Stan’s DART: New Ultralight Tubeless Plug Kit

BIG FLATS, NY (October 7, 2019) – Stan’s NoTubes is proud to introduce the DART, an entirely new and better way to repair tubeless tire punctures and slices that are 5mm or larger. Although Stan’s Sealant alone handles most punctures, the DART makes the toughest tubeless tire repairs fast, easy, and reliable for every rider. Unlike conventional plug tools, which function by pressing pieces of rubber or similar material into a puncture, Stan’s Dual Action Repair for Tubeless (DART) tool also reacts with Stan’s tire sealant to fill the puncture and create an airtight bond with the tire.

What makes DART “dual action” is its use of both mechanical sealing and chemical sealing. A barbed tip with special material mechanically anchors into the tire and fills the puncture, while a simple, safe compound chemically reacts with Stan’s sealant, creating the fastest, easiest, and most reliable solution for repairing and sealing slices and large punctures in tubeless mountain, road, and gravel bike tires.

Safer, More Effective Tubeless Tire Repair

DART’s patent pending ability to react with latex sealant makes it more effective than traditional tire plugs, and its mechanical features are also innovative. Traditional tire plug tools were developed originally for car tires, and their long, sharp tips can cause damage to rim tape or cut hands. Even worse, their plugs can actually expand many punctures because they rely on a tight fit to hold them in place. In contrast, the DART’s plastic tip is barbed to anchor firmly in place and stay put during even the most aggressive riding while being safer for rims, rim tape and your hands. 

The laser-cut material of the DART is also more flexible and better able to contour to the shapes of different punctures, maximizing surface area to increase the sealing reaction. Because the DART anchors to your tire and creates a bond with your sealant, it also won’t pull out while riding the way a conventional plug can. Among the best features of the DART’s design are that it doesn’t require trimming once inserted and that excess material won’t get in the way of your ride. DARTs can’t be felt while riding, even when used for road tires, and they wear smooth naturally.

Easy and Fast to Use

During development, the DART was meticulously engineered to make tubeless tire repair more simple and straightforward than any other tire repair system. Ease of use was a priority. When repairing a puncture, simply position the tip of the DART into the puncture and press until the head of the DART Tool contacts your tire. The length of the rod is specifically calibrated to insert DARTs to the perfect depth every time and to anchor them into place securely. That means no more damage to rim or rim tape during a fast repair. 

Rapid deployment was another key design criteria of the DART Tool. The double-sided head of the tool holds two sealed DARTs on each side, allowing both to be used quickly in succession to seal very large slices or snake bite-like punctures that create multiple holes. 

The DART Tool’s ergonomic design features an ultra-strong yet lightweight molded plastic handle that is easy to hold and allows precise placement, a serious advantage when repairing difficult-to-reach punctures next to a tire knob or bead. That same handle includes a built-in valve core remover to make it even easier to also add more sealant whenever necessary.

A complete DART Tool, including two loaded DARTs, weighs only 15g. This is in part because the rod that presses DARTs into punctures is made of ultralight, corrosion-resistant, and incredibly strong carbon.

DARTs are made to be stored for extended periods and are fast and easy to reload and reuse. Clear thread-on caps not only let you see through them to confirm whether your DART is in fact loaded and ready for its next repair, but they also protect your DART, keeping it clean between uses. A DART Refill container is available and includes a rack of five DARTs.

Availability and Warranty

Both the DART Tool (MSRP: US$25) and DART Refill (MSRP: US$20) will be available for purchase beginning in late October. 

DART Tools come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Stan’s NoTubes