Here are my Japanese Dynasty Platinum A-Flow Burning 18g:
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20 year old Black Widows 18g:
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20 year old Gold Widows knurled 18g (my Wife's adopted set);
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STOP IT!

Stop showing me those sexy soft tip Dynasty darts, ARRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

I refuse to look!

Yeah, that top set is nice looking stuff.

go on grip you know you want to lol the dark side is calling you

Stop it!

Join the darkside Grip!!!

We have cookies and bunnies and carrots!!!


On topic

Those dynasty looks tasty and sexy!!!

I have never played soft tip and to be honest can't see me ever trying it just doesn't appeal to me. And why are the darts so light? Why don't you play with the same weight you would play with for Steel tip? And why does everyone throw for the bull? And lastly just WHY play it?
Just a few questions that may help me to understand it and possibly make me want to give it a try lol.

The light weight are to save the boards and prolong their life.

Throw for bull are mostly for American Darters and Japanese darters.

European darters play on the same sized boards as the steel tip

I think it is quite fun, I'm a bit biased there, people on here know why, and also why I doesnt say anything about it :P


Cheerio!

Cheers Venigoor that explains it a bit but I want to know more so feed my hungry brain and convert me, how about that for a weekly challenge. Convince Big gun he needs to try Soft Tip Darts Ha Ha. Starting Now................

I 'm gonna try and answer this one Big Gun as I have played both. The darts had to be lighter because the machines couldn't take the pounding of a heavier dart. For quite a long time 18gm was the max you could use. Now according to JD some machines can now take 25gm darts. In 01 games the Bull both inner and outer count 50 points. The scoring area on the bulls is large in comparison to steel tip so amateurs and Pros alike shoot Bulls like you or I would shoot @ treble 20's.
Why play it hmmm, well Big its a lot of fun number one. The sounds are fun to hear when you hit bulls, trebles or even a single. It keeps score for you and there is a variety of different games to play. Its the future of darts like it or not and the following is like a giant tsunami and coming every where . The money ! lots of prize money being given out now. The PDC is taking a hard look and its coming eventually. Steel darts to me is the purist form of darts. Soft tip is fun, innovative and not limited to basic 01 games. Both are fun for me but soft tips is the future no doubt about it.
I would like to add that Pub owners make decent money with these machines and soft tip players tend to be the younger crowd.
Gun if ya get a chance play a few games and keep an open mind.

Another big difference are that the darts almost lands the same every time because the board are made with holes where the point enters, instead of the bristle in the steel tip board which means that the dart can enter any angle. That could prove a bit harder for some people. And because of the light dart impacts on another dart could prove very fatal in a crucial moment. The better players have a little less of that, but it could still happen.

And some bounceouts give points, (But not everytime) I've lost games where I had 3 bounceouts on the double. But I have also won games with a bounceout

And because of the holes in the board, it could also prove more difficult to hit what you want beacuse of the target-area are smaller.

In the beginning the sound hitting the T20,T19,T18,T17 can be annoying, but as many steeldarters have said that have tried the soft tip version, sometimes you miss the sound when you are throwing on a steel tip board.
And its quite fun with the blinking lights and the music when you win the leg

One other fun thing if you are playing on a soft tip board, or soft tip machine, are the variety of games you can play And in Europe the oche are on the same length as steel tip

Just want to add that Venigoor (Glen) is one of the top shooters around and is Captain of the Swedish national team and me buddy lol. Hows that leg btw bud?

Glen here are my Widows [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

getagrip wrote:

Stop it!

Close your eyes , u are now getting sleepier and sleepier, Think soft tip darts and how ya like them, you will buy and buy. Now when I snap my fingers your still a git but a soft tip dart buyer, one ,two three snap!!!!!

Very nice darts those Larry But a bit expensive if my memory serves me right But a dart I would love to try

The leg are getting better, thanks for asking Can play without my stick now But still need my knee-support

Venigoor wrote:

The light weight are to save the boards and prolong their life.

Throw for bull are mostly for American Darters and Japanese darters.

European darters play on the same sized boards as the steel tip

I think it is quite fun, I'm a bit biased there, people on here know why, and also why I doesnt say anything about it :P


Cheerio!

does that mean if I get a harrows, winmau or other European soft tip board it'd be the standard size doubles and trebles?

Those Dynasty's are sharp looking Jake - I'm going to have to get a set of Japanese darts one of these days soon

jamie373 wrote:

does that mean if I get a harrows, winmau or other European soft tip board it'd be the standard size doubles and trebles?

Jamie,

If you want to play the game as it's meant to be played, I'd suggest getting a regulation soft-tip board and throw from 8'. Otherwise it's just steel tip on a soft tip board.

You'll hear people that don't understand or fear something different say things like:

1. The targets are too big. What I say is: they are also the same size for your opponent. If you don't match their MPR or better you'll be defeated just the same.

2. Bounce outs count! Well they also count for your opponent. How many times have you or heard someone say I would have won that match if my triple 20 did not bounce out.

3. They only throw at the bulls! It actually depends on the league/tournament if you are playing with d/s bulls counting at 50. Also in steel tip 01's they throw at T20, T20, T20 etc.. not much of a difference there. Little different strategy and like steel tip if you don't match MPR you'll loose. They also vary the games which I love as Cricket has to be played entirely different than an 01 game.

4. The noise would put me off. Are you sure? Have you tried it? What's the difference between the noise they make and a scorer yelling ONEHUNDREDEIGHTY!! I like that it lets you know what your opponent is hitting just by sound.

5. You have to pay to play! Um.. so. It helps the bar/establishment owner turn more of a profit and allow more of a payout to tournaments. Also for league/tournament play you can have it turned off.

6. The darts are too light. Have you tired a lighter dart? The Darts Live machines allow for up to a 25g dart anyhow.


Softtip has it place along side steel tip and if it helps our sport grow I'm all for it. Naysayers don't say it sucks unless you've given it a fair go. It's like complaining about politics without voting....

Nuff said.

^^^Well said Jake. +1 from me.

Big Gun wrote:

I have never played soft tip and to be honest can't see me ever trying it just doesn't appeal to me. And why are the darts so light? Why don't you play with the same weight you would play with for Steel tip? And why does everyone throw for the bull? And lastly just WHY play it?
Just a few questions that may help me to understand it and possibly make me want to give it a try lol.

Although I have never try'd it and prob never will unless I trip over a board some day. I am privy to some of the rules like the bull iner and outer counting as 50 in some events. But I dont think that the MASTER PEG rule has been said which means you can finish on a tripple, double or bull (thats the way I understand it please correct me if im wrong) which brings a new aspect to the game and I think would work quite well with steel tip aswell (for fun).

Thats correct Dirty. Means you can peg 180.

My main attraction to soft tip is that its different and for me new.

whoa I wasn't having a go lol. I want to get a board the same dimensions as the US and Japan. didn't know if the European ones where different that's all. thanks for the info though. and I agree there is room for both side by side

Ok I am slightly more interested purely because it's a form of playing the game I love but can't you just do all those things on a normal dart board to break the traditional 01 games up? I'm still finding it to be a bit Mickey Mouse by this I mean the emphasis is FUN and finishing on trebles, surely not right. I feel it's like a Nintendo Wii game and I suppose if it's Japanese that's the market it is aimed for but I still can't get my head around it is not a bit Fair Ground and gimmicky. I can see it would appeal to a few drunken lads on a night out who don't really play but can pretend to be dart players for an hour but as a serious game I am still not convinced it's not just a Darting fruit machine to just make money for the pub owner.

I am not criticising the game or the sport in any way shape or form here but to put it in to perspective it would be like asking Ricky Hatton or Manny Pacquiao to hit one of those hanging punch bags you see in pubs to test how good a boxer he really is because as true pro's of their sport they should get the highest score on it.

I think I need to play it to grasp it's true potential and prove to myself that it has a future because I really aint feeling it just yet as it just feels a bit fake and a rip off of real darts with it's flashing lights and silly noises.
Is there anywhere in the UK that has these boards so I can give it a go because I now have the urge to play it, then who knows I may be converted, but as it stands right now it's steel tip all the way for me.

Thanks to you all for your comments though I really have enjoyed learning a bit about the soft tip game and still want to know more so keep the comments coming. If I find a board I will let you know how I get on and post some pics of me hopefully having a great time playing.

I am by the way playing Devils Advocate here so please don't think I am disrespecting anyone or this beautiful game, I am just trying to get others as well as myself to learn more about soft tip darts. Stay special

Big Gun,

Darts in the UK are steeped in tradition. I think every pub and tavern has at least a board, you have large leagues and can watch matches on TV. This is not the case here in the states and elsewhere.

I understand your position, as I and most were once there. I do not understand the shortsightedness as we do not share the long standing tradition that you guys are part of.

What I do understand is psychology and how people react to something they don't understand or change in general.

I'm going to be pretty straightforward with you. You say you mean no disrespect, but make disrespectful statements (Mickey Mouse, Fair-Ground, Fake and Gimmicky) to name a few. This is a common approach from those that do not have an open mind. It's like when you are a kid and see a weird animal or bug. What do you do? You poke it with a stick or bash it with a rock.

I'll quote Albert Einstein. The definition in insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

The game as we currently know it is not growing and has not grown in a while. The game that is coming from Asia is adding fuel to a fire that is much needed. You have large pools of prize money and new sponsors and manufactures wanting to market their products. This has brought different innovations and attracting younger players to the game. There are PDC players playing in Asia and Asian soft tip players playing in PDC matches. How can anyone possibly say this is a bad thing or not helping the sport?

I nor anyone here is saying soft tip are going to take the place of the game everyone on this site spend so much time with, discussing and sharing. It is spreading and helping to grow the game. In the end darts is darts. The soft tip version is just different. It still requires a great deal of skill and a different strategy. This is what attracts some of us to it.

There are a lot of videos of the game online. If you don't think it takes skill and nerves of steel to be able to counter the 9 mark your opponent threw, you are sadly mistaken. The targets are bigger, but you pay dearly for missing them if your opponent is not.

Good stuff guys.

How about where everyone can see it?

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Winmau wrote:

Good stuff guys.

How about where everyone can see it?

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Thanks Winmau! Gladly recycled most of my statements!

Well Jake I rattled your cage a bit there eh!!
If you read my statement fully you would have understood that I said I was PLAYING DEVILS ADVOCATE HERE and understanding Psychology as you do you will know that I was trying to provoke a response for the questions that others thought but dare not ask. This is what I like to do as it gets people talking and offers explanations to things that I admitted not knowing and for others who felt the same. If I don't know or understand something I always ask and that was all I was doing as I wanted to learn more but you appear to have misunderstood this. That is also what I would have done re: the weird animal bugs, 'Ask someone' I would not have bashed it's head in.

I will not be spoken to in this way when you do not appear to have understood the meaning of my previous questions. I do not wish to offend you in any way but please be careful how you speak to people as you have caused me to be offended. I have studied Psychology for many years and I am very open minded as I have to be within my job as a teacher working with Young Offenders who are Emotionally and Behaviourally challenging. I am very willing to try new things hence my questioning but it was other previous comments that said 'Aimed at younger people' 'lots of noises when hitting trebles' and 'flashing lights galore' that led me to make the statements I did.

Now lets shake hands and make up cos it's the decent thing to do and yes I do also have a sense of humour, and on this note I bid you goodnight.

Big Gun,

No you did not rattle my cage in the least. Nor did I intend to rattle yours. And as Winmau just posted, post has moved way off topic of showing my awesome darts.

Hands shaken and moving on.