What Is the Best Cornhole Bag Filling? Plastic Resin vs Corn [2021]

There’s a running debate with cornhole players and wannabe players about what is the best cornhole bag filling? Generally, there are two separate camps. The “purists” who favor the all-natural corn feed and then the “modernists” who now prefer plastic resin pellets. This article will look at which type of bag filling will be best for you: plastic resin vs a corn filled bag. 

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Cornhole bags

First it’s a good idea to know what specifications cornhole bags should be.

Cornhole bags should be 6 inches by 6 inches and weigh 15 to 16 ounces. They should also be made from a durable fabric like canvas, twill, or synthetic suede and be made from two fabric squares with double-stitched seaming.

If you’re making your own cornhole bags the durability of the fabric and stitching of the bags will be key to keeping your bags from falling part. But it will also be very important to consider your filling too since the wrong material (or too much or too little of it) could also render your cornhole bags inferior or even unplayable.

You can learn more about the official cornhole bag specifications here.

Plastic resin vs corn filled bags?

Cornhole bag filling

The ACO plays with bags filled with actual whole kernel corn (not mushy corn out of a in can) and each bag is filled with a couple of cups of whole kernel corn (usually two to two and a half cups). (The ACO also plays with plastic resin pellets, too.)

Make sure that you get whole kernel corn feed and that you don’t go with cracked corn. You can usually find it at outdoors stores or pet supplies and it’s typically reasonably priced. You can check the price here on Amazon.

Note that there have been corn shortages in the past and at times it’s been difficult to get your hands on corn feed in certain parts of the country.

Also, although I don’t recommend it, some have even resorted to un-popped popcorn kernels (but these are typically much smaller than corn feed and likely won’t produce the “dust effect”).

Playing with whole kernel corn is definitely the traditional way to play cornhole but there are a few factors to consider.

Cornhole Bag Filling
Whole kernel corn

Broken down corn

The kernel corn will inevitably begin to break down once you start putting your cornhole bags to use. When it comes to long-term durability and weather resistance, natural corn definitely does not last as long as plastic pellets.

Mildew

Corn can begin to collect mildew or even little bugs and critters especially if left outside or in wet environmental conditions for too long. It’s not a lot of fun to throwing around smelly, infested beanbags that will be splattering mildew remains all over the place.

Moreover, if enough moisture collects within the bags, they could swell up making the bags smelly and way heavier than they should be for a game of cornhole.

To address these issues, I know some people have loaded up ziploc bags with the corn before inserting them into the bean bags. I’ve personally never tried this so I’m not sure how it feels when tossing the bags but it’s something to consider at least.

Another solution is to use some type of weather sealant inside the bags if you’re making them on your own.

Broken in bags

The bean bags get worn or “broken in” kind of like a baseball glove which can mean that the bags feel better in your hand and sometimes are even easier to throw. But at a certain point, the bags can get broken down so much that they will actually lose some weight and shape which could potentially affect your shot.

Sliding

The collection of dust also causes your bean bags to slide on the playing surface. The sliding effect is something that a lot of cornhole players like because it allows them to sink more bags and utilize the playing surface more strategically.

The authenticity factor

Many people like the more authentic way of playing and so they prefer corn feed bags. Kind of like how the experience of playing on natural grass never can be replicated on artificial turf, there’s just something about the authenticity of playing with real corn kernels that just feel so “right.”

Plastic resin filling

Filling bean bags with plastic resin pellets also has both its pros and cons. Below are more factors you’ll want to consider when deciding to go plastic.

No critters

Some people don’t like to live with the risk that their corn-stuffed bags might invite small bugs and critters inside them. There are literally stories out there of people hearing little creepy-crawler things move around inside their bean bags. And for this reason, they choose to go with plastic resin pellets.

More durable

Unlike the corn kernels, the plastic pellets don’t break down over time (or at least not nearly as quickly) so they are much more durable. But just make sure you get smooth pellets because if you don’t they can degrade the cornhole bags much quicker.

Pellets will also not be as susceptible to mold the same way that corn kernels are (many are actually mold-resistant) though they can swell up after collecting moisture, especially if the resin plastic pellets are hydroscopic.

A bouncing problem

Plastic resin pellets can result in bags that have more of a bounce to them. This is especially true if they are overstuffed with pellets — you will feel like you’re tossing bouncy balls at the board.

And since plastic resin pellets won’t degrade like a natural cornhole bag, you won’t ever get that satisfactory feel of a dusty worn-in bag not will get you the sliding (though a well kept playing surface can help with the sliding).

Pricing

It’s almost always easier to find corn kernels at lower prices than plastic pellets. For that reason, many people like to go with the corn kernels to save money.

A lot of people also don’t know where to buy plastic pellets for bean bags. While finding them in stores is not always easy they can easily be found on Amazon. 

Environmental concerns?

Plastic pellets can be harmful to the environment though so when using these you need to make sure that you’re not carelessly adding to the Earth’s waste. The good news is that many of these pellets are made from recycled materials so you can still go a bit “green” when purchasing these products.

But still, you want to make sure that pets or even small children don’t find these in the backyard, as some of them contain toxins.

Alternative cornhole bag fillings

Some people like to get creative and fill their cornhole fillings and they fill them up with things like beans, pea gravel, aquarium rocks, and other similarly sized objects. The reasons vary but a lot of times people do this to eliminate (or at least reduce) the risk of mold.

When going with alternative fillings consider that you’ll probably not get the dust effect on the bags and they might not feel quite right when in your hand. But some people do swear by these alternatives….

Final word on the best cornhole bag filling

In my opinion, the best cornhole bag filling is natural kernel corns. There’s just something about going the traditional route that feels so right. With that said, if you’re really worried about durability or maybe you just want to buck tradition, the plastic pellets are still a perfectly acceptable way to play cornhole.