Zero are a superbly designed and manufactured piece of kit which seem to marry some of the best modern milling with a nod to the bronze coated, hugely successful darts ranges of about a decade ago.
“The flagship product of their recent launch is the new Zero dart – the second 97.5% tungsten barrel to be added to the Mission range…”
- Product: Darts (Steel Tip)
- Brand: Mission
- Model: Zero
- Variation: 24g
- Material: 97.5% Tungsten
- Price: £84.95
Initial Impressions:
The Zero’s feature a torpedo style barrel, with a bronze PVD coating.
To look at, they are truly stunning. The darts have been coated with a bronze PVD coating, which creates a near rose-gold effect when in the board and under focus of the light.
A dart that utilises its own logo within the grip is certainly a unique concept, and one that Mission has pulled off flawlessly within the new ‘Zero’ barrels. The original propeller shapes brand logo is used both as the visible image of the range as well as the actual grip pattern on the barrels.
Specifications:
The darts are available in 24g, 26g, 28g and even 30g, covering a wide range of players that prefer a heavier weighted dart. The length remains at 43.8mm across all weights, however they vary in width, increasing in 0.30mm increments from the 24g (7.10mm), to the 30g (8.00mm).
The barrel consists of two styles of grip – the first, a simple micro-grip. While offering very little besides a slightly coarse feel, it acts as a more natural transition between the smooth, PVD coated barrel, and the ‘Zero’ grip Mission have designed specifically for this dart.
Open The Box:
The darts come fitted with a 32mm plain black point, short Mission Sabre shaft, and Mission Zero No. 2 flight.
Testing Reaction:
The Zero grip is a utilisation of the logo itself, incorporating a finely cut tri-star to create a sandpaper-like feel. While there’s a hint of subtlety, when warmed up, the darts can feel incredibly aggressive to hold.
Not a dart that maximises the potential grip on offer, nevertheless the Zero has a comfortable, if not slightly worn in feel, minimising the time it’ll take the user to get familiar with them.
The micro-grip is situated at both the front and rear of the barrel, sandwiching the bulk of the ‘functional’ grip. A deeper cut ring separates the micro-grip from the smooth barrel, keeping the grip focused towards where the majority of players will hold the dart – in the centre.
This mix of grips enables the majority to use the middle of the barrel while leaving the possibility open for Beaton-esque throwers who use the stem/extreme end of the barrel.
The coating is durable enough that in the time it took me to test them, no damage to the barrel was visible.
Snapshot Summary:
Zero are a superbly designed and manufactured piece of kit which seems to marry some of the best modern milling with a nod to the bronze coated and hugely successful darts of about a decade ago.
The barrel shape means, however, that it’s a dart only for those who can manage more bulbous barrels. The microgrips at the front and rear of the torpedo barrel are a little reminiscent of some Phil Taylor editions and give options for those who grip at the margins.
At almost £85 zero are at the top end of the generic models and certainly carry a price tag to match their complex and stylish manufacture. For those disposed to this style Sero may be the ultimate edition.
—–ENDS—–
Originally published in Darts World Extra (18) August 2024.
Words: Joe Reid ( Additional by AIM180)
Images: Joe Reid & Mission Darts
