grip. I would have no problems recommending them for any standard of player. They come in 3 weights 21g, 23g and 25g. I used the 23g and at £21-99 with only £1-00 for postage and packing they are a very serious contender in the darting world.

The Original Performance darts have an added weight of 19g and do not have the extra grip at the rear. These cost £18-99 so are great value for money also.
When I get myself a set of these brilliant darts I will change the points to 30mm Storm points and will see if I can beat my previous score so watch this space for future updates. In the mean time please check out The Darts Performance Centre website on http://www.dartsperformancecentre.com and you can also follow them on Facebook or @DartsCentre on Twitter.

A big Thank you to Paul Gillings for allowing me to use their darts. It was an absolute pleasure to work with such a professional set up as the Darts Performance Centre who work tirelessly to improve all aspects of this beautiful game.

Great review Kev,
very through and like your pics. Take a plus 1 from me mate.

Very informative review with great pictures there Kev +1 from me.


I tried a set a few months ago and have to agree with pretty much everything you say, they are a nice dart, fly well and would suit pretty much any new player - a very good dart all round.
I hold my darts at the front end so obviously the taper meant I had to change my grip slightly, only reason I got rid of mine to be honest.


I added a 'Reviewer' symbol to your profile (magnifying glass), its just under your avatar - hope you like it.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and pictures with us.

great review mate
they are a nice looking dart thumbs up mate

Thanks for that Rebel I like it and thanks for the feedback everyone.

Excellent review, well thought out and quite a precise evaluation, taking into consideration all the important aspects of the darts. I look forward to your next review. Well done

Nice one Kev!

They are nice darts, the micro grip further along the barrel should be better for those that grip at the rear. I have a 21g set and a 25g set and I seem to prefer the 21g, at least that is the set I use the most.

Wow Nice review!

Great review there DG and great shooting for the 2 weeks as well mate.

+1 from me.

Where have my pics gone?????????????????

Gun if you delete your images on your computer they disappear here. I have learned the hard way.

I just ordered a set in 23 grms, ta for the review..... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

good lad I feel pretty confident you will like them. They are such an easy dart to get on with. They have put a lot of thought into these darts and I found it hard to find faults with them. My only criticism was the fact they looked a little more worn a bit quicker than ringed darts but that is the same on any micro grip darts e.g Barney's so it's not really a fault. Let me know how you find them and post some pics of those 180's you will be hitting

Very nice Big!! Great review and some crackin darts thrown there!!! You're a top notch guy for running this comp and giving these darts away I hope everyone is greatful of your generosity as I'm sure they are...

Hat

Ta Big Gun, will do....

Great Review! I've got a set of these on the way to me now

Thanks

James

Nice one Jimbob let me know how you get on with them as i feel confident you will like them or trust me I wouldn't put my name to them. If you have any further questions regarding the darts you can always ask in the new section on the home page called Ask The Players, Darts Nutz Advice Team and we will happily help.

Good Shooting and Stay Special

So you grip all the way on the back with these?

What do you mean USMC the newer version of these darts has a micro grip that goes to the back of the barrel is that what you mean? I do grip the full length of the barrel too thumb & forefinger at the rear and 3rd finger at the point.

in the pics is that razor grip in the back?

ya was wondering if your thumb and forefinger were in the back

Micro grip at the back of the dart.....

Awesome review Kev. That is a good looking dart and it most certainly is affordable. CAn't wait to see what happens when you get a set with the 30mm storm points on them.

Big Gun wrote:

Nice one Jimbob let me know how you get on with them as i feel confident you will like them or trust me I wouldn't put my name to them. If you have any further questions regarding the darts you can always ask in the new section on the home page called Ask The Players, Darts Nutz Advice Team and we will happily help.

Good Shooting and Stay Special

Thanks Big Gun, Very kind! I am hoping they will come soon, obviously it will depend on this bloomin' weather!

I am currently using Red Dragon D16 Elites 24g so I think I should like these. I have gone for them in 25g, as I seem to like 24/25g darts.

Lefty544 wrote:

Awesome review Kev. That is a good looking dart and it most certainly is affordable. CAn't wait to see what happens when you get a set with the 30mm storm points on them.

If I like mine, there is every chance that I will be fitting Target Storm Points to mine

I'll get a picture up if I do!

Thanks,

James

I have heard good things from friends regarding the 25g darts too I personally havent tested them but might well put it to the Darts Performance centre to see what they say. I have every confidence your game will improve with these darts and if I hadn't have been giving mine away I would have changed the points to Storm points too.

I look forward to seeing the pics

Stay Special

Kev

Hi Kev,

Thought I'd let you know about my findings on them :

They came today, which was ideal as I had a day off from school due to the Snow.

I had a quick throw with them, then decided that I really needed to fit Target Storm Points to them to make it a fair test as that is what I normally use them on my main darts. They fitted perfectly making a very nice taper with hardly any join/ledge at all (don't feel or see it at all).

I weighed them with the 30mm Storm Points fitted and got the following :

24.559g
24.570g
24.581g

As you can see they are quite a bit below 25g, and they could be getting closer to 24g than 25g with the regular/original points fitted.

The weight is no big deal to me as I have always thought that around 24.5g is my perfect weight - so they are infact ideal for me.

They fly extremely well with my normal setup of short shafts and standard flights, and landed at a nice angle in the board.

I really like the shape of them, especially the taper at the front as it seems to 'draw/pull' the darts together for closer grouping.

There is only one issue which I am finding; The grip. I am used to a high level 5 grip which is just about as high as you can get (Have a look for the D16 Elite Grip). I am finding these slightly too low grip for me I think, but it is early days yet. I am quite tempted to get a custom made set in this shape with the Elite Grip.

Overall, They seem to be going very well so I am going to give them a good test. I try not to switch from my main darts but these are definitely worth testing.

Many Thanks,

James

Nice update James, I have 2 sets of the older version 25g and 21g and I like them a lot, play with the 21g more though.

getagrip wrote:

Nice update James, I have 2 sets of the older version 25g and 21g and I like them a lot, play with the 21g more though.

Thanks GG.

I'm quite tempted to get a set of the old version, as they don't have the grip at the rear. I originally sent for these as I thought I would hold them at the back, but I actually hold them on the centre part of the grip with the rings.

I literally just had a chance of a 16 dart leg with them, which would of been by best ever (currently 18 for 501 Double In), admittedly it wasn't double in but I still would of been extremely pleased.

I went :

140, 100, 81, 100, 76 which left D2 (I went to leave D20 but I hit T18 instead of a S18). Next dart I was very close and it hit the wire with a smack but unfortunately it was just outside. But I am very pleased, especially as it is my first day with them!

I just hope this isn't a honeymoon period, but it doesn't feel like it....

Thanks,

James

there is always a danger it may be the honeymoon effect, so updates us in a few days.

Could be you have found your dart.

getagrip wrote:

there is always a danger it may be the honeymoon effect, so updates us in a few days.

Could be you have found your dart.

That's true GG, but this doesn't really feel like it - but I could be wrong (It would be a first )

I think I may have....but time will tell! I have always liked the D16 Elites I use, but there was just something about them that I couldn't place my finger on exactly...

I will be using these for a little while, so I will update you all on how I get on

Thanks,

James

Thanks for that mate I have given you a +1 for your write up. I play with Purists which is the same grip as the D16 I know this as I have a set of those also. I would agree with you on the grip not being as severe but I found the HPDarts to be almost sticky as opposed to sharp with their grip. I think once you have played with them for a few hours you will feel more comfortable with them. you seem to be throwing some good scores with them so keep going and soon you will crack the 15 dart mark I am sure of it. Well done buddy

Gun