When it comes to choosing a pro dartboard, two of the main competitors are the Unicorn Eclipse HD2 and the Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core. You may be familiar with both the Winmau and Unicorn brand names, but which company makes the best dartboard currently?
Quick answer – Winmau.
If you need more information, stick around and we’ll explain how through our extensive play testing we realized the pros and cons of these boards, so let’s take a look at each one in more detail.
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Last update on 2024-04-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Winmau Blade 5 Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core
Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core Bristle Dartboard with Increased Scoring Area and Improved Durability.
The world’s most advanced dartboard endorsed by the British Darts Organization (BDO) features patented Dual Core Technology for fewer lost darts, increased scoring potential, and reduced bounce-outs.
With a 30-degree reduction in razor wire angle, the Blade 5 is also designed for greater dart deflection. In other words, instead of bounce-outs the sharp wire will deflect your dart into a scoring zone.
The triple wheel lock-and-level system easily secures the board to virtually any surface.
This board will last a long time with just some simple care and board rotation. The dual-core tech seems to go a long way to enhance the durability of the Blade 5 Dual Core and we have to say it does go down as one of the best dartboards we’ve used.
Pros:
- Brighter than Unicorn Eclipse HD2
- Cheaper than Unicorn Eclipse HD2
- High quality sisal fibers
- Dual core fibers
- Superior mounting hardware
Cons:
- Nope, we love it!
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You might also like our article on the best dartboards under $100.
Unicorn Eclipse HD2
The Eclipse HD2 High Definition Professional Bristle Dartboard is the next generation of dartboard technology from the world-leading brand in darts.
Designed with the proven qualities of the Eclipse HD and Eclipse HDTV, the Eclipse HD2 takes bristle dartboard technology up a level.
The radial wiring system creates a total clean playing area while the super-thin bullseye increases the playing area by 14%. The finest grade “A” sisal is seamless for higher scores. Injection-molded high definition numbers are new and improved for greater visibility though some may not like the ‘modern’ styling of the number ring.
The mounting with the Unicorn eclipse is not brilliant and had some trouble with wobbling. After several months of heavy use, I was disappointed to note the extensive wear on the bullseye.
For this price of dartboard, we expect a much longer-lasting product.
Pros:
- HD numbers
- Increased play area
- Thin wiring
- Used in PDC Competitions
Cons:
- Poor mounting hardware
- Disappointing durability
- Slightly more expesive than the Winmau Blade 5
- Poor bullseye durability
- Quality control problems
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Last update on 2024-04-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Why We Prefer the Winmau Blade 5 Dual Core Dartboard
There’s no doubt the Unicorn has some quality in their dartboards, however, we find them overpriced for the lack of durability they offer.
When comparing the Unicorn Eclipse HD2 to the Blade 5 Dual Core, initially they seem really similar. However, there are some key reasons to choose Winmau:
- Brightly colored, attractive board that holds it’s pigment for a long time
- Adjustable mounting system that allows you to easily stabilize your board no matter the wall surface
- With basic care, the Winmau blade 5 Dual Core board will last a long time
- Well-designed, thin wiring
- British Darts Organization (BDO) endorsement
Looking at the price, yes, the Winmau may be overkill if you play darts a few times a year in your garage. However, if you plan to play more than that, it’s definitely worth paying the extra $40 or so to lock this one down.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve found this comparison of these two popular dartboards. Something to keep in mind is that although you may be familiar with the Unicorn brand at PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) events, Unicorn has a large shareholding in the PDC and that may be something to do with why they use their boards?
During competitions, brand new boards are swapped in regularly so the boards always look immaculate on TV. However, their longer-term durability is not good.
Winmau Blade 5 Dual core is definitely our favorite pick from these two boards.
For our comparison article on the Shot King Vs Unicorn Eclipse Pro check this out.
Sue has been playing darts since her 20’s when she played in weekly tournaments and she enjoys writing about darts. She’s also a great teacher, and she enjoys helping others learn how to play the game well. When Sue isn’t throwing darts, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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