Stan’s NoTubes has released its own take on repairing tears and holes in tyres too big to be filled by tubeless sealant alone. The DART tubeless plug system is claimed to react with the company's tubeless sealant to effectively plug holes.
Stan's NoTubes DART tubeless plug system key specs
- Plastic-based rubberised plugs cannot damage rim tape or rim
- Chemical treatment on plugs reacts with sealant to seal holes
- 15g for tool and plugs
- $25, international pricing TBC
Rather than replicating existing products already available from the likes of Blackburn, Lezyne and Ryder, Stan’s has developed DART (Dual Action Repair for Tubeless), which looks to be a system that’s safer, easier to use and provides a more stable fix.
Stan’s was keen to devise a tyre repair system that didn’t employ the metal plug tools used by others, which could potentially damage tubeless tape or, worse, the rim itself. Instead, it's developed pointed, feathered plastic plugs that resemble scruffy, miniature shuttlecocks — aka the DARTs themselves.
Once pushed through the puncture, with the supplied carbon-rodded application tool, barbs on the DART secure it in place inside the tyre, while the feathered material fills the damaged section and protrudes out of the tyre.
Stan’s reckons that the excess material cannot be felt while riding (even with road tyres), so doesn't need to be cut because it will wear smooth over time.
The rubbery, feathered material is treated with a chemical compound designed to react with Stan’s standard and Race tubeless fluid to form a more secure bond with the edges of the damaged section. Whether the same reaction will occur with other brands of sealant remains to be seen.
The DARTs themselves, and the application tool, come as a neat package that can easily be stored in your pack or pocket without fear that it might puncture a fleshy hole should you crash. At 15g, the tool won’t weigh you down either.
A preloaded DART sits at each end of the tool, allowing you to rapidly get to work plugging your puncture before too much sealant escapes.
Being double-ended, the tool allows you to quickly insert two DARTs if required for bigger cuts. It also includes a built-in valve core remover to help you more easily replace lost sealant. Threaded clear caps cover each end of the tool allowing you to see if a DART is loaded or not, too.
At the time of writing, we only have US pricing, but the DART tool (which comes with two DARTs) will cost $25, while the DART refill pack is priced at $20.
Both should hit the shelves by late October.
