Short answer: The best dartboard for most players is a sisal bristle board with thin, staple-free wiring. For regular home play, choose a Winmau Blade 6, Mission Samurai 4 or Target Tor. For daily practice and competition, choose a multi-core board: the Blade 6 Triple Core or the PDC's Blade X.
By Andy Gibson · Updated 17 October 2026
Which dartboard should I buy?
Match the board to how often you play. Every board below is a full-size, steel tip bristle board and fits a standard surround, cabinet and light.
| Board | Sisal | Wiring | Number ring | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winmau Diamond Plus | Dense sisal, single core | Triangular wire, staple-free bull | Removable, anti-glare | First board, occasional games |
| Mission Samurai II | African sisal | Ultra-thin, staple-free | Removable | First board, occasional games |
| Goat Everscore NXT LVL | Madagascar sisal | Fine wire spider, no outer legs | Logo-free | Regular home play |
| Winmau Blade 6 | East African sisal, single core | Ultra-thin, 60° angle | Removable | Regular home play |
| Mission Samurai 4 | Vein-free Madagascan sisal | Ultra-thin knife wire | Symmetrical branding, reads the same when rotated | Regular play, league practice |
| Target Tor | Madagascan sisal | Low-profile stainless steel | 36XTEN: 10 positions, 36° apart | Regular play, league practice |
| Unicorn Eclipse Ultra 2.0 | Grade A Madagascan sisal | Black Venom razor-thin spider, anti-glare | Ultra-Vis: every number reads upright | Regular play, league practice |
| Winmau Blade 6 Dual Core | Softer outer core + high-density inner core | Ultra-thin, 60° angle | Removable | Weekly play, league practice |
| Winmau Blade 6 Triple Core | Dual Core + carbon-fibre-reinforced third layer | Staple-free, 60° angle | Laser-cut steel, rotatable | Daily practice, competition |
| Winmau Blade X | Layered "ProCore", 13% deeper sisal | Ultra-slim, 60° angle | Steel, rotates 360° on the wall | Competition; current PDC board |
Sources: Winmau, Mission, Target and Shot product information. No maker publishes bounce-out rates or sisal densities, so this guide doesn't quote them.
For a first board or occasional games
The Winmau Diamond Plus uses dense sisal, triangular wiring and a staple-free bullseye. The Mission Samurai II has ultra-thin, staple-free wiring angled so darts glance into the bed. Both are proper bristle boards that will outlast a cheap paper or cork board many times over.
For regular home play
This is where most players should buy. The Blade 6 introduces Winmau's ultra-thin wire angled at 60°, which deflects darts that clip it into a scoring bed rather than out of the board. The Samurai 4 uses vein-free Madagascan sisal and knife wire, and comes in white-spider and graphite-grey versions.
The Target Tor is WDF approved. Its 36XTEN number ring turns through 10 positions to spread wear, and the Peak-Fix bracket levels it on an uneven wall. The Unicorn Eclipse Ultra 2.0 has a black, anti-glare spider set 33% less deep than the previous generation, and a number ring that keeps every number upright. The Goat Everscore NXT LVL pairs Madagascar sisal with a fine spider that has no outer legs.
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For daily practice and competition
Multi-core boards split the sisal into layers: a softer face that lets the point in easily and a denser core behind it that grips the dart. That means fewer fallouts and a longer life. Winmau's Dual Core has two layers; the Triple Core adds a carbon-fibre-reinforced third layer and a rotatable steel number ring.
The Blade X has a sisal bed 13% deeper than the Triple Core, a steel number ring that rotates without taking the board off the wall, and a 5-year warranty. For the full Winmau line-up step by step, see Winmau Blade 6 vs Dual Core vs Triple Core vs Blade X.
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Blade 6 Triple Core Carbon - Dartboard
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What should you look for in a bristle dartboard?
- Sisal quality. Better boards use longer, denser sisal fibres. Makers name the source (Kenyan, East African, Madagascan) and, on multi-core boards, how the layers are built.
- Thin wire, no staples. The thinner the wire and the fewer staples holding it, the less metal a dart can hit.
- A rotating or symmetrical number ring. Turning the board spreads wear away from the 20. Rings that rotate, or branding that looks the same at any angle, make that easy.
- Mounting. A bracket that lets you rotate and level the board without taking it down saves time every few weeks.
What is a bristle dartboard, and is it really self-healing?
A bristle board is made of sisal, a fibre from the agave plant, compressed into a block and bonded to a backing board. When you pull a dart out, the fibres close back over the hole. That's what "self-healing" means, and it's why a sisal board lasts years with steel tip darts.
It isn't indestructible. The most-hit areas, the 20 and the bull, still wear. Keep the board dry: Winmau's setup instructions say never to wet or spray it.
Do thinner wires really reduce bounce-outs?
Yes. Less metal on the surface means fewer darts hit it. Shot's Bandit Gen 4, for example, uses a 0.8 mm knife wire it says gives 14% more playing area in each segment. Shape matters too: an angled or blade-shaped wire deflects a dart into a segment, while a round wire sits proud of the surface and turns more darts away. Staples holding the wire are one more thing to hit, which is why match boards are staple-free.
Which dartboard do the professionals use?
The Winmau Blade X has been the PDC's official stage board since January 2026. The Blade 6 Triple Core was the PDC board before it.
How high should a dartboard be, and how far is the throw line?
The centre of the bull is 1.73 m from the floor. The throw line (oche) is 2.37 m from the face of the board, measured along the floor, and the diagonal from the bull to the oche is 2.93 m. These are the measurements in Darts Australia's rules.
Measure the diagonal as a check: if both the height and the diagonal are right, the oche is in the right place. A dart mat with the oche printed on it or a laser oche sets the distance for you, and a surround protects the wall from misses.
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How often should you rotate your dartboard?
Every couple of weeks if you play most days. Remove or turn the number ring, rotate the board a few segments so the 20 bed moves to fresh sisal, and put the ring back with 20 at the top. Rotation doesn't help the bull, which always stays in the centre.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dartboard for home use?
A sisal bristle board with thin, staple-free wire. The Winmau Blade 6, Mission Samurai 4, Target Tor and Unicorn Eclipse Ultra 2.0 suit regular home play.
What dartboard does the PDC use?
The Winmau Blade X, since January 2026.
How high do you hang a dartboard?
1.73 m from the floor to the centre of the bull, with the oche 2.37 m from the face of the board.
How long does a bristle dartboard last?
Years, with regular rotation and no water on the sisal. Multi-core boards such as the Dual Core and Triple Core last longest under heavy use.
Is a more expensive dartboard worth it?
If you play most days, yes: multi-core sisal holds darts better and wears more slowly. For occasional games, an entry board does the job.
What does staple-free mean?
The wire spider is held without staples on the playing surface, so there is less metal for a dart to hit.
Do I need a dartboard surround?
If the board hangs on a wall you care about, yes. A surround catches the darts that miss the board and protects both the wall and your points.
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