Best Self-Healing Dartboards of 2022 (A Complete Guide)

What is the worst thing about darts?

Well, that sooner or later you will have to change your dartboard. It will wear out no matter what you do.

And I am the kind of person that wears a pair of shoes until they start falling apart (if I like them!). Unfortunately, the same holds true for my dartboard.

This is why a self-healing dartboard is a must-have. Especially if you are like me, or if you are just looking for a dartboard that you know will last you a long time.

Here are the best self-healing dartboards at a glance:

Brand and Model	Size	Level	More Information
Winmau Diamond Plus Tournament Bristle Dartboard	17.75″	Beginners to Advanced	Check Current Price on Amazon
Winmau Blade 5 Bristle Dartboard	17.75″	Beginners to Advanced	Check Current Price on Amazon
Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core Bristle Dartboard	17.72″	Beginners to Advanced	Check Current Price on Amazon
Nodor SupaBull2 Bristle Dartboard	17.75″	Beginners	Check Current Price on Amazon
IgnatGames Professional Dart Board	18″	Beginners to Advanced	Check Current Price on Amazon

The Best Self-Healing Dart Boards

Winmau Diamond Plus Tournament Bristle Dartboard

Winmau is one of the top dartboard manufacturers today. And this dartboard is living proof of it.

This dartboard brings to the table everything that you may possibly need from a dartboard.

It is made from high-quality sisal fibers with just the right thickness allowing the darts to sink in the board, creating that amazing thudding sound.

The design is excellent too, the sloped spiders and the staple-free bulls area all, are allowing for a very few bounce-outs.

The self-healing capabilities of this board are as good as they come.

Overall this is one beautiful dartboard that is unbeatable in this category. The price may seem a little higher, but it is well worth it.

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Winmau Blade 5 Bristle Dartboard

The Winmau Blade 5 is another high-quality dartboard that has excellent self-healing capabilities.

It is a worthy successor of the Blade 4, which again was a great dartboard.

The wiring on the Blade 5 is extra thin, and the angle of the blades has been reduced significantly.

Many dart players will love, as this allows for fewer bounce-outs during play.

This dartboard is easy to mount and allows for easy rotation and adjustment.

Although the higher price it is a very professional looking dartboard that makes playing darts on it super satisfying.

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Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core Bristle Dartboard

The Blade 5 Dual Core is a dartboard that definitely deserves some attention.

Winmau did a great job here. This board is as good as they come.

But what is this Dual Core? And should you care?

Well, the idea is that there are two layers.

• The surface layer has lower compression levels, which leads to better penetration, thus less bounce-outs; and
• The second layer is built with higher density, which gives the board better durability.

The wiring is made in such a way as to provide you with the best possible scoring area.

The board is easy to install, mount, and rotate.

The board has a very good healing capability, and when coupled with how easy it is to rotate the board, this grants for a board that can last a really long time.

Not to mention that the BDO endorses it.

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Unicorn Eclipse Pro Bristle Dartboard

Unicorn is a brand that is well-known for producing high-quality dartboards. In fact, you may have seen the Unicorn dartboards being used on TV.

This dartboard is fun to play on.

The wiring is entirely staple-free, which means more scoring area and fewer bounce-outs.

The board is made of high-quality sisal fibers that have superb self-healing capabilities.

The numbers ring is detachable; that way, you can easily rotate the dartboard and give the different sections of the board more time to heal.

The Unicorn Eclipse Pro dartboard is PDC endorsed.

This is the older model, and very cheap and affordable; definitely great value here.

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Nodor SupaBull2 Bristle Dartboard

Nodor delivers a very affordable beginner-friendly dartboard that also packs some self-healing capabilities.

The SupaBull2 comes with a rotatable numbers ring, which will allow you to rotate the dartboard as often as you find fit. This will give the sisal fibers enough time to recover and begin to heal.

The wire is not the best, but it is not bad either. You may experience some occasional bounce-outs with it, but nothing too worrying or excessive.

The numbers may be a little too hard to read sometimes, but overall this is a dartboard of good quality which is made to last.

And it is also endorsed by the ADO.

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Rally and Roar Bristle Dart Board

This dartboard is built with quality African sisal fibers, which allow it to have very good self-healing capabilities. This board is built to last.

The wiring is thin, which will result in more enjoyable plays due to the lower bounce-outs. The wiring is also galvanized. This means that it will not rust or corrode.

This board brings a lot to the table at a very low price. Almost deceivingly low. But nonetheless, it plays much like some other much more expensive dartboards.

The board comes with the necessary mounting hardware, and it is easy to set up and mount.

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Viper Shot King Regulation Bristle Steel Tip Dartboard

Viper is a well-known manufacturer in the darts community. They have been producing a wide variety of different dartboards.

And here we have the Shot King, which is one of their more popular dartboards. And rightfully so.

First, let me start by mentioning that this dartboard comes with two sets of steel tip darts.

I am focusing on this because the majority of the other boards usually do not include any darts. And people often get very disappointed when they find out that they have a high-quality dartboard but cannot play it.

Anyways back on topic.

This board is made from compressed sisal fibers, which give it good durability and lifetime.

The ring number is rotatable, which is standard, and you will be able to rotate the board with ease. This will allow the sisal fibers to have enough time to heal.

With that being said, although the dartboard itself is of very high quality, the self-healing is average at best.

If you want a board that has good self-healing capabilities, you may want to take a look at some of the other ones on this list. That being said, this board (including the steel tip darts) is as cheap as they get.

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SHOT TAKER CO. EST. 2017 Professional Dartboard

This dartboard from SHOT TAKER is marketed as a self-healing dartboard, so I decided to take a look at it.

Overall it is a good mid-range dartboard that is offered at a very affordable price.

Unlike the rest of the dartboards on this list, this one appears to be made from rice straw. It comes with a removable ring so you can easily rotate the dartboard as often as you like in order to give it enough time to heal.

The self-healing capabilities of rice straw will not be as good as some of the higher quality sisal fibers. Overall the self-healing is not great but not too bad either.

The paint leaves much to be desired. It seems to be a bit thick, which can take some time to break in.

The wiring is staple free and very thin, so you will experience fewer bounce-outs.

This is a dartboard that is recommended for casual players.

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Viper Razorback Official Competition Self-Healing Sisal Board

The Razorback is another very popular dartboard model by Viper.

The quality of the dartboard is great, and it seems like a very durable product that will last quite a while.

But what about the self-healing? After all, this is what we are interested in here.

It is marketed as a self-healing dartboard; however, the quality and speed of the healing are not the greatest.

Definitely better than some run of the mill and super cheap dartboards but not at the level some other dartboards are.

The self-healing capabilities definitely leave much to be desired. Overall a very decent dartboard that comes at a very affordable price.

Click Here to Check the Current Price on Amazon

How to Choose the Best Self-Healing Dartboard

There are a few different things that you need to know and keep in mind.

• One of the first things you want to check is the wiring. Ideally, you want to make sure that the wiring is as thing as possible. Today almost all manufacturers use thin “blade” wiring, which drastically reduces the number of bounce-outs.
• A staple-free bull’s area is a must-have too.
• It would be best if you had a dartboard with a removable numbers ring. The majority of the quality dartboards have it, and it is a must-have if you want your dartboard to last a long time. The reason being is a removable numbers ring will allow you to rotate your dartboard.
• For the best visibility and feel of the board, you want it to be painted with food-grade ink. (after all, you will be touching it with your hands!)
• You want a quality dartboard wall bracket that will allow you to mount, rotate, and remove the dartboard easily.
• Warranty! Do not forget to check the warranty on the dartboard. How long it is, and what exactly is it that it covers. Even with well-tested and well-known brands, lemons can be found, so you need to be sure your back is covered.

For more information, feel free to check my article about things that you want to look for when buying a dartboard.

How to Maintain a Self-Healing Dartboard

One of the first rules of dartboard club is always rotate your dartboard.

Depending on how often you play, you may need to rotate your board every few days or at least once a week or so.

Start turning your board clockwise and go for the next black and red for the twenty. That way, you will give each section enough time to heal properly. And the better player you are, the more often you may need to do it.

Alternatively, you can regularly turn and replace the number 20 section with the number 8 section. That way grants you an easy way to spread out the wear.

Always twist the darts loose as you take them. Do not pull as that way you high a high chance of pulling the sisal fibers out as well.

Also, keep your steel tip darts sharpened.

Unfortunately, a lot of dartboards have been completely destroyed due to bad steel-tip darts that have been pulled out from the board.

Every now and then, inspect the surface of the dartboard. If you happen to notice any sisal fibers protruding, make sure to push them back in.

Make sure to keep the environment clean. Use some sanitizing wet wipes when you are playing.

Do not spray your dartboard with water, this is something that I hear frequently, and it is not a good practice if you want to keep playing on your dartboard.

Additionally, make sure to keep the dartboard away from humidity and water.

What Does Self-Healing Mean?

Self-healing is a unique feature of the majority of the high-quality dartboards.

The dartboards that possess this ability are the ones made from quality sisal fibers. But there can be exceptions.

Self-healing is the ability of the dartboard, or sisal fibers, to be more precise, to begin closing the gaps created from the darts hitting the board.

This is a somewhat slow process. It does not happen immediately and goes hand in hand with active and continuous playing. If you ever needed a reason to play darts, well, now you have one more!

Self-healing dartboards will begin closing the holes created by the darts, but this does not mean that the dartboard will look like brand new. The will be some signs left of the gaps; this is unavoidable.

However, a dartboard that is able to self-heal is going to be much more long-lasting than one that does not.

So self-healing is not just about appearances or aesthetics but durability and value. With a high-quality self-healing dartboard, you will be able to get more bang for your buck.

How Long Does It Take for the Dartboard to Heal?

The holes left by the darts will gradually close and “heal”.

It takes time for the healing process to happen; this time usually varies depending on the environment and how frequently you play.

Contrary to what many may think the more you play, the better the healing will be as this helps the sisal fibers to move and adjust.

However, with that being said, self-healing dartboards do not fully heal.

Self-healing allows for the board to have a lot longer life, but it will gradually start to wear out with time.

Some dart holes will gradually fill up and even disappear while others may still be present even if slightly less prominent than before.

Sisal fiber dartboards also have cracks. These cracks can be a concern to new darts players; however, the cracks are perfectly natural, and they are a sign of a good quality dartboard. Of course, there are certain exceptions to the rule.

For more information, check out my article about “Why do dartboards have cracks?“

What Is the Best Brand of Self-Healing Dartboards

I have to admit it.

I was expecting something a lot different. But here we go.

The number one spot for the best brand of self-healing dartboards has to be the Winmau.

Granted, their boards are noticeably more expensive compared to the competition, but this again is the reason why their boards perform so well.

If you will be buying a self-healing dartboard Winmau has everything you could possibly need.

Then at a close second comes Unicorn.

And in the third position, I place everybody else, including Viper.

I was expecting more from Viper. It seems they are really trying to push the self-healing aspect of their boards, but there is still much to be desired.

Nonetheless, I will be keeping a close eye on them for the future.

Are Cheap Self-Healing Dartboards Worth It?

After doing my extensive research and reviews, I have to say that with dartboards, you get what you pay for.

But isn’t that the case with almost everything?

You cannot really expect a cheap dartboard to have as good and quick self-healing as some of the higher-quality and denser dartboards.

Granted, self-healing takes time to kick in, even some of the best self-healing dartboards out there in the very beginning can look like a piece of Swiss cheese, but the quality of the fiber used and the level of compression is just too important.

The self-healing capability of cheaper and lower-quality dartboards is just not satisfactory.

Especially if you are buying a self-healing dartboard.

If you are buying just an ordinary dartboard, then that would probably not matter as much, but this is not what we are doing here.

Lower quality dartboards will begin to heal with time, but the healing is slow to happen, and usually, the dart holes do not close a lot (maybe by half?).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best quality self-healing dartboard?

Based on my research, the best quality self-healing dartboard on the market right now is the Winmau Diamond Plus Tournament Bristle Dartboard, followed by the Blade 5, and the Blade 5 Dual Core.

Are self-healing dartboards expensive?

Self-healing dartboards are not necessarily expensive. However, you do get what you pay for, and a less expensive dartboard will not heal in the same way as a more expensive dartboard will. Self-healing dartboards usually cost between $50 to $80.

What should I look for in a self-healing dartboard?

The first thing you need to consider is the quality of the bristle fibers and how compacted they are. The density and quality of the sisal fibers will determine the quality and speed of the dartboard’s healing capabilities.

What is a self-healing dartboard?

Self-healing dartboards are made from condensed and tightly packed sisal fibers. The best quality self-healing dartboards are made from African sisal. These are the dartboards that can be seen on TV and championships.

How long do self-healing dartboards last?

Self-healing dartboards can last between 2 to 3 years if properly looked after and maintained. For a self-healing dartboard to last longer, you need to rotate it frequently so the different segments of the board can have enough time to heal.

What are professional dartboards made of?

Professional dartboards (the ones that pros play on TV) are made from high-quality sisal fibers. Sisal fibers have a unique capability of “healing”; in other words, the holes created from the darts will start to gradually close the more the dartboard is played on.

How do I care for a self-healing dartboard?

To keep your dartboard in good shape, make sure to frequently rotate it so the different sections on the board can heal. Also, make sure to use only quality and well-sharpened steel-tip darts.