Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I have decided to do this review in 2 parts and 2 video reviews also. I want to talk about the system in the first part then I will test it out and conclude with my thought in part 2 in 1 or 2 weeks.Harrows Clic review part 1:
I would advise watching the video review as you will see I talk a little about the evolution of flights and shafts and show examples from the 20's/30's to the present and you will also see me test out the durability of the flights when I go a little bit extreme on it lol! Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I am shamelessly going to re-use some of the pics from my preview thread here so apologies for that.
Firstly many thanks to Adam from Harrows darts for contacting me and providing me with 10 sets to review and give away as prizes, it was really great to be contacted and chosen to review the system and it was nice talking to Adam on the phone, he is very passionate about what they have achieved with this system and from what he told me a lot of thought has gone into the design.
You can read more on Harrows site here: CLICK FOR CLIC
As we all know (or may be you don't? check the video then) flights and shafts have gone through many changes over the years and lots of ideas have come and gone, there has been many materials used from paper, wood, all kinds of plastics and alloys and feathers. A lot of systems have came and went but overall its been a case of continually striving to make something better. When nylon shafts and poly flights came on the scene I think they took off for various reasons such as the cheap cost the variety of colours, sizes and shapes and also I guess because they are easy to store and use.
So it does seem kind of strange that in recent years we have reverted back to some old ideas such as moulded plastic flights and all in one stems and flights, I think this has mostly come about from the influence of soft tip and likely due to the fact people wanted a perfectly shaped flight and shaft system that was quick and easy to use. I think L Flights and the Cosmo system were the first and then we had Condor all in one shaft and flight.
Harrows have looked at these systems and tried to improve on the design with better materials and a hopefully more durable system.
It will always be difficult to convince someone to pay for a system that can cost £10+ compared to a nylon shaft and poly flight setup that can cost less than 70p.
When the Clic system goes to retail hopefully in August the price is going to be around £3 to £4 for flights and shafts so a setup will be £6 - £8. Hopefully it will be the lower of the 2 but I agree it is still a lot more than the cost of a cheap nylon shaft and poly flight so why should you be interested?
Well, lets find out Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
The flights come in a neat little box and the shafts come in a clamshell style packaging and are indicated on the back what length they are:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
A close up of the flight, notice the little window section, this is filled in when the shaft is fitted:Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Close up of the transparent blue midi shafts:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Flights and shafts fitted together. It is simply a case of inserting the shaft into the flight and pressing it home until you hear an audible "CLICK" that's where the name comes from, the sound it makes Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
As you can see below it all fits very neatly in place and has a very nice streamlined look:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
My Darts Nutz darts all set up:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
From the start I think there will only be the standard shape available in flights but more shapes will be introduced soon after. There is a choice of colours as you can see below:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Shafts will be available in the same range of colours and in medium, midi and short lengths:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
This nice little graphic explains in detail the measurements of the shafts and where the wings of the flights start, its a very handy reference to compare against your usual set up so you can choose the right sized shaft:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here you can see how the flights have a reinforced edge and base but I suspect the potential weak spot could be the little window of the flights and it may be prone to robin hooding, I demonstrate that in the video above:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Flight comparison to my 100 micro Nutz standard flights, the normal standards are a little wider:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here is a comparison of some of the usual nylon shafts and the weights compared to the Clic shafts:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Weight Comparison pics:
Medium Clic shaft and standard clic flight is very light overall:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Nylon medium shaft and a standard 100 micron flight:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Standard Clic flight is slightly heavier than a standard 100 micron poly flight:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here is my darts setup with my medium nylon shafts and standard 100 micron poly flights to compare the length with the medium Clic shafts and standard Clic flights. As you can see the Clic set up is quite a bit longer so I suspect the medium Clic is more like a long nylon stem, the midi Clic shaft set up is almost an exact length to my medium nylon setup.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I think the main thing I like about such a system and why I liked the Cosmo setup was because like some people I am a little OCD about the flights been of a perfect 90 degree angle and also I love the fact the flights are so easy to affix.
There is also the fact that with this system the flight will very likely stay put and that means I don't have to keep bending down to replace them which I find very annoying especially where I play at home, the flights often fly somewhere where I end up having to move things to retrieve it. I know that is more a specific thing to myself and my location but I also suffer back ache which bending down to retrieve a flight can aggravate.
I also agree that some people will say that replacing a poly flight on a nylon stem is not difficult (of course its not!) but I don't have good eyesight either (I'm falling apart, getting old Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images. )and the ease of use with the Clic system is a joy in that respect. Replacing a poly flight on an alloy shaft is a different story however, arggh!
Some people will also say it is better if the flight pops off when you get a close grouping, again that is probably right to some extent, I guess it depends on the angles and impact but with the Clic system the shafts are very flexible and the flights are even more flexible so that is 2 things that may counter that and the most likely thing that will benefit a close grouping is that the flights spin very freely and should move out the way.
Which brings me to another point about spinny flights. I think most people loathe them and there is good reason to. Most of the spin shafts over the years have been very loose and rattly which is very off putting, that's not the case with the Clic system. As you can see in the vid when I vigorously shake the dart it does not have any of those issues and I don't think you can even tell the flights spin unless you blow on them or turn/flick them by finger. So I am quite impressed in the fact it does seem extremely close to a fixed setup. If you want some extra assurance that the flight wont spin then you can add a rubber "O" ring to the shaft to stop the flight spinning.
All those points considered does that mean they will improve your game?
Well I will find that out in part 2 of the review, my guess is that its unlikely to or if it does then it will be a small margin. Its a difficult thing to test unless you can set up a machine that throws the dart exactly the same each throw. One thing that you may see an improvement in though is on the mental side of things, if it bothers you about your flights not been a perfect 90 degrees or the flights popping off then that is something you can rest easy about and as we know darts is a very mental game so that may be an aspect it could help with.
Overall my first impressions are positive about the Clic system, if the price comes out around £6 a setup then that will be great and I think I will likely buy it but the durability is still an unknown factor and one that I am going to test as best as I possibly can.
I have started already by folding the very flexible flights flat and inserting 2 of them into a wallet as shown below, I will leave these in for a week or two then get them out to test.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
In the video I mangled this flight up as much as possible to see how I could destroy it best, I could not rip it but by trying I kinked the wing as you can see. I put the dart point through the flight quite easily and that is what I think could be the main failing, the fact that the plastic is quite a soft rubbery feel and could be easily penetrated by the points, but with any luck the spin and flex will counter that under normal conditions Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I will send a few sets out to members and the rest will be used for a prize draw, in the meantime I will give the system a good thorough test and report back with part 2 of this review in a week or two Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part 2 29th July 2014:
Ok I have been using this system for the past 2 weeks and I have had a main session each day of around 45 mins and a few odd throws throughout the day of around 10 to 15 mins, so on average I think each day I have had about 1 hours play with them. I recorded some sessions and made a short compilation of some hits that I had, you can see them in the Part 2 video directly above. I have had 3 robin hoods and one of them is on the video and one I have a pic of below. I think the flights have performed very well overall and do seem to be quite durable. If you check the video you can see me also remove the 2 flights I put in the case flat which had been in there for 2 weeks.
First of all here is pics of the 2 flights that I had stored flat in the case for the past 2 weeks, I think its likely that a case will come out that allows you to store the flights in their rigid position, but I just wanted to test what would happen if you left them flat, I guess if you only have them flat for a short time while you travel to your darts match or wherever then they can still work fine:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
When I first took them out the case as you can see in the video, they did not spring back to their original shape but with a little manipulation they have reformed nicely which is quite impressive Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Below is the third flight I tested, this is the flight that I originally mangled up deliberately, I pulled, stretched and twisted it and deformed it quite badly. After putting it in some warm water I was able to get it very close to its normal shape and it is still very usable but has a slight kink, probably due to my stretching the plastic but I think once again it has done well to regain as much as it has:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Here is a pic of the flights and shaft I have used for the past 2 weeks, they look in decent condition still but I will show some of the damage in the following close ups:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
As you would expect there is marks along the flights fins where the points have scraped along them and there is some scuff marks on the edges but nothing major. You can see on the video the marks when I show it in close up. As I suspected though the area that is most vulnerable is the part that clicks onto the shaft, I guess as it has a bit more solidity around this part its inevitable the point will have more impact and you can see how some gouging by the point has occurred.
The worse damage was this one below which I think was caused by one of the robin hoods and it has not fully ripped the flight but made a slight tear which has made it a more loose fit:
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
It may have been this robin hood that caused it or possibly the one on the video:Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I think that is the only area that seems most vulnerable to me and I guess its kind of unlucky if you hit it with your point and damage it but the flight is still working well enough, so I guess that's a good thing Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
I don't expect the flights to be bulletproof and I think as you can see the fins have had lots of scrapings which show that the point has just passed along the fins without penetrating them. So in most cases the flights just spun or flexed out of the way and only in a few instances did the darts penetrate the more solid middle section but even then it never destroyed the flight and stopped it from been used.
I think its pretty safe to say they are quite a durable flight. I don't think there is much you can do if you have an unfortunate direct hit that may possibly tear the middle section, I wonder if its possible to melt a tear to join it though? I may have to try that.
I have a wooded floor where I play and had a few drop outs and a few bounceouts off the wire but the shafts were fine even after a hard landing, they are very flexy though and if you watch the robin hood on the video its quite amazing how much it twangs! Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Overall I am quite impressed with this system, there was no tears to the fins like I have experienced with others and I will definitely buy more when they are available. I cant say that they will improve your game as such, but like I said on part 1 if you have less to worry about (flights popping off, flights be aligned right etc) then that could be a mental advantage. I did do a little test with some practice targets where I used a normal set up and then the Clic system. It was hard to be sure but I think my grouping seemed a bit closer with the Clic system, that could be to do with the flexy flights and shafts as much as anything though?
For soft tippers I cant really see the system getting much damage from soft tip points and the only damage will be from the sharpness/edges of your barrels and then I think it will just be no more than scuffing really.
It looks like this system will be reasonable priced so I would definitely recommend people give it a try Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Updated info 4th Aug 2014:
Just got an email earlier with some new info from Harrows:
We are now working on the following additions to the Clic range…
1) Adding new colours for both Flight and Shaft. (10 colours)
2) Producing new shapes for the Flight.
3) Producing a thicker type of Shaft similar to our Nylon shaft profile
4) Producing printing on the Flight
Sounds good but there is no deadline for the releases of these new features yet
