American manufacturer Stan's NoTubes, known for its sensational tubeless products, has developed a tool that has a great chance to dominate the tyre repair kit market. What is Stan's NoTubes DART and why should I have it?
DART is the best solution if you want a fast and durable tyre repair. No matter if you ride a gravel bike, cross-country bike, MTB bike or road bike. The DART will work in the repair of any type of tyre.
DART - DUAL ACTION REPAIR for TUBELESS stands out strongly from the repair kits available on the market, because it operates on two levels - mechanical and chemical. Not only does it mechanically clog the hole in the tyre, but it chemically seals it, repairing the damage permanently. The plastic of which the DART patches are made is flexible and adapts perfectly to the shape of the hole or cut. An additional advantage is that there is no need to cut the protruding part of the patch from the tyre. A latex-based sealant is required to activate a chemical reaction to permanently repair the damage.
See how Stan's NoTubes DART works in practice:
The rod on which the cartridges are deposited is made of ultra-light, corrosion-resistant, incredibly strong carbon fibre. In addition, the DART has a built-in wrench to unscrew the ventilation insert and space for a second insert, which can be used quickly in case of need for more damage.
The undoubted advantage of DART is the convenience and the fact that the tool will not damage the sealing tape or rim during the application of the patch, thanks to a specially designed tip in the shape of an arrow. The easy part won't fall out even when driving aggressively in the field. There is also no need to be afraid that the DART will "stretch" the damage in the tyre, because when it comes into contact with the patch sealant, the patch reacts with it, permanently plugging the hole.
DART is designed to make the repair process of a punctured tyre as short and easy as possible. Here is a short instruction on how to use it:
1. find damage in the tyre and carefully remove any sharp objects in the tread.
2. remove the protective cap from the cartridge.
3 Put the Dart cartridge on to the damage and press the patch into the tire. The amount of the protruding patch will be determined by the tire thickness. For larger holes or cuts, more patches can be used.
4. take the tool out of the tyre and put on the safety plug.
IMPORTANT: Rotate the wheel so that the patch is at the bottom. The sealant must reach the damage in order to create a chemical reaction with the patch. If the damage is large and continues to let fluid through, apply another patch. Pump the tire. If you use a CO2 cartridge, it is recommended that you replace the sealant when you return home and top up the air in the tyre with a pump (the sealant loses its properties in contact with CO2).
As already mentioned, the DART has space for a second cartridge and is available with two cartridges. It's worth buying yourself a box with spare patches. There are 5 of them and they fit in a small, lightweight and handy case.
