Are you wanting to become a freestyle champion footbagger but unsure of what the best bags would be to help you achieve your lofty goals?
Look no further as we will be diving into how you can choose the right bag for yourself along with the top 5 we found and why they are an excellent pairing to ensure you dominate the game!
Freestyle Footbag Buyers Guide
To choose the best footbag for your freestyle play you want to understand some differences between the bags to make the best purchasing decision for your needs and enjoyment.
These can be broken down into the following needs or differences between footbags.
External Material
As opposed to when I first had access to a Hacky Sack they now come in a tremendous variety of materials each of which has some benefits and drawbacks.
They are made from many fabrics like synthetic suede, leather, corduroy, and even crocheted from yarns.
The most common one used for control is synthetic suede as it is incredibly durable and doesn’t tear like some of the other materials. This suede also is able to stretch and give on kicks and this is what helps it to be abrasion-resistant.
Other common materials like crochet and leather have serious durability issues and can get torn up fast when used on surfaces like concrete as they can’t take the roughness.
External Panels
The external patterns are basically the pattern used with the materials above to build out the shape of the footbag, these will typically be at least 2 panels and up to 128+.
Obviously, the more panels that make up the shape the better the bag will hold shape when in play, this also increases the time to create them and additionally, the cost.
The most common options available are typically 8 panels and 32 panels due to the needs of players to balance the costs and benefits.
Most players will aim for as little as they can get as less stitching gives a more reliable hit, though it is a personal preference and some love the most stitching possible to maintain shape best.
Internal Fill
Here is where you can see a large change in what is used to fill the actual footbag, this can range from plastic beads to things like sand, metal balls, rubber, foam, and more.
Sometimes the fill will be a mixture of these materials when they are found to give a better feel or responsiveness to the footbag.
Sand is one of the more commonly wanted fillers since it is very fine and it stays very equally distributed on each kick or hit. Plastics are liked because they are very light and can jump off your foot very easily while being good at stalling.
The final that is used in many higher-end Hacky Sacks is metal, this is due to being heavier and having a good reaction to kicks. Though it is typically mixed with other fillers like sand to be a perfect mix of power and balance.
Fill Volume
The fill volume is separate from fill type as the footbag can be filled to varying levels depending on the fill types and the company. Some bags will be only half full or close to 3/4 full, the more fill used the more kick power transfers into the bag.
The more empty the bag is of fill the looser the contents and this will limit the power being able to be delivered to the bag but will help it stall when needed much more reliably. The fill is one variable where each player will have their personal preference.
I like my bags to be full, at least 50% but anywhere from there to around 60% feels right, I feel like it is responsive and is easy to use right away without having a hardcore break-in time.
For people aiming to compete there are rules round the weight and size of your footbag to compete over here.
Diameter
I love a footbag around 1.75-2″ in diameter which is right about the middle of the range that they are available in.
The most common sizes are from 1″ to about 2.5″ for the biggest size, there are benefits to small or large bags based on performance.
A smaller bag is better on tricks that will need cradling and then with larger bags you lose some of that fine control but have an easier time with group play, which is my favorite.
Colors
100% this will be down to your personality and personal choice , I prefer brighter colors like blue and red that pop for me but I know many who like all black or darker fabrics.
The one drawback to color will be where you intend to play as darker colors will work less as you lose sunlight so shadows or dusk it would favor you to have brighter or glow in the dark.
Type of Use
This is a more general thing to understand and not only freestyle related, but how you intend to play with your footbag as your choices will impact your play.
If you are looking to freestyle then you have specific bags that will benefit you, if you are just beginning and want to practice then other options may work out well without losing you any performance.
5 Best Footbag For Freestyle Training
When looking for a perfect bag for freestyle kicking you want one that has enough weight for you and a fill that helps make it easier to stall reliably. For this we have chosen the five footbags below that can all help you achieve impressive moves and last.
Dragonfly Footbags – Pogo 8 Panel Metal Filled Pro-Series
- Genuine Dragonfly Footbags Brand. Kick with the best. Dragonfly has been trusted by beginners and pros for over 10 years!
- Made from premium Ultrasuede. Hand Stitched for quality
- Metal Pellet Filling, Loose Fill, Ships from Elkhart, Indiana USA
- Tough, washable and great for playing indoors or outdoors
- Unique sports gift idea, great for coordination and balance training
The Omen Footbag with Sand & Iron
- Panels: 152! Material: Ultra Suede
- Filling: Sand & Iron Weight: 60 Grams /2.1 ounces
- Diameter: 5.5 cm / 2¼ inches
- Fill level: Medium
- Will you dare kick this collectors item? or will you put it in your display case next to your Special Edition Millenium Falcon?
Bigfoot Hacky Sack – 32 Panel Symmetry for Balance, Tricks, Stalling
- THE REAL DEAL: Not all footbags and hacky sacks are created equal. Ours are the top of the range, which means they’re better designed, better made, and better for play. With bright, sleek designs that help you keep your eye on the bag, and the best engineering, our footbags are all about helping you up your game.
- HIGHLY DURABLE: Forget footbags that bust or leak. Each of our suede bags is professionally hand-stitched to ensure maximum strength and the highest quality seal. After a long day of group play, you might be worn out, but your footbag won’t be!
- MAKE KICKS AND TRICKS EASIER: You need just enough “pop” for kicking, and just enough “flatness” for stalling. That’s why we hand-pour and weigh each of our bags, to ensure the perfect medium fill, which makes the whole game better.
- THE BEST SYMMETRY (WITH 32 PANELS): Nothing will mess with your game like a footbag that’s not symmetrical. After extensive testing, we have discovered that 32 is the optimum number of panels for spherical symmetry without overcrowding the surface of the bag.
- FOR CONNOISSEURS… OR BEGINNERS: If you’re a regular hackysacker, you’ll love the experience of upgrading to our footbags (which are compliant with the International Footbag Committee regulations). If you’re new to the game, why not start with a leg-up?
Dragonfly Footbags Black Hole Single Panel Metal Filled
- Genuine Dragonfly Footbags Brand. Kick with the best. Dragonfly has been trusted by beginners and pros for over 10 years!
- Made from rugged Synthetic Suede. Hand Stitched for quality
- Metal Pellet Filling, Loose Fill, Ships from Elkhart, Indiana USA
- Tough, washable and great for playing indoors or outdoors
- Unique sports gift idea, great for coordination and balance training
World Footbag Dirtbag Stellar Staller Hacky Sack
- Filled with sand, steel ball bearings and plastic pellets for consistent kicks and easy delays (stalls)
- Light activated glow in the dark stars - absolute one-of-a-kind
- 12-panel footbag (hacky sack) is ideal for freestyle fun, 24 hours a day
- Super soft, tough and washable synthetic suede outer cover material
- Filled with sand, steel ball bearings and plastic pellets
- Light activated glow in the dark footbag
- Night time play is so much more satisfying when you can actually see the footbag
- 12-panel synthetic suede footbag is ideal for freestyle fun, 24 hours a day
- Absolute one-of-a-kind
Custom Build Option
If you are looing for a purely custom build and are ready to pay the premium to have one designed to your needs I would suggest you reach out to Hanna over on haniabag.com as she can definitely make you the perfect footbag if you can’t find one in the above options.
Final Thoughts on the Best Footbag For Freestyle
Choosing your footbag should be enjoyable and you should be prepared with your choice so that when you get it you will jump into it headlong as soon as it is in your hands!
I currently have multiple options to play with but continue to come back to my KickFire or my Dragonfly for my enjoyment and long kick play when attempting my sad version of freestyle.
