Tungsten barrels threads of all usual tungsten darts are called "2BA" which follows a British norm. Older brass darts often have a 1/4 inch thread. These two threads are not compatible, 1/4 inch threads are as ancient as brass darts, so usually, there is no need to worry about that when buying a tungsten dart. Standard shafts or soft/movable tips you buy are equipped with the 2BA thread, so problems with incompatibility of the threads should not occur.

However, there are some pitfalls. Some dart manufacturers supply darts with "alternative" attachment methods. The shaft of this kind of dart isn't attached with a thread, it is attached through just a thin whole and a rubber tube to fix it. This system is unique -- as good or as bad as the thread system, but you have to take into account that for shafts for this system you will have to rely on the manufacturer. For other companies supplying a shaft only for such special series is not economical.
 

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Today's standard material is Nickel-Tungsten. Tungsten is a very dense material, so darts with a considerable weight can be made quite slim. The invention of tungsten darts had a big impact on the sport. With the new darts it was possible to achieve much better grouping than before, and the averages in pro games have improved dramatically. It is not an overstatement when this development is referred to as "the tungsten revolution".

Before the tungsten revolution darts were mainly made of brass. Brass darts are still used by some players because they are much cheaper than Tungsten. But brass darts are ancient technology now, so I can't recommend them.

Because of technical difficulties with manufacturing a 100% tungsten dart is not available. All "tungsten" darts youcan buy are in fact made of tungsten alloys, with Nickel-Tungsten being the most common one. When you buy a dart the amount of tungsten in the alloy is given by a percentage number. So a common "80% Tungsten" dart has 80 percent tungsten and 20 percent Nickel, Copper and/or Ferro. Tungsten darts are available from 80% to over 90%. The more tungsten the slimmer - and the more expensive - the dart is. If the high-percentage tungsten darts are worth the higher price is an open question. Personally I think that 80% tungsten are good enough for almost everyone.

Remember: the only benefit from a high tungsten share is that the dart can be made slimmer than a dart with the same weight and a lower tungsten share. In no way do higher tungsten percentages indicate some sort of overall better quality or better machining.

Inrecent years a growing number of people has become allergic to Nickel. With Nickel-Tungsten darts being the standard equipment nowadays these people will have problems with their darts. There are a few darts available with different tungsten alloys, such as silver tungsten or copper tungsten. However, these darts are very rare. The major dart manufacturers don't supply them. If you are allergic to Nickel you will probably have to look for these alternatives.

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The surface of the barrel is covered by knurling or rings for a safe grip on the dart. Again there is a vast selection of different surface shapes, and combinations of them. And there is the possibility of a plain surface (which beginners are usually unhappy with). Again, it can't be said which variations are the best ones. Choose what suits you, what feels good and what you think you can handle.

There is only one thing you should avoid: painted surfaces. Paint might look good, but usually it makes the dart only more slippery. The probably only exception here is Unicorn's "gold" brand. These darts are covered with a golden coat (I don't know what material this coating is. But it's not gold) which they say improves the grip. I have not experienced any differences with these darts, but some people seem to like them. Try and find out for yourself.  
 

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The barrel forms the main part of a dart. When we are speaking of "buying a (new) dart" we mean getting a new dart barrel. Nowadays barrels are available in almost every possible shape, with a wide selection of knurl or rings on the surface for a comfortable and safe grip.

The main barrel shapes are:

- cylinder
- ton
- torpedo

Some barrel shapes. The selection to the left shows barrels with 2 threads (soft tip), to the right are fixed-tip steel dart barrels.

It's not possible to say which one is the "right" one. Based on a very theoretical reasoning the long cylindrical barrel could be the best of them because it is the slimmest and allows the tightest grouping. Good for 140s and 180s. But this reasoning doesn't help you when you are not able to handle such a barrel. Selecting the right shape is a matter of personal preference. Choose what feels comfortable for you. This is much more important than an abstract or "academic" reasoning about theoretical advantages or disadvantages of some shapes.

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