Punch bag filling

[Bombz]

I'm looking at getting a new heavy bag somewhere between 100 and 150lbs. I'm looking at a 4ft bag, about 18inches in diameter. In the UK there's quite a good choice (www.sugarrays.co.uk) and getting one isn't really a problem. There's a lot on this website about bag weight and size, but I'd like to see what everyone thinks about the filling in bags and their hardness.

I've been and looked at a Twins bag today (4.5 ft, 46kg, 15inch diameter) but, even though it is professionally filled (with cotton rag) using a hydraulic ram (in the UK, the bags are shipped from Thailand unfilled) to me it still felt too soft. I've asked the guy to fill a bigger bag but to line it with 2inches of foam all round to harden it up and see if that will make it more responsive and he's looking into it. I tried the Twins wall mounted hook & uppercut wall mountable unit he had for sale and I'm looking for a heavy bag that "feels" like that did.

I've seen on titleboxing's website that Title make a 150lb bag (18 inch diameter) with a 3 inch foam liner that is supposed do all of the things above but doesn't seem to be available in th UK - or (and I'd be really interested in this, what it's filled with - just says "extra hard compact filling", I'm assuming not rag filled?)

Just wondered what everyone's thoughts are on bag filling material, length for boxing use, diameter, foam liners (yes/no, how thick), favourite brand(s) of bag?

We seem to discuss plenty bag gloves but nowhere near the thing that we hit with them, that costs plenty more.

I'll end up making a decision based on what the bag feels like and it's likely it'll be from a local supplier for that reason as I think personal choice is big part of this and it's too big a risk and hassle to take the plunge mail order alone.

Look forward to your comments.

[the330ballers]

yup i need help w this too

[Bombz]

yup i need help w this too

Update on this and maybe useful to others.

I bought the Twins bag and have used it for some time. Overtime I've added a bit more rag filling to the top after it settled. But despite lowering it and moving the filling around in it a few times I keep getting spots that are very hard, hard enough to hurt if you're not on the ball or catch them just wrong.

I've been thinking for a while what else I could fill it with and I've seen posts on sand, sawdust and other things but none really looked like the right combination of weight, density and protection - until last weekend!

I took my little girl to a party at an open farm. Part of the setup was a play area. This play area had a protective surface, but unlike the solid, matt type floorings it was made up of loose rubber. When I looked at it properly it was actually small pieces of old car tyres with the metal removed.

Looking on the internet this re-cycled "rubber mulch" (available in the UK from
http://www.dunweedin.co.uk/ ) could be bought in 10kg bags, doesn't rot, hold water, gro bugs etc and looks a great option for filling a heavy bag.

Yesterday I emptied my bag (found out why there were hardspots cos different types of rag were used to fill, different density's which caused the problems) and re-filled it with 7.5 bags (75kg if the bag weights are right) and put a 10kg duct taped bag of sand on the top to keep things from moving.

The bag is now up, heavier than before with a uniform shape and totally consistent hardness no matter where you hit it.

I paid just over £5 per bag for the filling from a local builders yard who had 20 bags left and wanted to close them out, so it cost about £40 overall.

It's hanging now and I expect will settle (the pieces of rubber are around or under 1 cm square) as there is air between the filling. When it does I'll top it up with the half bag that I have left over.

If it works out I'll update this thread, but thought I'd post in case this is useful to anyone else looking for an alternate bag filling.

[Sven72]

It would be interesting to see how that works out. I've heard of people using old tyre pieces before but never had any feedback.

I just got a new bag custom made, rag filling and an internal foam liner. Its sweet to hit.

[Bombz]

It would be interesting to see how that works out. I've heard of people using old tyre pieces before but never had any feedback.

I just got a new bag custom made, rag filling and an internal foam liner. Its sweet to hit.

I've used it twice now. After the second time I've topped it up with a little more filling as it did settle. It's great to hit, definitely no hard spots and ver consistent fell wherever you hit it.

The only thing I'd say right now is that it is VERY heavy. Don't get me wrong it does move, only it takes more to move it and it swings slower. Some might like this (those who use double ended heavy bags for example), but I've not decided yet.

The perfect solution might be a hollow/lighted centre and then the rubber around the outside.

I'm going to give it a few more weeks first though.

[The Victim]

dont the rubber car tire pieces make the bag very heavy?

[Bombz]

dont the rubber car tire pieces make the bag very heavy?

Yes. Heavy but not hard.

I'm thinking of how I can lighten it a little by either removing some of the filling (at the top probably where I don't hit it) and replacing it with something lighter. Or looking at emptying it and re-packing with something lighter at the core and packed out with the rubber pieces around it.

[kadafee]

i bought a 'daddy bag' about a year ago, it has an 18 inch diameter, huge bag but it started geting hard spots.