Anyone who plays darts knows that Winmau is a reputable name. Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned player, owning the right dartboard is essential if you want to improve your play!
That’s why so many players turn to the Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core, it offers an advantage over the competition and takes the game of darts to a whole new level.
Below we’ve shared our thoughts of the popular Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core dartboard to highlight what makes it such a popular choice for darts enthusiasts alike.
Continue reading for an in-depth look at the aspects which make this a must-have board for players of all skill levels.
Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core Dartboard
It can be tough finding a quality dartboard that encourages better game play. That’s where Winmau steps up; as mentioned, Winmau is a trusted name among the darting community, and for good reason!
With over 70-years of experience, Winmau Dartboards far superseded any rival companies’ designs.
The Blade 5 Dual Core is a worthy upgrade to its renowned predecessor, the Winmau Blade 4. It offers some awesome functional enhancements and delivers on the quality expected of the Winmau line.
Features we Liked:
- Two layers of Sisal bristle fiber
- Reduced wire thickness and increased UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength)
- Additional 6mm surface in double scoring zones
- Extra 9mm surface in triple scoring zones
- Reduced bounce-outs
Now that you have an idea what the Winmau Blade 5 is all about, you probably want to know more about it’s unique features.
Below we’ve thoroughly reviewed every part of what makes this board a great purchase for a player of any level of ability. The following is an in-depth look at the features and benefits it has to offer.
Innovative Dual-Core System
The dual-core system is something unique to the Blade 5. This incredible design feature helps to reduce surface resistance and therefore reduces bounce outs, resulting in higher scores! Who doesn’t want that?
How it works is quite simple;
Firstly, a board needs to combine soft bristle with highly compressed material. Doing this gives you the kind of penetration and longevity required.
The Winmau’s dual-core system does just that, providing a softer first layer and densely compressed inner layer. The result: excellent penetration for smoother hits and a harsh inner layer that keeps the board in top shape for longer.
5th Generation Blade Technology (Wiring Improvements)
Highlights:
- Increased scoring area
- +6mm per treble zone
- +9mm per double zone
- 10% thinner radial wire (run across the board)
- 20% thinner dynamic sector wire (wires which surround trebles and double zones)
- 20% increased UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength)
On top of the added style features, Winmau has also worked to improve finer details, such as the wiring, boasting the thinnest, most durable wiring available. With the Blade 5 Dual Core, they’ve thinned down the width of their wiring to increase the double scoring zones as much as 9mm, and the treble zones a further 6mm!
It goes without saying, but these changes will help to reduce bounce outs considerably, making this board the ideal choice for beginners.
Further to reducing the overall thickness of the wiring, Winmau has implemented the innovative trick of angling the wiring to help darts hit the bristle, improving the chances of your darts sticking further, and reducing bounce outs. In comparison to the Blade 4, with a wiring degree of 90-degrees, the Blade 5 Dual Core now boasts just a 60-degree angle, they have drastically adjusted the angle to 60-degrees. This adjustment results in improved strength and far fewer bounce-outs.
Triple Lock Mounting System
Securing your dartboard to the wall is harder than it sounds, especially if it’s your first time. Trust me. Most options are too complicated and never seem to stay in place properly. Plus, when your dart hits a board that’s too rigid, it will merely bounce out.
Whereas, if the board moves, it can throw you off completely. These hurdles make it challenging to hang a dartboard in a way that promotes the best game experience.
However, with the Winmau Blade 5, it has an innovative triple locking system (shown above). This unique feature ensures that your board is always perfectly centered and never loses its position. It keeps the board flush and correctly fastened to the wall, no matter the surface.
Target Area and Dimensions
Winmau’s Blade 5 Dual Core dartboard offers a regulation-size 18-inch diameter. So, the next time your friends are over for a game, it will be like you’re playing in a real-life tournament!
It’s 13.5-inch target area includes an extra 6mm’s in the doubles and 9mm’s in the triples. As we mentioned earlier, the thinner wiring allows for more space in these critical areas and improves your chance of landing your shot.
The Blade 5 has dimensions of 17.7 x 17.7 x 1.5-inches, making it easy to incorporate in any area of your home. It’s standard size fits most dartboard cabinets so you can hang it in style if you prefer.
Materials Used
This dartboard has double layers of Sisal bristle fiber. Sisal is a fiber taken from leaves of the sisal plant. These fibers are long-lasting and biodegradable. They also have the ability of self-healing dart holes. Like magic!
Sisal fibers have natural anti-static properties that prevent a build-up of lint and dust particles. They also provide superior sound and impact absorption. Using a sisal dartboard evidently means better protection for your walls and reduced noise.
This material is a must for any dartboard because it won’t show dart holes. These fibers close on their own once darts are removed.
Winmau chose densely packed East African sisal for the Blade 5 Dual Core. These are the highest quality available and make a world of difference in terms of game play.
Color and Appearance
This dartboard offers vibrant colors that gives this board that extra look of a high quality dartboard.
Plus, from the practical side of things, the colors of your board make a big difference as they help make it easier to see target areas. If the square is too bright, it can disrupt your aim! (at least that’s my excuse).
Price and value
Winmau dartboards are always available for a reasonable price. Which is what makes it an affordable choice for beginners or those on a budget.
However, any additional equipment you require, would need to be bought separately, such as a cabinet, wall protector, or dart mat.
Though, considering the high quality of this board, you’re still getting great value for money!
Is This Dartboard Family-Friendly?
Unfortunately, we feel that this board isn’t the best for family fun! As it works best with steel-tip darts, which aren’t something you’d want small children handling. If you want to give your kids the best start with darts, we’d recommend an electronic dartboard which everyone can enjoy, safely.
Can you Use this Board at Home?
Absolutely! The Blade 5 is perfect for use at home, at the bar and in pubs! It’s really easy to hang and fits perfectly with most dartboard cabinets for that more stylish look.
As mentioned, there’s nothing complicated about mounting this board (even I could do it!). Trust me, it’ll prove to be a ideal choice for your games room or man cave.
The Downsides
Again I’ve struggled to find any fault with this board so far, and so have my friends. However, upon reading Amazon reviews from previous buyers there are a few mentions of color fading, which I suppose you can come to expect after years of regular use. Also, depending on where your board is hung. Of course, the best way to protect your board from fading is by using it indoors only! Don’t play outside at all. Exposure to any weather conditions will accelerate fading.
If you keep it hung inside in balanced temperatures, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Any exposure to weather like rain or snow will make the color fading worse! Whereas, if you hang the board in a cool room with humid air, it won’t be bothered at all.
Final Thoughts
Considering all aspects of the Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core, it’s safe to say that this is one stellar dartboard! It offers an attractive target area with bright cololurs that make it look that bit more impressive.
The double layers of sisal fiber heal up instantaneously so you won’t have to worry about unsightly holes from regular use.
Playing with the Blade 5 is an improvement over most other dartboards we’re had the pleasure of testing; with the increased percentage of landed shots and reduced bounce outs, it really proves to be an ideal choice for players of every level.
For us, Winmau is a brand that seems to continuously impresses with its constant innovation, and this board is the perfect example of that.
No matter how skilled you are, the dartboard you use will have a significant impact on your game. That’s why we’d recommend choosing a high-quality one like the Blade 5.
