Playing Cornhole has changed a lot in the last 20 years. What started out as a college game in the Midwest in the 1990’s, has morphed into a nationwide outdoor game phenomenon, enjoyed by all ages and walks of life. The game of Cornhole has gained more notoriety and respect progressing from an occasional outdoor game to a legitimate sport, complete with its own governing body: The American Cornhole Association. For many people, it is critically important to have consistency and standards in place, specifically with the composition of Cornhole bags.
Like the name implies, Cornhole bags were originally filled with corn. However, corn filled bags have a few inherent drawbacks, which can affect the performance and durability of your bags. Corn is an organic substance, and like any organic substance, will change when in contact with water. When your Cornhole bags get wet from dew, rain or beer individual kernels within the bag will swell up absorbing the liquid. Now your Cornhole bag is swollen and heavy. With increased size and weight comes added pressure on the bags bindings (stitching), and affects the accuracy when tossed. Like anything else that is no longer living, the introduction of water speeds up the decaying process, which isn’t good for your kernels or bags. As the liquid from the kernels is evaporated, the kernels shrink and the process of expanding and contracting repeats with each liquid encounter-not good.
One of the most common complaints of corn filled bags is that they are targeted by animals. Mice, chipmunks and squirrels will be quite interested in corn filled bags (even more so if they’ve gotten wet) and that’s not good. And where there are small rodents, the predators are soon to follow- snakes, yikes!
The good news is that plastic resin filled all-weather Cornhole bags are available and becoming a popular alternative to corn. Resin bags weight exactly the same as corn filled bags; will not absorb water and decay. Plastic resin is not at all interesting to rodents so you won’t need to be on the lookout for Black Rat Snakes in your grass lurking for tasty rodents. The all-weather resin filled Cornhole bags are becoming more popular at the beach and around pools. If you are looking for the same quality of play but less mess you will find the all-weather resin filled corn hole bags a great alternative to corn filled corn hole bags.