Dartboards have evolved over the years. Dartboards are now available in various materials, styles and colours, although the concept has remained the same. So, you may be wondering, what the best dartboard?
The right dartboard can make a world of difference to your game. So, to give you a helping hand, we’ve compared a list of the best dartboards available to help you find the perfect one.
So, here’s everything you need to know about finding the best dartboard.
The 10 Best Dartboards: Our Top Choices
- Viper Slash Bristle Dartboard
- Winmau Blade 5 Dartboard
- Viper Ion Electronic Dartboard
- Nodor Supermatch 3 Dartboard
- TG Champion Tournament Dartboard
- Unicorn Eclipse Pro Dartboard
- Viper Shot King Dartboard
- Arachnid Cricket Pro Dartboard
- EastPoint Sports Belmont Dartboard
- Viper League Regulation Dartboard
#1 Viper Slash Bristle Steel Tip Dartboard
A unique feature of the Viper Slash dartboard is it’s self-healing fibers, which help to repair the hole created by a dart, once pulled from the board. This results in a smoother, longer lasting playing surface, even with regular use.
The Viper Slash also includes ‘magnedart holsters’ that connect to the side of the board (see above), providing a useful storage space for your darts, when you’re not playing. If you ask us, we also think it looks pretty cool!
This dartboard also boasts a staple-free bullseye, which reduces the chance of bounce-outs. Reducing the amount of time you’ll spend picking up darts off the floor!
Everything you need for the initial setup comes right in the box, including your mounting hardware and a set of instructions. The only thing missing is a set of darts, which sadly don’t come included.
We found the Viper Slash Dartboard to be an affordable choice that offers quality construction and regulation-sized target area. Overall, this dartboard is well-received among players and is one of the more popular options available.
- 17.75″ Target Area
- African Sisal Fiber
- Self-healing
- Magnedart Holsters
- Instances of cracks and color bleeding on the face
#2 Winmau Blade 5 Dartboard
The bristle surface has dense packing for better scoring, and a triple wheel lock-and-level system makes it easy to mount. You can hang this board practically anywhere without having to worry about uneven surfaces. Complete with 20% stronger razor wiring, the Winmau Blade 5 is better than its predecessors and offers precision playing.
You may also like our review of the Winmau Blade 4.
- British darts organization endorsed
- Thin wire system bristle surface
- Triple wheel lock-and-level system
- Slow Healing
#3 Viper Ion Electronic Dartboard
The Viper Ion is an electronic dartboard with a lighted target area. Its illuminated segments make this board stand out from the rest, making it an excellent addition to your games room. This board includes 48 games with a whopping 315 variations.
- Electronic gameplay with 48 games with 315 variations
- Illuminated target area
- Lights can burn out relatively quickly
#4 Nodor SupaMatch 3 Dartboard
The Nodor SupaMatch 3 dartboard has a robust playing surface thanks to its carbon fusion technology. This makes it longer-lasting and improves play. The fixed numbers mean you won’t be able to rotate the board, which is a downfall. But, overall, this is a solid choice to consider.
- Staple-free construction
- Fewer bounce-outs
- 20% thinner than SupaMatch 2
- Hard surface
- No Mounting Equipment
#5 TG Champion Tournament Dartboard
The TG Champion offers an 18″ tournament-sized target area and long-lasting bristle face. There are a choice of one of three styles: Classic, Standard, and Bristle.
This board comes with wall mounting equipment and gaming instructions, which should help you get started straight away. Although you need to buy your darts separately. An innovative feature with this board is its cross-compatibility that lets you play with either steel or soft tip darts.
- 18″ regulation-size
- Bristle construction
- 3 styles
- Compatible with steel & soft-tips
- Paint Chips
#6 Unicorn Eclipse Pro Dartboard
The Unicorn Eclipse Pro is another tournament-sized choice that is perfect for players of all skill levels. It offers staple-free construction and super-slim segments that reduce bounce-outs. Complete with an ultra-visible number ring and more significant target area, particularly in doubles and trebles, the Eclipse makes scoring easier than ever.
The Unicorn Eclipse Pro is world champion endorsed and a favorite among players. This option has vibrant coloring but lacks any cabinetry or storage space to keep darts while they’re not in use. Everything needed for mounting is in the box, though you purchase darts separately.
- Regulation-size
- Slim segments
- Staple-free construction
- High-visibility number ring
- Bristle tend to crack easily
#7 Viper Shot King Dartboard
The Shot King is complete with a removable number ring; this dartboard is easy to rotate, which will extend the years of enjoyment it provides. A built-in compression band binds sisal fibers tightly allowing for maximum durability.
Everything required to play is right in the box, including six steel-tip darts. This board is easy to mount, though it doesn’t offer any cabinetry. Viper boards are always an inexpensive choice, and the Shot King is no exception! This board is an affordable choice that saves you having to buy any accessories.
- Removable number ring
- Staple-free construction
- Tightly compressed fibers
- Tournament size 18″ target area
- Slow healing
#8 Arachnid Cricket Pro 800 Dartboard
All your friends can enjoy this board that accommodates up to eight players at once. Four extra-large LED scoring displays to ensure fair gameplay and accurate scoring. While the 39 games with 179 variations will keep you entertained for hours on end.
Arachnid is a top manufacturer of dart-related equipment, and owning one of their pieces means it’s the highest-quality. Of course, with the Arachnid name comes higher pricing, but it is a worthwhile investment for serious players.
You may also be interested in our individual review of the Arachnid Cricket Pro 800. Which goes into much more detail than we do here.
- Electronic play nylon segments
- 4 Extra-Large LED scoring display
- Accommodates 8 players
- 15.5″ target area
- Not suitable with steel-tip darts
#9 EastPoint Sports Belmont Dartboard
A staple-free bullseye combined with a durable steel spider ensures you won’t be dealing with endless bounce-outs. The dart holes heal themselves, which extends the lifespan of your board.
The EastPoint Sports Belmont is easy to hang and includes everything you need right in the box.
It offers an 18″ target area which makes this the perfect choice for both competitive and casual players alike. You get six steel-tip darts, two pieces of chalk, and an eraser for easy scorekeeping — everything stores away inside the classy black cabinetry.
- Staple-free bullseye
- Self-healing
- Easy to hang
- Cabinet has been known to crack
#10 Viper League Pro Regulation Dartboard
Sisal bristle fibers and an 18″ diameter make this board ideal for practicing and is exactly like the pros use during tournaments. This board accommodates both steel and soft-tipped darts so you can enjoy playing with the whole family now and then.
Mounting hardware is in the box, though darts sell separately.
- 18″ regulation-size
- Staple-free construction
- Accommodates steel & soft-tip darts
- Fewer bounce-outs
- Produces a strong smell
Choosing the Right Dartboard for you
When choosing the best dartboard for you, there are many different things to consider. Including size, appearance, and materials.
If you plan on playing professionally, you’ll need a regulation sized dart board of 18″.
Colors can vary between brands so you should decide if you prefer a more vibrant or traditional style. Yet, you’ll find that most bristle dartboards are similar in color, with electronic dartboards being the most varied.
Most dartboards are made from sisal fibers, although some are cork, wood or even paper. The best material to consider sisal.
The unique thing about this material is that it heals itself once you remove the darts. Every hole left behind closes itself up, which makes the board last much longer.
Cork Dartboards
Dartboards made entirely from Cork are usually lower grade and don’t offer quite the same qualities as Sisal dartboards. Although they do prove to be a much cheaper option, making them a good choice for those on a budget.
Electronic or Traditional Dartboards?
There are two types of dartboards available: electronic and traditional. Electronic dartboards offer the advantage of electronic score keeping. If you enjoy playing in larger groups, the electric scoreboard makes it that much easier to accurately track scores from multiple players.
Electronic options are generally more stylish too! They often have cabinetry that makes it easy to hang in any room of the house.
Another difference is the kind of darts used. Traditional dartboards are most commonly played with steel tip darts, while electronic boards use soft tip darts.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ’s]
Q1. What dart boards do professionals use?
Professional dart players will prominently use bristle dart boards, such as the Unicorn Eclipse or Winmau Blade 5.
Q2. What is the best dartboard you can buy?
Finding the best dart board entirely depends on what type of dart board you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a bristle dartboard, the Unicorn Eclipse HD2 is what is most often used in professional tournaments.
The Winmau Blade series are also a popular range of dart boards among professionals, with the Winmau Blade 5 considered to be one of the best.
Q3. How much does a dart board cost?
The cost of a dart board can vary. However, you can find a great dart board for less than $80 on amazon.
Q4. How long do dart boards typically last?
Dart boards can last as long as 5 years, depending on the quality of the dart board and how regularly you use it.
For instance, if you play for an hour each day you’ll likely get 12-18 months before seeing some sign of wear and tear.
However, if you’re only likely to use the board 2 or 3 times per week, I’d expect a good board to last 4-5 years.
Q5. How do I choose a dart board?
One of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a dartboard is the board’s density and depth. As a dart board with good depth will help to ensure that darts penetrate deeper into the board and thus reduce bounce outs.
Q6. Why do dart boards bulge?
Dartboards are made up of bundles of fibers, tightly compressed together which are glued to the back of the board, and banded with steel to keep these fibers compressed.
A dart board suffers from bulges when enough of those fibers’ dislodge from the back board, allowing the pressure to push the face of the board outwards, causing these bulges.
This is likely to occur overtime due to wear and tear and even humid environments or the board being exposed to moisture.
Conclusion
Have your say, what do you feel is currently the best dartboard on the market? Did we miss any from the list? Let us know down in the comments and we’ll add in to the list.
