Ultimate Sandbags

[Greg Everett]

We're carrying the ultimate sandbag now. These are the ones you've seen in some of our videos (black bag) - and our preferred bag. Super tough, nylon strap handles, heavy duty zipper + snap closure. We also have the velcro fller bags for them. Three sizes - 45 lb, 80 lb, and 160 lb capacities.

http://www.performancemenu.com/zen/i...products_id=95

[Frank Needham]

I'm glad you posted that. I've got to get a sand bag together. Just the thought of flinging that thing around pisses me off and would therefore motivate me.

[Greg Everett]

We have beat the SHIT out of ours and they hold up great--including launching them overhead onto rough asphault.

[Morgan Guthner]

Greg - I'm an avid sandbag user and have bags up to 300lbs. I use 25"x42" and 30"x50" toploader duffles - sand poured directly into them. I use two duffles per bag to keep them somewhat durable. These bags interest me, but I prefer to dump the sand directly into the main bag to keep them soft (like a flour bag) - will this bag work with sand poured directly into it, or do I need to have inner bags?

Morgan

[Greg Everett]

Morgan -

Yes and no - I've used the bags with broken innner bags for long periods of time (our medium bag is currently full of loose sand because we used bad inner bags and a lot have broken) and we've had essentially no spillage - only some really fine dust, and that only when they're thrown, etc.

That said, the loose sand may get caught up in the zipper and give you trouble opening it again. I'd suggest using at least a full-size liner bag to give you the feel you want but to help prevent any zipper problems.

[Morgan Guthner]

Thanks.

[Greg Everett]

Of course another option I forgot to mention would be using really fine gravel, like pea gravel, or even small chain.

[Morgan Guthner]

I tried several different designs until finding what I liked. The military duffles have worked good as long as you dont stuff them too full and drop them. Most people have no idea how strong (or conditioned) you can get with sandbags - and they're dirt cheap.

[David Marshall]

I own several of these bags (1 lg., 2 med., 2 sm.) and have used them extensively with my clients and in my own training. I highly recommend them, particularly if you are training in a 'mainstream' facility (they generally frown on duct taped duffel bags pouring sand all over their floors). We have thrown, dragged, slammed, dropped and generally abused the bags and 1 year later they are still intact. For filling, I double up 'contractor strength' garbage bags on the inside and zip-tie the (garbage bags) closed. I have several of the 'filler bags', but I have found that the detract from the 'feel' I am looking for with sandbag training, as they are too rigid and inhibit the malleability of the sandbag. The filler bags can be useful in group class settings with limited equipment for very quick weight changes. You definitely do not want to put sand directly in the bag - especially if you are going overhead with it. As Greg mentioned, it will interfere with the zipper, and the bags material acts as 'filter', keeping the majority of large sand grains in, but allowing a fine dust through that is not exactly pleasing to the eyes or lungs. I did not have great luck with pea gravel directly in the bag. Even after I screened and washed it, I still got some smaller sand grains and they caused similar problems to filling directly with sand. I would suspect most readers here will patronize Catalyst Athletics, but if you end up on Josh Henkins site (the creator), I would think twice about the DVD unless your training experience or imagination is very limited.

Regards, David

[Mark Konen]

Greg, what are the dimensions of the 3 sizes, lengthwise, end seam to end seam?

Thanks,

Mark