There are still many myths and misconceptions about dartboards . Many beginners are often looking for a cork dartboard because they have heard this term somewhere in connection with darts.
But be careful! A cork dartboard has nothing to do with a steel dartboard as we know it. We would like to answer the following initial question in this blog post and shed some light on it: Dartboard made of cork or sisal?
We give the answer and also explain why we recommend a dartboard made of sisal fibers . The material is the deciding factor when it comes to the dart board.
Dartboard made of sisal or cork? We explain the difference
Unfortunately, even after years, there is still a big mistake on the Internet and in wording. The mistake we are referring to is that beginners often confuse a dartboard made of cork with a real dartboard made of sisal fibers .
Any dart player who has been around for a while will probably have the hairs on the back of their necks standing up at this point. But the problem seems to be bigger than even we previously assumed.
Especially on the Internet, a lot of people are looking for a dartboard made of cork, but they actually mean the classic tournament board with sisal fibers, as you know from the broadcasts of the PDC tournaments .
But what exactly is the difference?
A cork dartboard is ultimately a completely different product than a steel dartboard made of sisal fibers. Because a dartboard made of cork is usually of low quality .
This is particularly due to the fact that a dart board made of cork usually only lasts a few days or weeks before it gives up the ghost. With a cork dartboard, you usually throw your darts at a relatively thin disc .
Although the darts usually stay in the dartboard, if you then pull the darts out, you will notice that the holes remain . And this in turn means that a field is no longer usable after a few throws .
For example, if you just want to try out whether darts are something for you, then it might make sense to get such an inexpensive cork board .
The price of a cork dartboard is usually only a fraction of what you would spend on a decent dartboard made with sisal fibers.
Infobox: A dartboard made of cork is something for complete beginners who are not yet sure whether darts are generally for them. A dartboard made of sisal fibers, on the other hand, is used by anyone who even does darts as a hobby .
Why sisal fibers are significantly better than cork
But what makes the sisal fiber so much better than the cork board? The most important factor in a good dartboard is the material. In good dartboards for steel darts, the discs are made of so-called sisal fibers , also known as bristle in English.
The entire surface of a good steel dartboard made of sisal fibers is pressed together with so-called bristle strands during production. These bristles made of sisal fiber can be easily pressed together and still give in when a sharp object hits them.
Infobox: Always pay attention to the quality and material when shopping!
So if I throw a dart at a dartboard with sisal fibers, the dart penetrates the surface and gets stuck without any problems.
But the best is yet to come. If you now pull the arrow out on the board, you will see that the hole where your arrow was previously inserted is slowly closing again .
This doesn't always happen straight away. Sometimes it takes a few casts until the hole disappears. In this case, the next arrow basically pushed the material to the side so that the old holes were closed again.
This means you have an extremely high-quality dartboard that you can have fun with for years before it eventually wears out.
Advantages and disadvantages of sisal and cork dartboards
The biggest advantage of dartboards with sisal fiber is their longevity . In contrast to the cork dartboard, you can use the version with bristle bristles for years .
With the cork option, you'll only be able to enjoy it for a few weeks at most. In addition, the thin discs made of cork or paper are extremely loud when the arrow hits them.
With a Bristleboard you have the advantage that the dartboard is so thick that the arrow penetrates and the sound is at least partially cushioned. But you won't really realize the enormous difference in volume until you try it yourself on both discs.
Another big advantage of good dartboards made from sisal fibers is the wire. With sisal fibers, this can be applied extremely thinly to the board. This way you avoid annoying ricochets that may damage the floor.
With a disc made of cork, there is sometimes no wire, but the arrows often don't stick at all because the arrow doesn't drill deep enough into the disc, but rather bounces off.
Infobox: For comparison: a high-quality dartboard made with sisal fibers is around 5 centimeters deep , while the cheaper version made of cork is often a maximum of 2 centimeters deep - if at all.
The professionals use this material at home and on television
It is not without reason that the professionals only use dartboards made of sisal fibers in official tournaments. Well-known manufacturers such as Target, Unicorn and Winmau work hard every year to make their products even better.
Because if a supplier has the best board, word gets around very quickly in the darts scene.
Would you like an example? Unicorn provides the dartboards at the major PDC Darts World Cup. This is due to an equipment contract with the PDC .
However, Unicorn's big competitor, Winmau, produces much better boards. At least here the BDO is one step ahead of the PDC, because at the BDO World Cup the professionals play on the best dartboard made of sisal fibers ever - the Winmau Blade 5 .
One look at the dartboard is enough
In the end, you can see the difference at first glance. Because the dartboards made of cork or paper are sometimes not even in the regular colors .
Here the fields suddenly look blue and white . And as soon as you see a dart board like this, we advise you: stay away! The quality of such a dart board can only be poor .
It's better to invest a little more in order to have fun for a long time with a good dartboard.
Ready to upgrade your darts game? Discover everything you need to know about the best dart equipment and how it can improve your accuracy:
- Changing and sharpening dart tips : You can find out here what is important and what you need to pay attention to. Click in now!
- Set up a dart room Made easy thanks to cool tips and ideas » Click in now and create your personal paradise at home.
- 2 hole or 3 hole dartboard ? All advantages and disadvantages at a glance! The most important information in a nutshell. We will help you make the right decision!
