Red Dragon Stinger 28g darts review

[Getagrip]

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqxtqLO2wy0

I thought it would make a nice change to review a set of heavier darts so I got these Stinger 28g from Red Dragon. There is 3 models in the Stinger range and this is the lightest, the other 2 models are different shapes and are heavier at 30 and 32 grams. They are 85% tungsten and retail for a very reasonable £17.90.

Here is the link to this model: Stinger 28g


CONTENTS AND PACKAGING:

The darts come in a plastic Red Dragon wrapper and inside is a Red Dragon XS wallet which has the barrels along with 3 sets of flights, a point protector, a set of medium alloy stems and a guarantee card:

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PICS OF THE DARTS IN DETAIL:

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CLOSE UP PICS:

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As you can see with the yellow and black styling the Stinger name is very apt Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images. The darts have a double ring grip with a thin groove in between each ring and then wide grooves in between each set of double rings. There is a smooth section at the front which is tapered and a smooth band in the middle and then a small smooth section on the end. The grip level is a medium.

DIMENSIONS:

Length:

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Width:

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Dimensions in detail:

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WEIGHT:

Two barrels matched exactly and the third is just three hundredths of a gram heavier so very good.

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Weight with the full set up as supplied:

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BALANCE:


The balance with nothing attached is just slightly front of a centre:

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With the supplied set up it moves to the centre:

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Balance with my own medium, short and extra short nylon stems
and standard flights:

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MY GRIP WITH THESE DARTS:

I threw the darts with my normal front grip but I think they felt better balanced close to the centre as the weight made them feel a little back heavy with my usual grip.

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Darts landed in pretty much my usual angle in the board:

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CONCLUSION:

Well I kind of expected these to be a little different due to the weight and I was not so great with them initially. With my front grip the rest of the barrel felt like it was heavier than it should have been which is why I think throwing them from the centre was a more comfortable and better balanced experience.

However I played with them for longer after the video and stuck with my front grip and although I am better with a lighter weight I was getting a lot better with these too. One thing I was enjoying though was the feeling of satisfaction throwing a heavy dart gives, I think its just the way it thuds into the board and has the weightiness which makes you feel a bit manly lol! I don't know its hard to describe why it feels so satisfying but it makes throwing them a pleasure.

I think they will work with any grip quite well, it just depends on how you like a heavier dart.

Grip is not overly aggressive and may be just a low medium but I had no issues with it and was fine for me.

Darts are 85% as stated above but they have a very nice solid feel about them.

The flight through the air is very steady and may be more to do with the weight as much as anything else but they remind me of some of the heavier darts I tried when I was a beginner. I think the heaviest I had at that time was 34g but I eventually went down to 27g and then in the end settled to my present weight which is usually 23 or 24 g but can range from 22 - 25 grams.

I had fun trying these though and I think these will definitely be going near my board for some returning practice sections with a heavy dart. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Summary:

Looks: 7 (nice styling with the colours)
Grip: 6 (on a 1 to 10 Scale, 10 been severe grip)
Weight match: 8.5 (2 exact)
Quality: 8.5 (seems fine)
Value: 9 (great value)
Suitability for me: 6.5 (I enjoy throwing them but weight is a little heavy)

Best Feature: Great stability Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[ElusiveDouble85]

What an ugly heavy dart that somehow your pictures makes seem appealing :faint:
Always nice to get a review of a different kind of dart so we can get a feel for what is out there and not just the usual. Good work as always Grip Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[Getagrip]

Cheers! Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[Earthquake]

Great review as always.
It calls my attention that most of the pros use darts ranging from 20 to 26 and not more than that. I dont know what happens to me that I cannot trow a dart lighter than 25, it feels like I have to put much force behind my trow to make them reach the board when darts are lighter than 25 and it makes my shoulder hurts.

[Getagrip]

Great review as always.
It calls my attention that most of the pros use darts ranging from 20 to 26 and not more than that. I dont know what happens to me that I cannot trow a dart lighter than 25, it feels like I have to put much force behind my trow to make them reach the board when darts are lighter than 25 and it makes my shoulder hurts.

Thanks!

Yeah I cant think of any player that uses more than 26g, there must be some pro who does surely?

I was just having another go with these earlier and was doing very well with them, I cant explain but its just good fun throwing them, feels relaxing too, but I dare not play too long in case it makes my wrist flare up. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[jc14]

What an ugly heavy dart that somehow your pictures makes seem appealing :faint:
Always nice to get a review of a different kind of dart so we can get a feel for what is out there and not just the usual. Good work as always Grip Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Maybe they should be called bumblebees rather than stingers!

Great review as usual Darren. +1

[Kev]

Nice review Darren. The setup with the yellow stems and dartsnutz flights go well with the barrel!

[Getagrip]

Thanks guys, I did the pics a few weeks ago but only just got round to posting the review, all my recent reviews have the new flights but I still have a few to post with the old ones on Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[skinnygav]

The black and yellow works for me. You may have to reinforce your dartboard stand if you carry on using them!

[Cosmo]

You think these are heavy? Try my dad's 44g Nodors. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images. (Really need to review those myself...)

Seriously though, nice review as ever Darren, +1 Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[bkbum]

Apparently back in the late 70s or early 80s there was a Welsh international player named Byron Wozencraft who shot with 42 gram darts. There's a clip of him on "Darts the John Lowe Way" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnIEDQFDhI ) at about the 48:30 mark. [IMO the best thing on the tape is the Bristow/Lowe cork shoot out at about 1:17:00.]

[Getagrip]

The black and yellow works for me. You may have to reinforce your dartboard stand if you carry on using them!

LOL yeah I think so Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

You think these are heavy? Try my dad's 44g Nodors. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images. (Really need to review those myself...)

Seriously though, nice review as ever Darren, +1 Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Cheers! I think I have some old brass darts in that weight Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Apparently back in the late 70s or early 80s there was a Welsh international player named Byron Wozencraft who shot with 42 gram darts. There's a clip of him on "Darts the John Lowe Way" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdnIEDQFDhI ) at about the 48:30 mark. [IMO the best thing on the tape is the Bristow/Lowe cork shoot out at about 1:17:00.]

Cool, nice post Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

I have that video at home, its responsible for my vintage collecting habit Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[Alex]

You think these are heavy? Try my dad's 44g Nodors. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images. (Really need to review those myself...)

Seriously though, nice review as ever Darren, +1 Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Has he just taped two sets together?! Mental!

But, whatever works for him Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

[Cosmo]

Has he just taped two sets together?! Mental!

But, whatever works for him Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

Nah, he can only throw heavy darts so I bought him some 44g Nodors (tungsten) and he loves them. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.

I don't think they sell them anymore (not from A180 where I bought them at least) but these are similar-ish:

https://www.madhousedarts.co.uk/darts-st...o-044.html