Barrels = 90% Tungsten
Supplied with 100 Micron Flights
Dimensions:
25g – Length 52mm – Max width 7mm
23g – Length 52mm – Max Width 6.64mm
Point Length = 38mm (32mm protruding)
Darts designed by Matthew Birch.
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Review by Joe Reid
Quite possibly overtaking the Scarlet’s as my favourite set of Loxley darts, the Loxley Tuck’s are a true work of art. With a unique bronze PVD coated barrel, similar to that of the XQMax Benito van de Pas signature darts, the Tuck’s have a rustic and aged feel to them – a perfect addition to the growing ‘Robin Hood’ range of darts!
The darts have been influenced by Friar Tuck, depicted typically as a jovial, overweight man who was part of Robin Hood’s ‘Merry Men’. As he was a Friar, he directly contrasted those who he opposed – he took a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience to serve society, whereas those the ‘Merry Men’ went against, such as the Sheriff, pride themselves on their overindulge, and their vast wealth.
The Loxley Tuck darts are available in 25g, which makes them the second heaviest range of darts that Loxley sells, behind the Ryan Searle signature darts. They are 52mm long, with grip right up to the stem – perfect for those who grip right to the rear of the dart (like me!). At their widest point, the darts are 7mm in width, tapering backwards from the centre to ensure a smooth transition to the stem.
The darts come equipped with a set of black coated 38mm dart points, as well as a set of signature medium white Loxley stems. A set of the stylish Loxley feather-effect dart flights is also included, ensuring you’re ready to go straight to the oche after opening the packaging. The packaging itself is a simple clear plastic outer casing, with a cardboard insert promoting the darts within. A useful black plastic case houses the darts, also including a point protector to ensure all three barrels stay secure during transport.
The darts themselves feature just one style of grip, split into three different sections. The grip itself is a simple ring grip, popularised on the classic Eric Bristow darts. The groves themselves are reasonably thin, creating a micro-grip effect, as opposed to deeper groves which offer a greater aggressive feel. This enables the player to have a consistent release, reducing the risk of darts sticking to their fingers, and as such, flying off course.
The primary section of grip is featured towards the rear of the dart, with the ring grip stretching from the centre of the dart, all the way back to where the barrel meets the stem. The barrel itself gets thicker towards the centre of the dart, meaning you can utilise the gradual ascent of the barrel in order to dig into the grip, to attain a higher level of grip.
At the centre, and front of the dart, three groves have been added in areas of common finger placement, in order to better suit a wider variety of players. The position of these grip sections draw comparisons from the Winmau Daryl Gurney signature darts, which allows the dart to be used almost universally, for rear, middle and front grippers alike!
The darts PVD coated, which helps to create an aged, rustic feel – referring to the aforementioned Friar Tuck, of whom the darts are based off of. The coating feels almost identical to plain tungsten, unlike the black PVD coating used on the Loxley Sheriff darts, which felt sticky and softer when compared to an uncoated dart. One thing I noticed about the barrels was that they took longer to warm up in my hand, staying cold for longer when throwing than my match-darts (which are uncoated). But I’ll let the darts off on that point, seeing as it’s winter.
As I throw from the rear, I fall into the category of players that these darts were specifically designed for. While 4g heavier than the darts I’ve used for four years, I still found these darts very easy to throw. The shape of the barrel allowed me to push against the barrel itself to propel the dart, using little of the grip itself to be able to throw the dart towards its intended target.
The supplied setup, with medium stems and standard shape flights, resulted in the darts flying in a consistent arc through the air, with the darts landing vertically in the board. The thicker central part of the barrel acted as a marker, meaning I can pitch the first dart above the treble, and work the darts in to be able to score consistent 100’s and 140’s. The longer points, coupled with the thinner taper, created plenty of room for me to get around blocker darts, with the darts standing far out from the board.
Final Thoughts:
Appearance: 10/10 – I honestly feel these are one of the best looking darts in the entire Loxley range. Drawing comparisons to the Benito van de Pas darts from XQMax, the stunning bronze coating compliments the points, stems and flights perfectly, to create a true work of art. Obviously a very personal ranking, but for me, these are faultless.
Balance: 10/10 – From wherever I threw the darts, they always felt comfortable to throw. Naturally developed specifically for rear-grippers, these darts work well for central and front-grippers too, with strategically placed sections of ring grip suiting all styles of grip.
Grip: 7/10 – A relatively low level of grip, and a simple style. While very popular, and widely used and implemented in modern darts, the style itself is very basic, and offers little grip to the player. A saving grace for the darts is that, because of the shape, the grip itself is increased as you directly push into the grip, as opposed to push against it, which increases the feel to the darts substantially, while allowing for a smooth feel to the release.
Quality: 9/10 – As with all Loxley darts I’ve owned and reviewed so far, the barrels are in pristine condition, with no chips or flaws along the barrel. The only reason for marking these darts down is that, due to the compressed packaging, one of the flights was badly distorted during transport. After an hour or so, the flight reverted back to near its intended condition, but it was awkward to throw for the first hour or so.
Value for Money: 9/10 – These darts retail at just £54.95, and are available directly from the Loxley darts website. For a fully coated dart, I’d say these are well priced, and fit well in line with other similar darts. While not a particularly intricate dart, these darts are of very high quality, utilising a timeless grip – there’s not much to not love about these darts!
Thank you to Loxley darts for sending these fantastic darts out for me to review – I’d definitely go as far to say these are my favourite darts from the Loxley range. While a lot heavier than the barrels I’m used to reviewing, the Tuck’s were easy to throw, and truly a dart worthy of a place alongside the Robin’s, Scarlet’s and Sheriff’s on the Loxley website.
Author – Joe Reid