What’s the most important piece of equipment in a great cornhole set? The Board? No, it’s the Bags! Anyone serious about cornhole knows that the bags are more important to a competitive game than the actual board.
There are a growing number of bags on the market today. Some are good, but too costly, while others are super-cheap and poor quality. This makes choosing the right cornhole bags a large topic of contention in the cornhole community in various forums and groups.
Things to consider when looking for cornhole bags are:
Corn Hole Bags Size:
6″ by 6″ square-shaped bags are considered by the American Cornhole Association (yes, it’s a real thing) to be the standard size. The weight of the bags must also be approximately 15 ounces.
More important than the specific weight of the bags, however, is that they are consistent and don’t vary in size or weight. It’s a common problem for many cheap bags to slowly lose weight over time due to the lost filling.
This must be avoided as it greatly hurts the quality of gameplay when bags are inconsistent sizes and under-filled.
Cornhole Bag Fabric:
The fabric is another important factor to consider when choosing the best cornhole bags. The fabric of your cornhole bags should be of a good quality that is both strong and comfortable in the hands of the user.
In this case, the best fabric is considered to be all-weather cotton or polyester synthetic material blend.
These two materials are very comfortable in the hands of the player and allow for a predictable and consistent throwing experience as long as the bags are filled properly.
Cornhole Bag Stitching/ Sewing:
The fabric is nothing if it is not properly stitched. This makes the stitching quality a far more important topic in the evaluation of a good quality cornhole bag set.
High-quality stitching will not only give the bag a good look, but also a longer life. On the other hand, poorly stitched bags look terrible and break easily.
The best way to stitch a bag is to double lock stitch and serge it. This way, the quality of the bag is maintained and if combined with a piece of high-quality fabric, the stitching will have a very long life.
Cornhole Bag Filling:
Another important factor to consider is the filling of the bean bag which greatly affects gameplay of Cornhole. There are typically three materials used to fill modern cornhole bags:
Dust:
Dust or sand is the worst and cheapest material that is used as a filler agent in cornhole bags. Bags filled with dust will lose weight over time, and also degrade when exposed to water. Typically dust-filled bags are:
- Very, very cheap
- Not Water Friendly
- A Poor Experience Overall
Corn kernels:
Corn Kernels are the mediocre level of fillers for the bags. In the past, all bags were filled with real corn kernels (hence the name of the game), but that is no longer necessary due to modern advancements in technology and competitive level of play.
There is typically a “break-in” period for corn kernel-filled bags where the bags stretch and the corn loosens to an ideal level. They are a completely natural filler that is bio-degradable.
The downside to this is that they start to decompose and break down when they get wet. Corn Kernel Bag Filling is typically:
- Cheap
- Easily available
- Not Weather Friendly
- Average User experience
Synthetic Pellets:
Polymers are the newest and best filler for use in cornhole bags. They are not so readily available in the market, and there are only a few specific sellers who are filling their bags with synthetic pellets.
There is no break-in period required for synthetic or polymer pellet filled cornhole bags so they are ready for use right out of the package.
These fillers are of the best quality and their weights will not deteriorate or change over time. Even upon contact with water, the polymer pellet bags undergo no change and remain consistent. Polymer bags are:
- Expensive
- Not readily available
- Water-friendly
- An Overall Great User Experience
Best Cornhole Bags Reviews
1) GoSports Premium All-Weather Duck Cloth Cornhole Bean Bag Set (Includes Tote Bag)
GoSports hits the top of our list because of the emphasis placed on longevity and weather-resistance. It’s as tough as any bag (and GoSports will tell you it’s a lot tougher than any others) and yet the price is noticeably lower.
If I had this set of bags and played even once a week, I think I’d start to feel like I got more than what I paid for – unless of course, the bags start to rip apart! Well, to that point, over 500 purchasers have given this set a 4 out of 5-star rating which is pretty darn good!
GoSports has double stitched these bags which is about as good as can be done, and they’ve stuffed them with weather-proof plastic filling.
It works in the rain without deteriorating!! Nuf said I’d say! By the way, the plastic filling feels just like the original dried corn kernel filling from which the game gets its namesake! The difference is that you don’t have issues of mold, decay or mouse attacks!
PROS
- Really weatherproof with plastic filling that feels just like dry corn kernels
- Excellent warranty and customer service
- Inexpensive compared to other options (though none are actually very pricey)
CONS
- Some purchasers have experienced stitching/seam tears, but the warranty is always honored
2) 8 Standard Corn Filled Regulation Duck Cloth Cornhole Bags
These are great-looking bags for an attractive price, however, they don’t seem to last as long as some of the other more expensive bag sets. Corn kernel filling may begin to deteriorate with contact with water.
They meet all ACA (American Cornhole Association) specifications which require actual corn kernels. This is a nice, purist’s bag.
PROS
- Comfortable in the Hand
- Perfectly Balanced Size and Weight
- High-Quality Fiber and Stitching
- Low (ish) Price
- Follows ACA Regulation
- 1 Year Warranty
CONS
- “Grey” Colored Bags look/feel like Lower Quality
- Corn Kernel FIlled Bags not Water Friendly
- Short Bag Life
- Has the potential for rodent/critters to destroy the bag in search of yummy corn kernels
- Has the potential for rotting since it is an organic filling rather than plastic or weather-proof filling
3) Weather-Resistant Cornhole Bag Set of 8 – Tailor Spot Resin Filled (Regulation Size)
These bags are made with industrial strength duck canvas and are touted to be “waterproof”. They’re actually hand-sewn with polyester thread for longer life and durability.
They seriously resist mold given the fact they are waterproof, and they won’t attract critters like mice, rats and raccoons since they have a resin filling.
There are really TWENTY-FIVE colors from which to choose, so even ordering them will be fun! They’re fully handmade in the USA which says a whole lot to me folks!!!
PROS
- Resin Filled Bags
- Wide Variety of Colors
- Industrial Duck Canvas Fabric
- High-Quality Stitching
- Weather Friendly
- Long Lifespan
- MADE in the USA !!
CONS
- None!
4) Local Bags Cornhole – Mamba Series
The Local bags really help up your game (at least according to “Local Bags”) by offering the highest quality plastic resin fill. With this filling, Local Bags won’t mold to disintegrate over time like corn kernels that fill most other bags.
Outdoor use won’t degrade the bags quickly either. They’re fully made in the USA and they are being used by pros across the country. These bags are American Cornhole League approved for size and weight at 6″x6″.
Each bag is filled with 16oz of Premium Plastic Resin for a “good” feel for weight and comfort.
The cool thing with these bags is that they are sewn with computerized industrial machines for accuracy so every bag feels exactly the same as any other Local bag with no variance based on kernel size or stitching.
Pros like this bag because there’s no need to continually replace bags due to wear and degradation. Finally, customer service is a “thing” with Local, so you can count on great service should you ever need to contact the head office.
PROS
- Very consistent size/weight
- Can be used outdoors and even left outdoors unlike natural bags with corn kernels
- Won’t rot or attract critters like corn bags
- Made in the USA
- Cool graphics with skull and US flag
CONS
- No extended review profile on Amazon (only a couple of reviews)
For our full review with helpful tips on the best cornhole boards, visit our cornhole board article.
