Buying a Blue Prince Dart Board: What You Need to Know Before You Hang It

Buying a Blue Prince Dart Board: What You Need to Know Before You Hang It

Finding a Blue Prince dart board isn't exactly like walking into a big-box store and grabbing a generic plastic set off the shelf. It’s a bit more niche. Honestly, most people stumble upon this specific model because they want something that looks a little different than the standard black-and-red Sisal boards you see in every pub from London to Las Vegas. The Blue Prince is basically a subset of the "Prince" series often associated with brands like Darts Connect or specific regional distributors that prioritize a distinct aesthetic without sacrificing the competitive feel.

It’s blue. Really blue.

But color isn't everything when you're throwing sharp bits of tungsten at a wall. If you’re a serious player, you know that the density of the sisal fibers matters way more than the paint job. A board that's too hard leads to bounce-outs, which are basically the bane of every dart player's existence. A board that's too soft wears out in six months, leaving you with a "cratered" bullseye that won't hold a point.

Why the Blue Prince Dart Board Stands Out

Most dart boards follow the WDF (World Darts Federation) color scheme: black segments, red and green doubles and triples. The Blue Prince dart board flips the script by swapping those traditional colors for various shades of blue and white. It’s striking. In a dimly lit basement or a man cave, that high-contrast blue often pops better under LED ring lights than the muddy reds of cheaper boards.

You've probably noticed that "Prince" boards often feature a staple-free wire system. This is a big deal. Older boards used staples to hold the wire spider in place, which effectively acted as tiny shields for the board. If your dart hit a staple? Cling. It’s on the floor. Modern boards like this one use triangular or ultra-thin blades embedded into the sisal. This increases the scoring area significantly. You aren't just buying a color; you're buying a larger target.

Interestingly, the blue pigment used in these boards can sometimes feel slightly different under the thumb than traditional dyes. Some players swear the blue segments feel "faster," though that’s likely a psychological byproduct of the cooler color palette. In reality, the sisal is usually sourced from East Africa—Kenya or Madagascar—just like the high-end Winmau or Unicorn boards.

The Sisal Factor

Sisal isn't wood. It’s a fiber from the agave plant. Thousands of tiny "bristles" are bundled together under intense pressure. When you pull a dart out, the fibers are supposed to "heal" or slide back into place.

Cheap boards use paper or cork. Avoid those. A Blue Prince dart board made of genuine sisal will last for thousands of games if you rotate it. That’s the secret. You see the metal ring with the numbers? It’s removable. Every week or so, you should pop that ring off, turn the board so a fresh segment is at the "20" position, and clip the ring back on. If you don't do this, you'll chew through the 20 segment while the rest of the board looks brand new. It’s a waste of a good board.

Setting Up Your Dart Space

So you’ve got the board. Now what? You can’t just slap it on a nail.

The center of the bullseye needs to be exactly 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor. Not "about" 5'8". Exactly. And the throw line, or the oche, should be 7 feet 9 and a quarter inches from the face of the board. People get this wrong all the time. They measure from the wall, forgetting that the board itself is a couple of inches thick. Measure from the front.

  • Lighting: Don't rely on overhead room lights. They create shadows. A 360-degree LED ring light is the gold standard now. It eliminates shadows entirely, making the blue segments of the board look vibrant and easy to track.
  • Protection: Blue boards look sleek, but your drywall doesn't. Get a surround. A high-density foam surround in a matching navy or a contrasting black will save you a lot of spackling work later.
  • Darts: If you’re using a board of this caliber, stop using the brass darts that came in a "value pack." Move to tungsten. Tungsten is denser than brass, meaning the barrels can be thinner while weighing the same. Thinner barrels mean you can cram three darts into that tiny triple-20 segment.

Common Misconceptions About Colored Boards

There's this weird myth that colored dart boards aren't "official." That's mostly nonsense. While the professional televised tournaments (PDC) use specific branded boards with traditional colors, the physics of a Blue Prince dart board are identical to a tournament-grade board. As long as the dimensions are "clock pattern" (1 to 20) and the diameters match WDF specs, you're playing the same game as the pros.

Some people worry the blue dye will rub off on their dart flights. It doesn't. Modern sisal dyeing processes are pretty advanced. The color is deep in the fiber. You’d have to soak the board in water to get the dye to bleed—and if you're soaking your dart board in water, you've got much bigger problems, because the sisal will swell and ruin the board instantly.

Maintenance and Longevity

Never, ever spray water on your board.

There was this old-school advice floating around years ago that "misting" a board would keep it fresh. It’s a lie. Water rots the fibers and causes the wooden backing to warp. If your Blue Prince dart board gets dusty, use a lint roller or a very lightly damp cloth. That's it.

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The environment matters too. Don’t hang it in a garage that isn't climate-controlled. Extreme humidity makes the sisal expand, and extreme dryness makes it brittle. If you live somewhere like Arizona or Florida, keep the board in a room where you’d be comfortable sitting without a coat or a fan.

Dealing with "Bounce-outs"

Even with a thin-wire board like the Blue Prince, you'll get the occasional bounce-out. Usually, it's not the board's fault. Check your dart points. If they are "hooked" (have a tiny burr on the end from hitting a concrete floor), they will pull fibers out and fail to penetrate the sisal. Use a sharpening stone to keep the points smooth but not needle-sharp. A slightly rounded point actually pushes the fibers aside better than a surgical point.

Is It Worth the Investment?

If you're just looking for a toy for a kid's birthday party, this isn't it. But if you want a centerpiece for a room—something that looks like a piece of equipment rather than a basement afterthought—the Blue Prince dart board hits the mark. It bridges the gap between professional utility and modern interior design.

Most people who buy these are looking for that specific "cool" factor. It's for the player who is tired of the same old green-and-red look. It's a conversation starter. When your friends come over, they won't ask if you want to play darts; they'll ask, "Where did you get that blue board?"

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Real-World Performance

In practice, the contrast on a blue board is actually quite helpful for players with certain types of color blindness or those who struggle with the traditional red/green vibrance. The cool tones are easier on the eyes during long practice sessions. You don't get that "after-image" effect quite as much when you're staring at the board for two hours straight.

  1. Check the wiring: Ensure the "Prince" model you're looking at has the blade-wire system.
  2. Verify the Sisal: Ensure it's not "paper-wrap" or "coiled" sisal, which is inferior.
  3. Budget for a Surround: A blue board looks terrible surrounded by white dart holes in a wall.

What to Do Next

If you’re ready to upgrade your game, start by auditing your current setup. Measure your wall space. If you have the room, look for the Blue Prince dart board through specialty dart retailers rather than general marketplaces to ensure you're getting the genuine sisal version.

Once you have the board, don't just hang it and throw. Buy a decent set of 22g or 23g tungsten darts to match the quality of the board. Set your lighting up first. Then, commit to a rotation schedule. Turn the board every Sunday. This simple habit will make a $60–$90 investment last for years instead of months.

Keep your darts sharp, your floor protected, and your throw consistent. The blue segments are waiting.