What darts do the professional players use?

Professional darts players obviously have lots of skill, but the darts they use will help leverage that skill to take them to the next level. But what darts do the pros use?

When you watch the darts on television you will often see a variety of darts, with different weights, grips, barrel types, styles and colours being used by the players. Even at the very top level of the game, the darts a pro decides to throw with will come down to their own personal preferences and what works best for them. For example, the darts Gary Anderson uses may not suit the style of dart that Josh Rock likes to play with.

In this blog we will answer the question ‘what weight darts do pros use’ for several of the leading players in the game right now including James Wade, Dave Chisnall and Fallon Sherrock, and also go through their signature darts and why they have chosen that particular style of dart.

What do the pros consider when they choose their darts?

There are several different factors that will impact a pros choice of darts such as weight, length, shape and grip type. The professional players will usually have a longer time to practice and experiment with different darts, so ultimately their choice of darts will come down to experimenting with different equipment.

The dart weight varies from player to player and is one of the most important aspects when it comes to choosing a set of darts. Read our ‘How To Choose The Best Darts Weight’ blog to find out what weight darts do the pros use.

If you are curious to find out more about the darts pro players use, the rest of this blog will go through the current setups of some of the most popular professionals and why they use them.

Josh Rock’s Darts

The darts Josh Rock uses are his signature Mission Josh Rock v2 Steel Tip Darts. Made of 95% tungsten, these are Rock’s version two darts from Mission with his latest design, featuring a cut to create a more aggressive grip.

Rock’s v2 darts have a natural finish with blue PVD within the ringed cuts on the barrels. The 2022 PDC world youth champion uses these darts in PDC tournaments and reached his first major quarter-final, at the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts, with his v2 darts from Mission.

The Josh Rock v2 darts are available in three different weights, including Rock’s own preferred dart weight of 24g.

Alan Soutar’s Darts

Alan Soutar uses his signature Mission Alan Soutar Steel Tip Darts in competitions on the PDC circuit. These darts are made of 90% tungsten and feature a straight barrel design and bull nose, along with blue and white electro plate coating to replicate the colours of the Scottish flag.

Across the full length of the barrels is a mixture of radial grooves, with micro cuts in between, to help enhance the grip of the dart. The 2022 Grand Slam of Darts quarter-finalist uses these darts in competitive play and in a 24g weight, with his signature darts from Mission also available in 22g, 26g and 28g.

Gary Anderson’s Darts

The darts Gary Anderson uses are his signature Gary Anderson Phase 6 Steel Tip Darts. The Phase 6’s have been specifically designed for Anderson and feature 90% tungsten barrels, with two blue painted rings around the front of the barrels to indicate his two PDC World Championship title wins.

The barrels also include two coordinated grip zones, as chosen by ‘The Flying Scotsman’ himself, and are complete with the Unicorn logo engraved on the rear of the barrels. These darts come in Anderson’s preferred weight of 23g and are also available in 21g, 22g, 24g and 25g to cater for players who like to throw with a lighter or heavier dart.

Dave Chisnall’s Darts

Dave Chisnall uses his signature Harrows Chizzy v2 Gold Titanium Darts. These darts are made from 90% tungsten and have been remachined to meet Chisnall’s own personal requirements. The Chizzy v2 dart features carefully positioned rings along the length of the barrels, with larger rings at the front and two prominent micro grip sections at the back.

The barrels are also coated in a durable gold titanium nitride coating, before being recut to create a stunning gold and silver finish. ‘Chizzy’ uses these darts in a 22g weight, but they are also available in 21g, 23g, 24g, 25g and 26g.

Michael Smith’s Darts

The darts Michael Smith uses are his signature Shot Michael Smith Achieve Darts. In July 2023 Smith signed up with Shot as his new darts manufacturer after a long and successful partnership with Unicorn, which culminated in him winning the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship and reaching the top of the world rankings.

Smith’s signature darts from Shot have been designed specifically for the ‘Bully Boy’ and are the set he trusts to help him stay on top of his game. This set is made of 90% tungsten with a centre weighted barrel, which is Smith’s own personal preference. This set is available in a range of weights from 21g to 26g, including Smith’s preferred 24g weight.

James Wade’s Darts

James Wade is currently using his signature Unicorn James Wade Purist Phase 1 Darts. This set is made of 90% tungsten and have been designed and manufactured by Unicorn to meet Wade’s own personal requirements. ‘The Machine’ used these darts on his way to the European Championship final in October 2023.

This set includes a smooth section at the rear of the barrel with Wade’s signature engraved on them, with the rest of the barrels offering a continuous grip all the way down to the front of the barrel. The Phase 1 darts are available in Wade’s preferred 20g weight as well as 22g and 24g.

Jose De Sousa’s Darts

The darts Jose De Sousa currently uses are the Trinidad Pro Jose De Sousa Type 2 Gold Darts. These special edition darts include two styles of grip, with fine radial rings at the rear of the barrel and a standard radial grip with a milled cut at the front of the barrel.

This signature set of De Sousa darts are made of 90% tungsten and also have a gold titanium coating on the front of the barrel to give a unique look. During his rise up the PDC ranks in 2020, ‘The Special One’ became well known for his high-scoring ability and won the Grand Slam of Darts.

Mensur Suljovic’s Darts

Mensur Suljovic uses the Legend Darts Mensur Suljovic Black Darts. This set of signature Suljovic darts are made of 90% tungsten and are inspired by ‘The Gentle’ himself. The darts feature a straight barrel design with black titanium coating and remachined radial grooves along the length of the barrel.

Available in 21g, 23g and 25g, this set has plenty of grip at the front and rear of the barrel with a smooth section in the middle that has the Legend Darts and Mensur Suljovic logos engraved on them. These darts are also available in silver with no black titanium coating.

Damon Heta’s Darts

The darts Damon Heta uses in PDC tournaments are the Harrows Damon Heta Steel Tip Natural Darts. These signature darts from Harrows have been made to meet Heta’s own personal preferences and are made of 90% tungsten.

This set of darts features a front tapered barrel, with the front of the barrel divided into three sections, each with two small ringed cuts. The rear of the barrel includes a symmetrical ring grip along the length, giving ‘The Heat’ a firm grip of the dart each time he steps up to the oche. Heta uses these darts in a 23g weight, with this set also available in 21g and 25g.

Fallon Sherrock’s Darts

Fallon Sherrock currently uses the Dynasty A Flow Black Line Fallon Sherrock Natural Darts. This set have been designed specifically to meet Sherrock’s personal requirements, with the ringed barrels made of a premium 95% tungsten material – making them amongst the darts with the highest tungsten content available for players.

Sherrock’s signature darts from Dynasty has a torpedo shaped design and is the set she uses in competitions such as the PDC World Darts Championship, Grand Slam of Darts and PDC Women’s Series. These darts are available in 23g, which is the exact weight the ‘Queen of the Palace’ uses herself.

Other Darts Legends

Eric Bristow’s Darts

The Legend Darts Eric Bristow Steel Tip Cocked Finger R1 Silver Darts is a signature set of darts to commemorate one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Eric Bristow won five BDO World Championship titles during the 1980s and is one of the sport’s most famous players.

These darts feature a ringed barrel made of 90% tungsten and with a unique ‘cocked finger’ legacy hallmark engraved at the rear of the barrels. The hallmark acts as a permanent reminder of the darts legend Bristow who used the ‘Crafty Cockney’ as a nickname during his playing days.

Wayne Mardle’s Darts

These days Wayne Mardle is one of the leading voices for Sky Sports on their coverage of the darts. The pundit and commentator enjoyed a successful career as a player and was a fans’ favourite during his playing days. The Legend Darts Wayne Mardle Steel Tip Hawaii 501 Natural Darts is a signature set of darts to celebrate Mardle’s time as a professional player.

This set is made of 90% tungsten with a Hawaii 501 hallmark etched onto the rear of the ringed barrels. Mardle’s ‘Hawaii 501’ nickname is also engraved onto the silver points as another tribute to the former Premier League star.

Choose Darts Like A Pro!

As you can see when it comes to choosing darts like a pro there is lots of options available. The weight of darts used will vary from player to player, along with the type of barrels, stems, flights and points. From the top professionals to beginners picking your set of darts comes down to personal preferences and what works best for you.

If you have only just caught the darts bug and want to start playing yourself, take a look at our ‘How To Choose The Best Darts For Beginners’ blog. This guide has lots of helpful tips on deciding the best darts to go for when it comes to players who are at the beginning of their darts journey.