Dartboards

A dartboard takes far more punishment than the darts thrown at it. Every dart lands in the same bed of bristle, and the treble 20 and the doubles you practise on wear first. Each page here gathers the manufacturer's specifications, a price band checked against more than one UK retailer, and what owners report about bounce-outs, wear and how the board holds up after months of play.

Bristle boards differ most in their sisal and their wiring. Sisal is a natural plant fibre that closes back up after a dart is pulled out, and denser grades, such as East African sisal, are generally rated the most durable. Thinner wiring leaves less metal for a dart to hit, so modern boards use slim or blade-style wires, and a staple-free bullseye removes the raised staples that cause bounce-outs around the bull.

How long a board lasts depends as much on you as on the board. A rotatable number ring lets you turn the board so the most-used beds get a rest: our best dartboards guide suggests every four to six weeks if you play a few times a week, and every week or two if you practise daily.

For a shortlist by budget, start with the best dartboards, or see how two of Winmau's best-known boards compare in Blade X vs Blade 6 Triple Core. Once yours arrives, how to set up a dartboard covers the official height and throwing distance, and a board light gets rid of the shadows your darts cast.