If you’re in the market for a dartboard whether it be for your home, a bar or even an office break room, it’s important to understand that there are different options available. The bristle dartboard has always been the classic choice, but few individuals know what it really is, what it’s made out of or why it’s so beneficial. Learning about the bristle dartboard might help you make the right decision if you’re looking to buy a dartboard. Or perhaps it might help you appreciate equipment the next time you shoot a game at the local watering hole. ;)

The Bristle Dartboard

A bristle dartboard is made out of sisal fibers, it’s a tough, stiff fiber – perfect for dartboard making! The fiber is clumped together and compressed to a specific density, they’re then kept in place with steel bands and staples. The regulation size for a bristle dart board is 1.5 inches thick and 18 inches in diameter. A dartboard is divided into 20 wedged sections, numbered from 1 to 20, typically alternating in coloring from white to black or some variation thereof. The board has an outer ring worth double normal points, an inner ring worth triple the normal points, and a two-layer bulls-eye.

Caring for your Darts & Bristles

First of all, don’t get your dartboard wet and make sure you use some nice darts, steel tipped of course! A blunt dart will crush and harden your dartboard whereas a sharp dart will slice and cut the fiber instead of evenly spreading them apart like it’s supposed too. Dart tips that are too sharp will also burr easily which is never good. To check for burrs you can simply slide your finger alone the dart tip. If you’re dart is burred you will feel little sharp hooks that when pulled out of the board will tear and rip fibers out.

Compression Benefits

The compression of the sisal fibers in the bristle dart board make it self-healing, which means that when darts are removed from the board the fibers go back into place, leaving the dart board intact. A dart that strikes the board temporarily splits the fibers apart as opposed to pushing them inward or creating holes in the fibers themselves. These wonderful qualities also keep the dart in place after impact, ensuring proper scoring and a hassle-free game.

Metal Grids and Staples

One of the major problems with bristle dartboards was the metal grid, and the metal staples used to keep the grid flush against the sisal fibers. They broke darts, they broke hearts. High quality boards today have completely eliminated the metal staples, and have made the bands of the grid much smaller and less obtrusive. This improves scoring on darts which land close to the boundaries of different point lines, and also minimizes bounce backs from darts actually impacting on the metal as opposed to the board.

Dartboard History 101.

Nodor, a dart and dartboard manufacturing company were the first to have introduced the bristle dartboard made from sisal fibers. This was in the 1930s, and the company touts being “First and Still the Finest” as its official slogan. Nodor also led the pack with improvements upon the metal wiring and staples used in order to improve overall play, functionality and scoring. Nodor, along with Winmau and a handful of other companies, manufacture and distribute high quality bristle dartboards today.

Bristle Dartboard vs. Other Options

For an authentic game of darts, the bristle dart board remains the top option available. Electronic dart boards are commonly used and provide benefits such as automatic and instant score keeping, as well as a variety of included games. These are perfect for offices and work related places where a misplaced dart could have some bad consequences. The problem with them is that the darts used and the board itself limits the quality of play. Other materials can be used for traditional dart boards, but bristle dartboards are generally the most durable and the highest quality.

In summary

  • Buy a bristle dartboard if you’re looking to have an authentic dart experience.
  • Buy an electronic dart board if you’re in a place where darts are a bad idea.
  • Make sure you care for your dartboard and your darts – remember to not get it wet.
  • Have fun playing darts!

P.S! A last tip, rotate the dart board regularly if you’re not keeping score – it will even out the wear and keep it looking like new for longer!