Best Dart Board To Buy in 2020 (Reviews)

The game of darts is best enjoyed playing with your mates, sipping your favorite beer at the local bar. But driving down to the local bar every time isn't possible. And not to mention if you're new to the game, it can be quite embarrassing playing with more advanced players in a public setting. But then there is nothing stopping you from getting your very own dart board, isn't it? You can practice and play whenever and however you want, right from the comfort of your game. Who knows, you might be the next Michael van Gerwen in the making!

Moreover, darts is extremely fun and engaging, perfect for any rec or game room. It's also relatively cheaper in comparison to other games and is suitable for players of all ages and skill levels. 

But choosing the best dart board for your needs can be quite an overwhelming task. Bristle, electronic, magnetic, or paper coiled, there are different types of darts boards available across all sorts of price ranges, making the selection process tricky.

But don't worry, I've got you covered. I've been playing darts for more than a decade and have tried and tested most of the popular boards out there. From popular brands like Winmau or Unicorn to budget brands like Viper or Hathway, I've played on most of them.

So, here I present to you my top 5 picks for best dart boards for the money!

Few things to keep in mind:

• If you're looking for a professional quality dart board, choose a bristle board.
• If safety is important, choose a soft tip dart board.
• If you're a beginner or you're worried about the damaging your wall, buy a dart board with a cabinet or backboard.

Our Top Picks for the Best Dart Boards

If you're in the market for your first dart board, you're definitely going to be overwhelmed with the vast range of options. If you've owned one before, you should be extra cautious in choosing a quality board. It's important to make an informed decision. While all the dart boards that we've recommended are excellent choices in their segment, but if you would like to know how did we arrive at the selection, this guide is for you.

In this buyer's guide, we've covered everything there is to know about dart boards and how to choose one which meets your requirements.

Steel Tip Vs. Soft Tip

OK, so the first choice you need to make is what type of darts do you intend to play with? You have two options: Steel and Soft tip. 

Steel tip, as the name implies, comes with a sharp steel tip that sinks in the dartboard easily. On the other hand, soft tip darts are made of softer materials like polycarbonate and plastic. They can be used in both bristle and electronic dart boards.

Generally, Steel tip is a standard for serious competitive play. But this does not mean soft darts are inferior. In fact, the skill and technique required for both are exactly the same. It's a matter of preference. Some like the feel of steel darts while some like the safety element of soft darts.

One thing to note here is that you can use both soft and steel darts on a bristle board, but you can't use steel darts on electronic boards. The only downside of soft tip darts is that they may break easily, but they're cheaper to replace.

Which one should you choose? It boils down to your preference. If you're a traditionalist, choose steel darts. But if you would like to try newer darts that are compatible with all types of boards, choose soft tip darts. Generally, for home usage, soft darts should suffice.

Risk of Injury

Darts is more or less a safe game. The chances of injuries are rare, and that only happens when someone does something very stupid. And what when it happens, the injury can be severe.

So if you've kids, ask them not to stray around when you and mates are playing darts. To be on the safer side, you can use soft darts instead of steel tip darts. Soft darts come with plastic top and thus significantly reduce any chance of injury. The good thing is you can use a soft tip dart on a bristle dartboard, but you can't use a steel tip dart on a soft tip dartboard. Moreover, steel and soft tip darts play almost similarly, and you won't find much difference in performance.

Usage

What's your current skill level? Are you just starting or you're more of an experienced player? Do you intend to allow your kids to play darts as well?

Answering these questions would help pinpoint what type of dart board you should go for.

Recreational/Casual Play: If you just want to play socially with family and friends, you don't need the best dart board. You need a board that plays decent and is priced affordably. You should be ideally looking for a bristle dartboard if your budget permits. You can get a decent one under $50 price range.

Serious/Competitive Play: If you're looking for a board to practice and play serious matches with your pals, you need a high-quality board. You should look for a pro-quality bristle board with a razor-wire spider. Keep a budget of $80 to $150. These boards are very durable and can last a long time if cared for properly.

Kids might also play: If you indent to play with kids, we suggest going for a magnetic dart board instead of the normal ones. The reason is the risk of injury. Traditional darts, both soft and steel, have a sharp tip, which may pose a risk of injury for your young one. Don't spend more than $30 on such a unit. Kids more often than not can get aggressive, and you already how that pans out.

Type Of Dart Boards

How to Spot a Quality Dartboard:

This is pretty straightforward. The one with the thinnest wire or spider is more likely of higher quality. The wire divides the board into 20 radial sections. On boards with thicker wire, the chances of darts hitting the wire and bouncing out are higher. On thinner, triangular, or embedded razor wire, this is vastly reduced.

Design & Construction

<Size>

As per official rules set forth by the World Dart Association, a hard tip dart board must be 17-3/4" in diameter from edge to edge. The actual playing area must be 13-1/4" in diameter.

For soft tip 15-1/2" board is the regulation size of which 15" is the playing area. 

You should ideally be looking for a regulation size board unless you're constrained on space. This would let you play and train seriously if you ever want to.

In smaller boards, you would need to throw the darts from a shorter distance to compensate for the smaller board size.

<Material>

Dartboards can be made of different materials, from plastic to cork and everything in between. The material ultimately decides how long the dartboard will last. A sturdy material like wood may look like a great choice, but actually, it isn't. It's too stiff for the darts and would easily damage the tips of the darts.

When it comes to hard tip dart boards, there is no material better than the Sisar fibers. They're very durable and easier to maintain. No wonder, they have been the material of choice for over 90 years. But not all sisal board are equal. You should be looking for a dense board with at least 1.5" to 2" Sisal fibers. An excellent way to check the density of the board is to check the weight of the board. The heavier board mostly means the fibers are more densely packed. 

Wood or cork are also often used, but they result in average to below-par performance.

For soft tip dart boards like an electronic one, nylon plastic or thermoplastic is the preferred material. They're very sturdy and stiff and will last you a long time.

Round vs. Square holes in electronic boards: This is a common debate as to which types of holes are better round or square. Personally, I like square holes as it gives more surface area for the tip to sink into. Moreover, in circular holes, the chances of bounce-outs are higher.

Another common material is the tightly rolled paper. They are more suited for kids to play with and aren't durable.

<Spider>

The radial wiring that divides different sections on the board is referred to as the Spider. It's a visual marker, helping players clearly identify different sections. Besides dividing the board, the wiring also deflects the darts onto the scoring area. 

The wires are either stapled or embedded directly on the board. 

90% of the bounce out that occurs is due to the dart hitting the Spider. That's why, for a professional dart board, a staple less embedded razor or triangular Spider is preferred. Additionally, thinner spider results in larger sections allowing you to group darts more comfortably.

<Brackets>

The brackets are the most overlooked part of the board, but they're also very crucial. Not only should it sturdily hang the board but also make it convenient to rotate the board when needed. Always check if the manufacturer includes spring clips with the brackets or not. Spring clips are installed on the backing to prevent the board from wobbling and shaking. 

<Rotatable marking points>

As we've already mentioned, to maintain a bristle board spick and span, you need to rotate the board regularly. But when you do so, the corresponding metal markers at the top would also go up or down depending on which way you rotate it. If you don't know, the 20 should always be at the top and 3 at the bottom. 

All dart boards come with a removable scorer. Once you have rotated the board, you can mount the marker in such a way that 20 is at the top. Do check about the quality of the wire. You should look for high gauge wire, which does not bend easily. 

<Ink Quality>

The red and green sections on the board should be clearly visible for easy spotting and low glare. So it's crucial that the board retain its color throughout its lifespan. Generally, food-grade ink is used on quality boards, and this is what you should be looking for.

Do's & Don'ts while mounting a Dart board