A dartboard is a great addition to a den or games room or even in a garage for that matter if space inside at the house is at a premium. A good rule of thumb is to put a dartboard in a room that is at least 86″ high, 5′ wide and 11′ long (218 cm high, 152 cm wide and 335 cm long).
One question people on the hunt for a dartboard often ponder is whether to choose an electronic dartboard or an old style regular bristle dartboard that uses steel-tipped darts sharpened at the ends?
An electronic dartboard is a safer option for younger players and beginners and won’t damage the surrounding walls like a regular dartboard. A standard bristle dartboard that uses steel-tipped darts is the traditional and more common of the two styles likely to be found in tournaments.
Let’s compare electronic dartboards that use soft-tipped darts and traditional dartboards that use sharp, steel-tipped ones to see which one makes sense for you.
Electronic vs regular dartboard comparison
Electronic dartboards differ from old school bristle dartboards in a number of key ways:
| Electronic dartboard | Bristle dartboard | |
| Materials | Electronic dartboards are made largely from plastic. They have manufactured holes for the darts to land in since the darts used are soft. This style of dart is used for the electronic scoring feature to work. | The board isn’t actually made with bristle but from sisal fibers which comes from a plant. Sisal is also used in rope and twine among other uses and has the ability to repair the holes made by the darts. Cheaper boards may still be made from cork. Plastic and metal is also typically used in board manufacturing. New boards have no holes in them since holes are made once darts land on them. |
| Target market | Younger players and beginners. People who don’t want to manually score or use sharp darts. | Experienced players and those who want to play the traditional games of darts. |
| Safety | Safer as there are no sharp darts used, only soft-tipped one. | Less safe as darts are steel and sharp-tipped. |
| Size | Tournament standard is 15.5″ but you can find boards with playing areas of 13″ – 15.5″ in diameter. | Tournament size is an 18″ diameter board with a 15.5″ playing area |
| Durability | Since an electronic dartboard uses electronics, they can wear out or break. | Considered more durable since it’s more basic with no electronics involved. |
| Score keeping | Done electronically which is the main benefit of an electronic board. | Scoring is done manually by hand which is the traditional method. |
| Bounce outs | Not as big a problem as with early electronic dartboards. Darts generally remain in place once they hit the board. | Less likely as it really only happens if the dart hits a metal divider or if the dart isn’t thrown hard enough. |
| Unique benefits | Some electronic boards enable you to play against the computer without need for a human opponent. | Bristle dartboards are the traditional board used in tournaments and the ones likely to be found in bars, etc. |
Buying factors to keep in mind when choosing a dartboard
An electronic dartboard’s holes will eventually close over after being hit repeatedly and the board may need to be replaced after 2 or 3 years of regular use. This can make scoring more difficult and can eventually require replacement of the board once it affects gameplay.
An entry level bristle dartboard is cheaper to replace but may also last longer even with regular use as it doesn’t rely on any electronics or pre-fabricated holes like the electronic boards do. A benefit of a sisal board is that the holes can close over and effectively repair themselves to enable you to keep the board longer. A sisal dartboard may last 4-5 years or longer with regular use.
The only steel darts you can use on an electronic dartboards are darts with Bristle Tech surfaces. Otherwise your electronic dartboard set will come with soft-tipped darts made especially for that type of board.
When hanging your regular dartboard on a wall, remember that you or other players will eventually miss the target and hit the surrounding wall or floor and will cause damage over time. Walls can be heavily damaged after repeatedly being hit with steel-tipped darts.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, who is the main user of your dartboard? If you’re a beginner or have children who want to play, an electronic board to start with might make sense as it is safer, doesn’t cause wall damage and makes scoring easier.
If on the other hand you’d prefer to play traditional darts and maintain the score yourself, a sisal or bristle board should suffice. They also tend to be cheaper to buy than a comparable electronic board.