Gian van Veen has been a Red Dragon man since he was 12. Now the reigning European champion has a signature range of his own, and it comes from Winmau.
It is a launch with plenty of pedigree behind it. Van Veen won the European Championship in Dortmund last October, becoming the youngest champion in the event’s history by beating Luke Humphries 11-10 in the final, and he is back in Dortmund to defend it this week. A run to the World Championship final in January lifted him to third in the world.
The new Gian van Veen collection spans four sets, from a budget-friendly brass entry point to a trio of 90% tungsten options. It mirrors the four-tier structure of Michael van Gerwen’s new Winmau range, and Darts World’s AJ Urmston-Toft has been through the lot on the latest Round the Board Podcast special.
The brass set
At the foot of the range is the Gian van Veen Brass set, which AJ calls a fantastic entry-level dart for anyone picking up the game or for fans of the player.
The barrel has an intricate, multi-cut grip and a brass accent on the mid-to-top section, and the set comes with Pro stems and Pro flights. It is available in 21g only and priced at £19.99.
The TS
Step up to the TS, the first tungsten option. These are 90% tungsten darts with a black finish, natural tungsten showing through, a micro grip and two gold rings at the top. AJ likes the gold detail, sourced from 24-carat gold, which he says stands out when a dart sits in the treble 20.
The set comes with Winmau’s Switch Points, and these are cut to Van Veen’s specification at 40mm. The Dutchman prefers this extra length to help stack his darts, and the TS is the heavy end of the range, available in 23g, 24g and 25g, coming in at £54.99.
The TS Pro
AJ’s pick for the potential sleeper of the range is the TS Pro, another 90% tungsten set, again in black with that 24-carat gold accent at the top. It has a micro grip with lateral cuts, which adds more bite, and AJ believes it will suit players who need extra grip.
Eagle-eyed dartists may also notice this set to be virtually identical to a prototype that ‘The Giant’ had been using towards the back end of the Premier League campaign earlier in the year.
It is available in 21g, 22g and 23g, and priced at £74.99.
The W-Max
The grippiest of the four is the W-Max, a 90% tungsten set with a diamond grip combining lateral and bilateral cuts across the front and middle of the barrel. A gold accent sits at the top again, and the set comes with two sets of Switch Points, one silver and one gold.
AJ reckons the gold looks great against hand or dartboard. The W-Max also includes Fusion flights carrying the GVV logo, and comes in 22g, 23 and 24g.
Every set in the range also comes with one month of Autodarts Plus membership.
AJ’s verdict is that the range is a celebration of quality for both player and manufacturer, with something for every level from beginner to advanced. He expects Van Veen to be one of the top professionals for a long time to come.
With thanks to AJ Urmston-Toft and the Around the Board Podcast.
Visit the DartsWorldStore:
