Resin filled bags are easier to take care of; however, the plastic pellets will cause more of a bounce. They are easy to clean and won’t break down, but you pay for this. Corn filled bags do break down, get warn-in, and are harder to maintain. The kernel corn rubs against itself, creating corn dust that makes the bag slide better.
When you play cornhole, you may notice the cornhole bag feels different from time to time. That is because they are made of different types of materials.
The main two are resin filled and corn filled. Let’s explore these two types in more detail.
Which Bags Should You Choose?
The answer is, it depends, as you have seen above. Most newer players prefer resin filled bags.
The older cornhole players that grew up with this popular game at a picnic or family reunion usually like using the real corn kernels in the bags. It feels good to hold and slide in to score some points and win the game.
The size of the duck canvas for cornhole bags is 6”x6” and weight of 15-16 ounces. They have different types of cloth, but the most popular is duck cloth.
Duck cloth is a woven cotton fabric on the heavy side. It’s microfiber on the other side.
Duck cloth offers a very nice cloth that is slick and can slide on the board when the bag is thrown correctly.
Let’s go into the two main types of filling below. If you want to know more ways to fill bean bags, check this article.
The Main Two Cornhole Bags Fill
Resin filled bags
These cornhole bags have plastic resin pellets inside them. These are weather resistant and very popular since they are made of such durable material.
The plastic resin pellets will not fall apart over time. These resin filled bags are used in tournaments and are preferred for inside use.
Most people go with these bean bags as a personal preference since the first day you throw the bag will feel very similar to throwing the bag years from now. Resin fill will hit harder on the wallet since they are all weather and don’t break down after use.
The resin or plastic beads inside will cause the bag to bounce stronger off the cornhole boards, so keep that in mind. Since there is no breaking down of the pellets, these are dust free.
Pros
- Durable
- All weather
- No animal/bug issues
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Has more bounce
- More expensive
- Not environmental (unless it is pure resin material and not plastic resin pellets)
Corn filled bags
These corn filled bags have whole kernel corn inside them. The corn filling will rub together over time and create minimal dust, which people call corn dust.
Corn dust will end up on the cornhole boards and make the bags slide easier. Since there is whole kernel corn inside these bags, they are not weather resistant and should not get wet.
You also have to be very careful cleaning corn filled bags.
Corn filled bags tend to break down, as mentioned, so you can think of it like using an old baseball glove. At the start, it is brand new, but it gets worn in, and then it provides a large benefit, but eventually, the wear gets to them, and they will have to be replaced.
Many people like this feature when they play, which can also be a great choice.
Bags filled with corn kernels have issues with animals and bugs. You may even get corn weevils hatch eggs in the cornhole bag.
For reasons like this, you need not get them wet and store them properly when not used in a sealed container. You can even go further, and before storing the bags for long periods, put the bags in the freezer for a few days to make sure everything dies out that could be growing inside.
You can even have issues with mold and mildew if these bags are improperly stored. These cornhole bags are also on the cheaper side.
Pros
- Corn dust/slides easier
- Wears in like a glove
- It doesn’t bounce much
- Cheaper
Cons
- Breaks down
- You can’t get wet
- Animal/bug issues
- Mold/Mildew issues
Resin VS Corn Bags FAQs
Is resin rubber or plastic?
If the cornhole bags are filled with resin and not plastic, that can be better for the environment. Actual resin is made out of plants, where plastic is created with chemicals.
Resin is not as durable as plastic pellets, so keep that in mind.
What is the best cornhole bag?
It’s really hard to say as it depends on the above information. Nowadays, it seems more people like the resin or plastic pellets more than the duck cloth material.
How long do the cornhole bags last?
Bean bags filled with corn kernels won’t last as long as the resin filled bags. The thing is, when these bags have broken down from the corn rubbing against itself slowly, making the bags smaller, you hit a certain point where they need to be replaced.
You can cut a small hole on one side of the seam of the bag and pour out the filling. Then wash the duck cloth.
Once clean, get new cornhole bag filling and add it into the bags and sew the bag back up. We have an article on how to sew the bags.
You can also change the corn filling to the small plastic resin beads as all the cornhole bags are the same weight and size.
How many cornhole bags do I need for playing cornhole?
Each team will need their own cornhole bags, 4 cornhole bags per team for a total of 8 bags. These bags need to be different colors, so when playing cornhole, we can tell which bags are on the boards to tally the score in the game.
Which is easier to throw resin or corn filled bags?
When you throw these bags, they weigh the same amount, and the size of the fabric is the same, so that portion will not change. Resin filled bags will always feel the same and bounce harder off the board.
Most corn filled bags will mold to your hands as you play more often, as the corn will get smaller over time and make dust. This also allows the dust to cause the boards to have a slippery surface.
When you play with the latter bag, you will have to avoid the rain as they shouldn’t get wet.
What is the cornhole bag molding process?
You may have heard of the molding process of cornhole bags with corn filling. This refers to the bag getting wet, usually from the rain.
This can cause mold or mildew. You can also have some issues with bugs and animals with these bags.
One drawback that steers people toward the purchase of a resin bag. Now, you can avoid this by not getting the bag wet and storing it in a sealed container or ziplock bag.
People also recommend putting the bags in the freezer for a few days to kill off anything that may be growing in the cornhole bag.
What is the best cornhole bags to use outside?
The cornhole bag filling does matter if you are playing a game outside. You don’t want to get a bag wet if it has corn inside.
For this reason, to make it easier, we recommend using resin filled bags with duck cloth fabric when playing outside.
What is the best cornhole bags to use inside?
When playing cornhole inside, it depends. We do recommend the corn filled bags for a game, but they will add dust when hitting the boards, and this can cause a bit of cleanup needed.
If this isn’t an issue for you, go with the resin filled bags. We always recommend using the same fabric, commonly referred to as duck cloth, on the market today.
Will a cornhole bag make my board slide better?
Yes, If you get one with corn they will create dust as they hit the board, and the fabric will slide easier on the board. This is the best reason to use these in cornhole, and they won’t bounce hard like the other filling.
There are also other ways to make the cornhole board slippery.
Conclusion
The opinions on which is the best cornhole bag have been going on for ages. The filling of these bags does matter when you play.
The old days when they used beans in bean bags are no longer a thing. Now we have corn filled bags or resin filled.
I hope this got you excited to play! This is so much fun at family reunions, picnics, or just outdoor getaways in the park. It doesn’t require too much equipment, and you are all set.
Cornhole is the most played game; these bags are used for. Learn all about the rules and how to play cornhole.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
None of the authors, contributors, administrators, or anyone else connected with BestPlaygroundSets, in any way whatsoever, can be responsible for your use of the information contained in or linked from these web pages.
