Perfect Pellet Filler
Sand Footbags are the most popular item I sell based on sales, but a lot of people still love a good classic feeling hacky sack that’s filled with pellets, and for good reason! They are great for circles, are very durable and are versatile. They are made even more versatile with the new pellet filling that I now use in all my pellet footbags that is deemed none other than “The Perfect Pellet Filler.”
Why is it Perfect?
The new filler is awesome because it’s a touch heavier than classic pellet filling. The classic 2mm pellet filling would have your footbag weighing around 25-30 Grams, and if you filled it with 30G. it was probably too full and would fly uncontrollably off your foot. My new pellet filler is 1mm in diameter, and for the most part, the same is with my metal filler, smaller is better. It just gives more of a “Yeah this feels good” reaction and while the difference may seem minor, I think the end result is a bunch nicer.
It’s Heavier
Secondly, the new filler is amazing because it’s a touch heavier. Instead of weighing 30 Grams, the final product weighs almost 40 Grams while being less full, about 60%. Compare that to the 50G. a sand footbag typically weights. That touch of extra weight makes it easier to control and also much more stallable. Especially because you can get that extra weight at what I would consider to be the perfect fullness for a pellet footbag, 60%.
It’s Versatile
So, I’ll say it one more time. One you end up with is a great, versatile, durable footbag that’s great for circles and kicking with friends. Plus, in the past maybe you never got a pellet footbag because stalling it was impossible… well I’m telling you with the new filler it is not much harder than a sand footbag.
I’ve said perfect too many times because nothing is every perfect for everyone, but I love it and I think you’d think it’s money, too!
Low Panel Vs. High Panel Footbags
A common question I often receive is what’s the difference between high and low paneled footbags. Even as someone who sells these bags, I will happily admit that just because there are more panels does not mean it is a better bag. Each bag has it’s strengths depending on what you want out of your hacky sack. In the end, all footbags are extremely fun and the different designs and types are a blast. All footbags are not the same, which is why it’s fun to try a bunch of different styles.
Sand Footbags vs. Metal Footbags
I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about the difference between sand and metal footbags. Sand footbags, at least on my site and around in general, are still the most popular sales wise, but metal has started to sell much more rapidly. So you might be asking yourself, should I get a metal-filled footbag? I think that answer is yes because they are awesome, but let’s compare and contrast.
Sand hacky sacks have a great feel to them. They are easy to stall, fun to kick and hard to beat. If you pick a sand footbag in the 14-32 panel range, you’re going to have something that is easy to stall, but also holds it shape pretty well so it’s not too dead and hard to kick back up into the air (I refer to this as “pop” on my site.) The higher paneled sand bags are really fun. While they aren’t as easy to stall as footbags with less panels, the mix of high panels and sand filling gives the hacky sack a great feeling to pop and control. Easy to pass, effortless to kick, super fun.
Okay, so how about metal footbags? My metal footbags weigh 65 grams compared to the 50 grams of sand. The extra weight is definitely noticeable. If you filled a sand footbag with 65 grams, it would be too full, but with 60 grams of metal and 5 grams of pellet, you’re left with a bag that’s around 1/3 full depending on the diameter of the footbag, similar to sand. With the extra weight and the metal filler I use, I’d actually say the metal footbags are even easier to stall. However, because of the extra weight, they take a touch more effort to kick back up in the air.
As I write this short comparison, I realize how hard it is to explain the difference, it really is something you have to try for yourself and you’ll probably end up realizing you love both! The only easy difference to explain is the extra weight, otherwise, you’re just going to have to experience the rest of the differences yourself and maybe afterwards you can let me know if you can explain it any better!
The Heat Mini Pro – The Shredder’s Choice
I recently added the Heat Mini Pro to the metal lineup and it has been extremely popular so far. If you’re a fan of a slightly smaller footbag, this one is about 2 inches on the dot, then you need to check it out. It actually happened because I was doing a custom order for someone who requested it and I liked it so much I wanted to add it to the site.
The metal filling I’ve finally found and settled on is an extremely small steel shot. For some of the larger metal footbags, I mix in a touch of extra pellet filler so they aren’t too loose, but for the Mini Pro it’s 65 grams of straight metal.
What this leaves you with is a 2 inch footbag that’s about 1/3 full, but because of the small size it’s not floppy when it flies through the air. It’s easy to kick, but with the extra weight of the tiny metal filler, it stalls on a dime.
Most of us aren’t as good as the pros we see in videos, me included, but this is the type of bag they like. Smaller, so it’s easy to maneuver, easy to stall, and a nice round flight path. That being said, it’s still a great choice for anyone who likes to bust out the occasional trick and pass around with friends in a circle. So whether you are passing with friends, or just listening to some tunes in your room busting out tricks, I guarantee that before you know it you’ll be sweating and ordering another Mini-Pro.
And if the Heat Mini Pro is a favorite, check out The Napalm and Intruder which are around 2.1 inches in diameter. Click here to view all of these Metal Footbags.
- Mike
Hacky Sack Durability – How to make it last.
Buying a good hacky sack is key for durability, but the player also plays a key roll in the longevity of their footbag. If you take good care of your bag, you have rolled your eyes countless times at “newbie” friends who are careless and have no idea as to what’s going on! Not only can you not stand it as they take 20 seconds to roll the bag up onto their foot either by scraping it on the ground or by using their other foot, but then they ruin it by making a horrible toss or worse yet…. the self serve!! Now here they are again doing it all over!
Haha, personally, I keep it real and if they don’t catch on to the fact that everyone else in the circle is picking up the bag and giving perfect tosses to friends to start the game back up, I have to say something. Not only are they slowing down the game, but they are ruining my bag. They are stretching my seams, and rubbing whatever is on the bottom of their foot into my nice material!
I’m not saying a footbag is a toy that can not be beaten up a little bit, because it certainly can, but there is no need for the unnecessary slop that ruins game play and ruins footbags. So the next time you or a friend in your circle isn’t handling with some care, just say no! Oooor start up a game of war and take it out that way…
This especially applies to sand filled bags that need extra care. Think of how small a grain of sand is. Your nice hacky sack, at least the ones I sell, are sewn with as much consideration for tight seams and quality as possible. But there is still a limit and it doesn’t take much of a gap to let sand out, so take good care and have fun for longer!
The New Hacky Sack Blog
Welcome to my all new hacky sack blog. I just wanted to make an initial post to say hello and explain what this blog is going to be all about. My name is Mike and I run the online hacky sack store BombFootbags.com. I like my store website to mainly show off all the great footbags we have available and to help people make purchases, but I also have a lot of other things that I’d like to share every now and then. This website uses wordpress and is a much cleaner format for writing about articles about games, tricks, styles, and new developments at Bomb Footbags. If you are ever interested in sharing something please contact me I would love to hear from you and publish a well written article. Thanks so much and expect more to come in the near future! Thanks, Mike