Playing cornhole has changed a lot in the last 20 years. What began as a college game in the Midwest in the 1990s has morphed into a national outdoor game phenomenon enjoyed by people of all ages and walks of life. The game of Cornhole has gained more notoriety and respect as it has grown from an outdoor casual game to a legitimate sport, complete with its own governing body: the American Cornhole Association. For many people, it is vitally important to have consistency and standards in place, specifically with the composition of cornhole bags.

As the name implies, cornhole bags were originally filled with corn. However, corn filled bags have some inherent drawbacks that can affect the performance and durability of your bags. Corn is an organic substance and, like any organic substance, it will change when it comes into contact with water. When your cornhole bags get wet from dew, rain, or beer, the individual kernels inside the bag will swell absorbing the liquid. Now your cornhole bag is swollen and heavy. With increased size and weight comes added pressure on the bag’s seams (seams) and affects accuracy when cast. Like anything else that is no longer alive, the introduction of water speeds up the decomposition process, which is not good for the beans or bags. As the liquid in the beans evaporates, the beans shrink and the process of expansion and contraction repeats with each contact with the liquid, which is not a good thing.

One of the most common complaints about bags filled with corn is that they are targeted by animals. Mice, chipmunks, and squirrels will be quite interested in bags filled with corn (even more so if they’ve gotten wet) and that’s not a good thing. And where there are small rodents, predators will soon follow: snakes, alas!

The good news is that all-weather cornhole bags filled with plastic resin are available and are becoming a popular alternative to corn. The resin bags weigh exactly the same as the bags filled with corn; it will not absorb water or break down. Plastic resin isn’t all that interesting to rodents, so you won’t have to keep an eye out for black rat snakes in your lawn lurking in search of tasty rodents. All-weather, resin-filled Cornhole bags are becoming more popular at the beach and around pools. If you’re looking for the same quality play but less mess, you’ll find all-weather resin-filled cornhole bags to be a great alternative to corn-filled cornhole bags.