Vid link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6OF95Y9Jlk
Here is the review of the Target Carrera Azzurri Cortex CX2 24g darts, phew that's a mouthful to say!
As with the CX1 darts I reviewed recently they are a very nice looking dart and the Cortex grip is quite a unique look and feature. The CX2 model are available in 22 and 24 grams, you can find more info on the Target site here: CX2
The darts are 90% tungsten and are supplied with short Pro Grip stems and Carrera Vision small standard flights all packaged in the new slimmer box. They retail for £59.99.
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As you can see from the pics the CX2 has a more genuine scallop compared to the CX1's longer gentler concave shape. The scallop is a little thinner than the centre of the CX1 and its the comfort zone on this dart. I was gripping it mostly at the front with my usual front grip and it is not as comfy there but for some reason it felt a little grippier than the CX1, but if you look at the close up above of the front taper section it looks a little rougher cut so that could be why it felt a bit grippier. May be the shape of that part makes it more difficult to machine the grip?
Dimensions:
Length:
These were a bit longer than the 21g CX1's I tried and longer than I thought from looking at them:
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Width:
They are widest around the wider taper of the front of the barrel and about the same thickness at the end of the Cortex grip, the centre of the scallop is about 5.9mm:
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Detailed Dimensions:
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Weight:
Stated weight of the leaflet was 24g, my scales wont be as accurate as the Target factory scales but 2 barrels came out just a little over that weight and one was 1 tenth over, still very close though and not the kind of difference you can feel:
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Weight of the full setup as supplied:
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Balance:
The scallop makes it a little difficult to get the balance spot dead on but they are pretty much a centre weighted dart:
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Balance with the supplied set up:
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Balance with my medium, short and extra short stems and standard flights:
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I gripped these darts near the front but it was a little awkward feeling trying to decide where best to grip so I settled mostly around the widest part of the front taper and just in front of the scallop but I also had some throws from the scallop too:
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Darts landed quite tail up:
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Conclusion:
Well much like the CX1 darts I expected these to suit me even less, I think I have tried a similarly shaped barrel before, think it was RD Lethal Magics but not sure, and the darts tumbled all over when I threw them. I was pretty sure that as these are even more of a centre biased dart with that centre scallop than the CX1's they would be even worse with my front grip.
But I was proven even more wrong with these!
I hit more T20's with these than I did with the CX1's and had 3 or 4 times where I got 2 T20's in a row so I cant explain it, it makes no sense to me to be honest, the darts are longer than what I prefer and the shape seems all wrong for my front grip yet they seemed to fly very nicely???
I think I may have hit a 180 if it was not for my shoulder still been so painful as I throw forwards but I also think one other issue I have is getting a clean release, these felt a little grippier than the CX1's and occasionally I felt the grip sticking a fraction too long to my thumb, but I think with time the grip will soften its edges a little.
I still find it a mystery why they flew so well though so whether the Cortex grip is having its desired affect I really cant say, its also possible that the longer length is counteracting the shape of the dart, its a shape I would not expect to throw well at all really.
While doing the review I tried throwing from the scallop section and like all scallops its very comfortable in the fingers at that point but your really have to make sure your release is clean to get a good launch. Its not my natural grip but it again was flying nice from that grip position so I think if your a natural centre gripper the only thing you need worry about is getting a good release.
I have since been playing with the darts and actually been throwing more from the scallop and find that I am starting to get used to it more, still feels weird but the darts do fly very stable from that grip.
Overall I don't find the dart as comfortable to hold with my front grip as I did the CX1's but I seem to be a little more accurate with these, could also be due to the 3 extra grams in weight too?
I think I would really recommended these to centre grippers but you could also be surprised like I am and find they work well with a front grip, I tried throwing from the rear too, just at the end of the Cortex grip, it felt more weird there but the darts were still quite stable in their flight path, I cant say for sure if its worth a try for rear grippers as its very weird for me to hold it so far up the barrel but if its your natural grip it may be fine also but I was getting a lot of spinning too holding it there.
I am not sure which I prefer out of the CX1 and Cx2, the CX1 feel very comfortable to me but these CX2's definitely performed better and against all my expectations??
I think both models have a lot of merits and like I have said already the Cortex grip is something you cant be sure of until you try it but I think if you get a chance to try at least one of the models then you should, they are very nicely made darts. Guests cannot see images in the messages. Please register at the forum by clicking here to see images.
Looks: 9 (look great!)
Grip: 8.5 (on a 1 to 10 Scale, 10 been severe grip)
Weight match: 8 (quite close)
Quality: 9 (nice quality)
Value: 7 (Pricey but I think we know why)
Suitability for me: 8 (flew surprisingly well and were enjoyable to throw)
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