To most people a Footbag or “Hacky Sack” is just a loosely-filled ball that gets kicked around. But if you’re seriously considering getting into this extremely popular past-time, you soon realize that there are a lot of bags to choose from. So, what’s the difference? Does it really matter which one you get? Where do I start.
For the ease of explanation we will separate the bags into what they are filled with (usually sand or plastic pellets) and then into the complexity of their patchwork.
The following images put the bags in order from simple patchwork to more complex. This will help you keep track of the bags as we describe them.
Sand has a couple of distinguishing attributes. The first being that it adds to the weight of the bag without the bag having a stuffed or over-filled feeling. This makes them ideal for stalls and makes them easier to catch. The small grains also allows the filler to move freely in the bag, causing the bag to sort of “Plop” and sty put when dropped.
The Dirtbag Footbag features the most simple patchwork with eight synthetic suede leather panels. The Sir Hemp Sand Lord features a twelve panel design fashioned out of a very grippy hemp material.The SandMaster, iKick Dirtbag, and Bahama Bag each have fourteen panels, but the panel shapes vary from bag to bag. The Pyramid features eight panels, which are made of three panels of the same color, making it a unique twenty-four panel bag. The Alpha Dirtbag is a professional bag with twenty-six panels to ensure that the bag stays round and easy to catch.
Finally we have the Shark. Now wait a minute! The Shark only has three panels, yet it’s at the end of the spectrum. What gives?
It’s true, the shark only has three panels, but do to the panel’s unique zig-zag design and additional “fins” the bag has a the feel of a more complex patch design. Those fins not only look cool, but it also gives the bag better grip and stall capabilities.
The bags filled with plastic pellets or beads are often lower in price. Most still feature the same synthetic suede and patchwork so they are a great value. They often have more fill in them and are lighter weight.
The Liston 4 Panel bag has nice big panels which allows the plastic pellets to move freely in the bag. The fourteen panels of the iKick Footbag feature the same material and patchwork as the iKick Dirtbag seen earlier. The Mirage’s fourteen panels are constructed of Macro-Suede giving it a super-grippy feel.
The last three bags don’t have patchwork at all, but instead feature a more classic knit or crochet design. The Hempster is a semi-loose hemp crochet bag. The hemp’s texture offers more friction between the bag and your body, which gives you more control. Featuring hand-woven cotton, the Lunasac offers high visibility with it’s bright pattern work. And finally we have the Boota Bag which keeps its round shape with a tight cotton crochet design.
Finally, we come to the weirdos of the bunch. We’ll start off with Da 120 Footbag which features super-complex patchwork which bring together all 120 super-suede panels! The hybrid filler combines metal pellets for weight and plastic pellets for fill and cost. Bringing you a very round and consistent footbag.
Next up is the Mighty Mite Footbag. It’s smaller than your average footbag, but it’s filled with metal ball bearings which gives it extra weight and a looser fill. This allows for higher kicks and easier stalls.
And finally we have the Ya-Mak-A Footbag. Technically, this comes with plastic pellets, but since you’re the one making it, you can fill it with whatever you want! The nice thing about your Ya-Mak-A bag is that you end up with a personal attachment to the bag. It’s your baby. And you can fill it and stitch it to the exact size and fill that you desire.
So that’s the quick low-down on the different footbags that we offer. For more information on any of these bags, please click the name of the bag and enjoy the more detailed description.
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