When looking at images of the best dartboards online, they all seem fairly similar, with the only visible difference often being the brand logos on the outside. However, there are some key differences between brands and models of dartboards, which is why some are far more expensive than others. This dartboard review discusses options from the top three brands.
The phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ is partly true when it comes to dartboards, but it is important to have a good idea of the options before purchasing your first dartboard, as some brands are better regarded than others.
There are three major brands of dartboards that are commonly used around the world: Winmau, Unicorn and Target. To get the best out of these boards, it is important to use a surround, lighting system and oche line to make the most out of the boards. The best darts brand all produce boards to the regulations outlined in the darts rules used by the major organisations.
WINMAU Dartboard Review
Winmau have one of the most positive reputations, with their boards known to be high-quality and last for a long time even when their users are playing darts daily. The Professional Darts Corporation, which is known as the PDC and is the most famous world darts organisation and tournament promoter in the world, have used Winmau’s Blade 6 Triple Core dartboard in all of their matches and tournaments since the start of 2022.
Winmau’s Blade 6 series has three different models, with the standard Blade 6, as well as the Blade 6 Dual Core and the Blade 6 Triple Core. Each of these boards comes in at a different price, as the extra cores make the boards last longer. The standard Blade 6 comes in at around £50 (US$56), whilst the Blade 6 Dual Core costs around £65 (US$75) and the Blade 6 Triple Core costs approx £79 (US$89)
The standard Blade 6 features ‘density control’ ultra-thin wires that help to reduce the number of bounce-outs in the critical scoring zones. The board is also made of high-quality and high-visibility sisal, and it features a rota-lock mounting system that keeps the board strongly against the wall.
The Dual Core also has all of these features, as well as its extra core, which allows the outer core to facilitate smooth dart entry, and the inner core to absorb any excess energy to help reduce the chance of a bounce out and maximise durability.
If you plan on using the board fairly regularly, it may be worth the extra £15 to ensure that it stays in a good condition for as long as possible.
The Blade 6 Triple Core is used by the top professional players, as it is Winmau’s highest-quality board. The third layer leads to even fewer bounce-outs and makes the board even more durable, and the base layer is reinforced with carbon fibre. The Triple Core also has a laser-cut anti-glare number ring that is easy to see and helps to improve focus and comes with a spirit level. Despite being relatively expensive, each of Winmau’s boards are high-quality, as the three different prices reflect a slight increase in quality and durability.
Winmau also sell a Champions Choice board, which sells for around £54 (US$62) and is used to train players as the segments are 50% of the standard size.
They also manufacture the Green Zone board, which was developed with the Junior Darts Corporation to help with the development of young players.
UNICORN Dartboards
Unicorn are another famous dartboard manufacturer. They produced the boards that were used in all of the televised PDC events between 1997 and 2022.
The best board in their current range is the Eclipse Ultra, which retails for around £75 ($US85). The board features the ‘Ultra Spider’, a wire system that takes up 33% less space in the trebles, doubles and bullseye. The sisal, which is what the board is made of, is processed and finished in a unique way in order to improve the recovery and durability of the board. The board also features the ‘Ultra-Vis’ number ring which helps to provide additional clarity. The board also has a stable-free construction, giving players the best chance at avoiding bounce-outs.
Unicorn also still sell the Eclipse HD 2 model, which was the last Unicorn model to be used in PDC events, for around £60 (US$68). This board, much like the Eclipse Ultra, features a matte black number ring to reduce distractions, as well as an interchangeable number system.
Unicorn boards do have a fairly bad reputation due to the regularity of bounce-outs when they were used in PDC games, but when tested they seem to perform well, and they do seem to justify the price. It is worth having a look at some of the buyer reviews on Amazon before purchasing to make sure it will work for you.
Unicorn also sells an Eclipse HD Trainer board which has smaller segments, as well as Smartboards which track and automatically score darts using an app.
TARGET Dartboards
Target, who are primarily known for its line of pro-player darts, also has several dartboards on offer. Their best board is the Aspar, which retails for around £53 (US$60). The Aspar has a very unique minimalist numbering system, which allows players to fully focus on the doubles.
The graphics on the board are also symmetrical, meaning that the board can be rotated and look exactly the same. Board rotation can help players to make their boards last longer, and the board can be rotated to switch the 20 segment, which is the most hit, so each of the segments gets a similar amount of use. The numbers are also positioned in a way in which they are always sitting upright. The Aspar also has an enhanced colour scheme which is vibrant and consistent, due to the multi-colour printing process that Target use in production.
Target also sell their Pro Tour board, which retails for around £48 (US$54). It uses Smart Edge Technology, meaning that the wires are 35% thinner than on conventional boards, increasing the target areas and maximising a player’s average. The Pro Tour board uses a traditional number ring, but it is anti-glare so that lights do not make it distracting.
Target’s cheapest dartboard, which is a low-quality board, is the World Champion board, which retails for £31 (US$35). Target are not known for their boards, but they have got some great reviews and are good value.
I hope you have enjoyed this review and it helps you with your next dartboard purchase. Please note that prices indicated are at the time of writing.. so jump into the online store through Amazon and check out current equipment and pricing. Amazon pricing will tend to be a bit cheaper than I have indicated above. Both UK and US stores are available here.
Thank you for sharing this article. Hope to buy soon dart like this.