Target Ares Darts Review – Budget Tungsten, Doubled-Up Kit

Target’s core dart ranges are built almost entirely around 90% tungsten, so the Ares stands out for going the other way. It uses an 80% tungsten barrel to hit a lower price point, and rather than cut corners on accessories to compensate, Target has doubled up on shafts and flights instead. The result is a set that reads as a genuine beginner’s bundle rather than a stripped-down version of something more expensive, and it sits alongside Target’s pricier ranges on their own UK site rather than being tucked away as a marketplace-only product.

That makes it an easy recommendation for newer players weighing up their first proper tungsten set, and a reasonable option for anyone who wants spares in the box from day one. Players chasing the barrel shapes and grip technology found in Target’s signature ranges should look elsewhere.

Design and Build

The barrel is machined from 80% tungsten, a step down from the 90% used across most of Target’s range. Lower tungsten content means a given weight of barrel is physically larger, since tungsten is denser than the alloy filler used to make up the rest, so the trade-off in practice is a slightly thicker barrel at the same weight rather than a functional weakness. It carries the same lifetime guarantee Target puts on every barrel.

The barrel length stays fixed at 48mm across all three weights, with the diameter growing to add mass. That is a shorter, stockier profile than Target’s premium barrels, finished in matte black with a gold logo and bands of polished silver rings breaking up the grooves.

The Grip

The Ares uses a straightforward radial groove pattern running through most of the barrel, split by a smooth central band carrying the logo. The grooves are cut at a consistent depth rather than varying in intensity across zones, so the feel is uniform whichever part of the barrel you hold.

The intensity sits in the middle of the scale. It is firm enough to feel secure without catching aggressively on release, which makes it a forgiving option for players still settling on a grip style. Players who already know they want a very smooth or very aggressive texture will find the Ares a generic middle ground rather than a barrel built around one preference.

What’s in the Box

• 3x 80% tungsten barrels with steel points
• 6x short Pro Grip shafts (34mm, 2BA thread)
• 9x No.2 Pro Ultra flights (100 micron, black, grey and white)
• 1x storage wallet
• 1 month DartCounter app membership code

This is where the Ares earns its keep. Most entry-level sets ship with exactly one set of shafts and flights; the Ares includes two full sets of shafts and three full sets of flights, so a damaged shaft or a torn flight does not mean a trip back to the shop. The included wallet is a slim, practical case rather than a token extra, and the DartCounter code is a useful bonus for anyone tracking their scoring.

What People Are Saying

Buyers consistently point to the value of the bundle as the standout feature, with the spare shafts and flights coming up again and again as the reason the set feels like good value at this price. The grip and overall build are described as solid for the money, without complaints about the barrel feeling cheap or poorly finished.

The main reservation echoed by buyers is that this is clearly an entry-level product rather than a serious step up. Some note the barrel shape is plain compared to pricier tungsten darts in Target’s range. None of that undercuts the core verdict that the price-to-contents ratio is strong.

Which Players Do They Suit?

The Ares suits players buying their first tungsten set and anyone who wants a dependable spare kit already in the box rather than an extra purchase later. Beginners who are still working out their preferred grip intensity benefit from the middle-ground texture, and the doubled accessories mean a bent shaft or worn flight does not interrupt play.

Players who already know their grip preference and want a barrel shape built around it, or anyone chasing the 90% tungsten standard found on Target’s core ranges, should look at something like the Bolide 02 instead. The Ares is a starting point, not a long-term upgrade path.

The Verdict

The Ares does what a budget set should do: it gets a new player onto tungsten darts with genuine spares in the box, at a price that does not sting if something gets lost or bent. The 80% tungsten and plain barrel shape are honest compromises for the price, not hidden shortcomings, and the grip is dependable enough that it will not put anyone off before they have found their own preference.

It is not a set for players chasing performance, and the lower tungsten content marks it as a different tier from Target’s main retail range. For a first tungsten set or a reliable spare kit, though, the doubled accessories make the Ares an easy set to recommend.