Adam took a closer look at the Mission Crypt M1 darts, putting this black-and-gold 90% tungsten set through his usual scoring runs to see how that unusual rear “sharp grip” really feels in practice. With Mission billing the Crypt as a shaped barrel with micro-cut grip at the back, he focused on how the dart sits for rear and mid grippers, how cleanly it leaves the fingers, and whether the contrast between the smoother front and the ultra-grippy rear helps or hinders consistency.

On the design side, the Crypt M1 uses a compact, shaped straight barrel with the widest point in the middle, a large radial nose at the front, and a gentle taper into the shaft at the rear. The front half of the barrel is finished in a black PVD coating with silver radial grooves, giving you a classic ring-grip style feel, while the back section switches to a gold PVD band packed with fine re-machined micro-cuts – the “sharp grip” – capped off with a laser-etched Mission logo. The overall look combines ancient-symbol style graphics on the packaging with that black-and-gold barrel for a very premium, “cryptic” aesthetic.

In the hand, the grip is deliberately directional: if you run your fingers across the rear section one way it feels fairly tame, but in the opposite direction the micro-cuts really bite, which makes it an excellent push point for rear grippers. The front black PVD section, with its silver radial grooves, offers a more traditional medium ring grip for players who sit further up the barrel. At 22g and 24g the barrels are 45.0mm long, with diameters of 7.2mm and 7.5mm respectively – a fairly stout, confidence-inspiring profile that still feels compact on the fingers.

In short, the Mission Crypt M1 is a straight, shaped barrel for players who like a smooth-ish front and a seriously grippy rear: 90% tungsten, black and gold PVD coating, and that micro-cut “sharp grip” section that locks your fingers in without turning the whole dart into a cheese grater.