Winmau Pro SFB Review

My take on the Winmau Pro SFB

The Winmau Pro SFB is the kind of dartboard I don't buy to be impressed, I buy it to get the job done. It offers sisal built to standard regulation dimensions at the most accessible price point in Winmau's range, without trying to compete with the brand's more technical models. "SFB" stands for "Staple-Free Bullseye": only the bullseye, at the centre, is mounted without a staple. The rest of the spider is a classic round wire, stapled and clearly visible. Concretely: a standard round wire spider, staples present outside the bullseye, and a 1mm wire that doesn't try to be discreet. This is far from the Blade's ultra-thin spider, and that's not what this board is trying to be.

I won't sugarcoat it: with an overall score of 5.2/10, this isn't a board that will blow anyone away. But it earns its place if what I'm after is a solid, affordable board with no particular performance expectations.

My on-the-oche test of the Winmau Pro SFB

On the oche, the feel is decent but lacks refinement. The spider wire, thicker than on blade-style models, becomes noticeable as soon as I'm aiming at segment transitions, bounce-outs happen more often, especially on doubles and trebles. This is the point that stands out most from testing this board: it's clearly not built for demanding competitive play where every bounce-out costs points.

For beginner practice or casual sessions, it works just fine. Visual comfort is decent (6/10), the 6mm segments meet current standards, and the board keeps to standard regulation dimensions, even if the overall playing experience trails behind boards with better-engineered spiders.

Durability of the Winmau Pro SFB

With a score of 6/10, durability is honest without being exceptional. The sisal handles repeated impacts reasonably well and the board holds up under regular use, typical of a club or community hall setting. It's not the densest sisal in Winmau's lineup, but it does the job for light to moderate use.

One thing to watch: outside the bullseye, the staples across the rest of the spider (only the bullseye is staple-free on this model) can locally speed up wear around the wires over time, creating spots where darts are more likely to hit metal rather than sisal. Nothing alarming in the short term, but it's a factor that weighs against long-term durability compared to more modern fully staple-free boards.

Setting up and mounting the board

Nothing unusual to report here: the Pro SFB follows the standard 18" / 5kg format, compatible with all standard wall-mount brackets on the market. Installation is the same as with any traditional sisal board, with no proprietary mounting system to worry about.

Price and value for money

This is clearly the board's main selling point. Generally between €35 and €40, the Winmau Pro SFB is one of the most accessible standard regulation-dimension sisal options on the market. The value for money holds up as long as I stay within its intended use case: an economical replacement, equipping a high-traffic space, or outfitting several boards for a club without blowing the budget. On that specific ground, it fully delivers.

Verdict: should you buy the Winmau Pro SFB?

Yes, but go in with the right expectations. The Pro SFB is a utilitarian board: sturdy, affordable, built to standard regulation dimensions, but with no technical ambition. It's a solid pick for introducing beginners to the game, equipping a club or academy across multiple boards, or replacing a worn-out board without breaking the bank.

That said, if I'm looking to seriously improve my game or minimize bounce-outs as much as possible, this isn't the right choice: the round wire spider and staples clearly limit its performance on that front. In that case, it's worth looking at a Winmau Blade 5 or Blade 6 instead, specifically designed to minimize bounce-outs thanks to their thin steel blade spider.