I’m going to start this post out with a –> spoiler alert <–.
Glow In The Dark Cornhole Bags and Light Up Bags Suck.
I recommend you save your money and don’t bother purchasing any of the bags we review here…instead, we’ll give you some ideas that really work for night time play!
OK, now that we have that out of the way, if you want to find out why we think they suck, please by all means keep reading!
If you’re familiar with this website you know that we love the game of cornhole (bean bag toss). In fact, we loved the game so much, we added lights to our boards so that we can continue playing in the late night hours.
Add lights to your boards?
Yep, we added cornhole lights (lights that go around the hole) to our boards which was great, as it allows us to play at night! You need these…trust me!
Even with the cornhole board lights, it seemed like something was missing.
When you throw the cornhole bags you couldn’t see them fly through the air, or where they were hitting the board.
We’d have to look closely on the board (or the ground) to see where the bag had landed. Lowering your head down by the board can be a dangerous thing to do when there are still bags to be tossed!
We solved the problem of not being able to see the bags on the board by adding board lights that run the perimeter of the board.
Shop for Board Lights on Amazon
That got us to thinking about bags that could somehow be illuminated. And thus began our journey!
What are Glow In The Dark Cornhole Bags?
There’s nothing really special about these bags. They are not radioactive, or based on some alien technology.
With Glow In The Dark, you’ll find there are a couple of options (and we’ll look at each in a little more detail). Basically, you have Glow In The Dark…fabric, paint and thread.
Glow in the dark paint is what is called a phosphorescent paint. Glow in the dark paint is made from phosphors such as silver-activated zinc sulfide or doped strontium aluminate. These paints usually glow a pale green to greenish-blue color and is used as an alternative to radio luminescent paint (this is the kind of paint that requires no light to energize it…downside, it is radioactive).
Since phosphorescent paints are not radioactive, they need a source of light to become energized. The “charging” process can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes, and usually only last for 30 minutes.
What are Light Up Bags?
When it comes to Light Up Bags, there are really two options: glow sticks or LED inserts.
I’m sure most of your are familiar with glow sticks. These are the little plastic rods that you crack and shake and then they start to glow. Our kids used them at Halloween or when we’d go camping.
Well, a smaller version of these are being used for the light up bags. The idea is that you activate a stick and then insert it into a pocket on a special cornhole bag. (Immediate do not like that you need to have non-standard bags to make this work).
With the glow stick version of cornhole bags, really all you are getting is a little flowing stick attached to the bag. Better than nothing… I guess!
The LED inserts had a lot of potential but ended up falling flat. These are inserts in the bag that activate when they hit the board, turning the LED light on (Red, Blue, White). You an also “smack” the bags to activate them before tossing so you can see them in the air.
In my mind these are a fail. The creators of these bags had to add less plastic filling to get the LED to come on consistently. That means once again, non-standard bags…a totally different experience.
** Update – 2023 **
Yep, glow in the dark bags really do suck. So much so that the few folks that were making them…stopped making them!
We had a review of two different bags (one from Triumph that used glow sticks and then one from GlowCity that used some LEDs) and both of them are no longer available. So, it looks like if you want flow in the dark bags, you are going to have to make them yourself!
However, there is one newer product that has mixed reviews – Cipton Glow in The Dark Cornhole Bags
These all weather bags last up to 8 hours and allow the user to select from 6 different colors using a remote control. In addition to setting the colors, from the remote you can set the bags lights to be either solid, flashing or strobe. The strobe effect could be a lot of fun and create some interesting visuals!
If you’ve got kids, these bags would probably be enjoyed by them. Some of the review note that they are not regulation and that the colors can randomly change when they hit the board. Again, if you are not concerned about being official, just looking to have some fun in the dark, then these might be the right bags for you. And why limit them to cornhole? Night time bean bag tag anyone?
Glow In The Dark Paint
Why not paint your own bags with glow in the dark paint?!?!
This is a good idea, especially if you have some old bags that you don’t mind getting glow in the dark paint all of them.
Some benefits of going this route:
- You can customize your own design
- Super cheap (less than $6 and you should be able to get some glow on all your bags)
Some negative aspects of going this route:
- You are a terrible artist, and your bags will end up looking like crap
- Bags + Boards = Friction. Friction will wear off the paint pretty fast
- You have to charge the glow in the dark paint with a light source
Custom Embroidered Bags
I thought these were kind of cool…again, mostly as a novelty or keepsake.
I can see how these would be a great addition to a bride and groom cornhole set. Where the couple’s initials and wedding day are embroidered into the bags.
The good thing about these bags is that they are regulation. The bad thing is that these bags need to be under direct light for 30 minutes to get 30 minutes of glow out of them. Sorry, but that isn’t very practical. There is a hack though. If you have a bright flashlight, you can recharge the glow on your bags between turns. Still kind of a pain in the butt, but you can find other fun things to do with the flashlight (blinding your opponent).
Still, I think these would make a pretty unique gift.
Conclusion
My opinion on all this is that glow in the dark or light up bags are nothing more than a novelty.
If you want to get someone a unique gift that they’ll probably only use one time…these cornhole bags might be just the ticket!
My advice, stick to the cornhole board lights. Get one light for the hole and one light for the perimeter of the board. If you REALLY need to see the bags flying through the air on a pitch black evening…purchase some night vision and quit complaining!
Or, purchase a couple of flood lights and illuminate your entire backyard. Now everyone can see the bags, the boards, the players, the raccoons…..RACCOONS?!?!? QUICK….TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!
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I love everything which glows in the dark. And if these things are used to elongate our cornhole experience, then they’re definitely attracting my interest!!
The board lights that run the perimeter are kind of an interesting solution to the problem!! I would definitely buy these bags the next time I play cornhole at night!!
Hi there Tyler!
These glowing (glow in the dark) and illuminated (glow sticks) cornhole (bean bag toss) bags definitely add a new twist to the game. But as I mention in the post, they are more of a novelty.
If you wanted to throw a really fun party, I recommend black lights and glow paint! You can paint the bags, boards, your body…go crazy!
For a long term solution…if you plan on playing a lot at night…there is no substitute for LED board lighting.
Thanks for stopping by The Cornhole!
Gosh this looks a fun game I have never seen it before and it would make a good game for all ages, like that you could be play this game inside or out, think it would be something the kids would enjoy especially in the evening with the lightening effect or glow in the dark paint. Very novel will be looking into this more, it also looks like a game you could put together yourself if you were the creative type
Katie…cornhole is a fun game! You have to try it!
The kids will love the game. It is so easy to setup and learn…and unlike horseshoes or lawn darts, cornhole (bean bag toss) is safe! 😉
I’m mentioned to another reader that a fun twist on night time play is to add black lights and glow paint! You can paint the bags, boards and more. The kids would have a great time putting paint on their hands and faces as well. I think this would make for a really fun birthday party game!
If you are just starting out with the game, I recommend purchasing a set that is ready to go – here are some of the most affordable options for cornhole sets. The only exception would be if you have the tools and lumber laying around…then just build a set in an afternoon and get playing.
I hope you are able to get a cornhole set for this summer! You’ll never regret it.
Ilike the bags that glows at night that awould make the game to be more exciting. Especially if you are in the are where their is no lights electric that. Bring us to the board that’s have lights that enable night vision to be possible .all said and done this a good game worthy trying.
Hello Charles. From the sound of your English, it looks like boarddecals.com is getting some international attention. That is awesome! We are all about spreading the game around the world.
Cornhole is a game worth trying! If you don’t want to spend a lot of money to try out the game, go with a cheap set and then upgrade to something nicer down the road. You can also look for Find Cornhole Leagues in Your Area as an opportunity to experience and learn the game.
Where ever you are in the world, I hope you get a chance to play cornhole!
Have fun out there!
Thank you for this, I feel adding light to the hole and perimeter board light is still the safest means for cornhole in the dark, is there anyway the glow in the dark paint charging process be extended for more than 30 minutes.Which type of night visions you can recommend to see clearly the flying bags at night?
Yes! Adding lights to the board is by far the better way to go. In the long run you’ll thank yourself.
Any of the night vision googles are going to work. The cheapest one will be those that use a bunch of infrared LEDs to illuminate the view. The have a CCD camera and an LCD display. (I know, all kinds of acronyms!) If you have money to blow, pick up a couple of these for your next party! 🙂
Actually, a night vision cornhole tournament could be really really cool. I might have to plan something like that!
Thanks for stoping byThe Cornhole!
Thanks for sharing this amazing information! The glow-in-the-dark bags are so cool! I have never thought that before. And you also introduce other things such as glow in the dark paint, which is really a good idea for people to be attractive or seeking novelty. I would love to try some after the reading and watching your videos, though you just mentioned: “I recommend you save your money and don’t bother purchasing any of the products we review here.” at the beginning. lol By the way, this is really interesting. Thank you!
No problem James.
So yeah, the idea of glow in the dark bags are pretty cool…but I still think they are more of a novelty.
You can have a lot of fun with glow in the dark paint or black light paint! I can imagine a pretty wild party full of glowing bodies and fling bags!
If you get a chance to try any of these ideas out, please come back and sure with the rest of us.
Hi,I really impressed with this corn bags. Very creative ideas. I think, its not only for fun games, but also a great decoration ideas for kids room. I can already imagine how excited my kids. I also love your ideas to flood the backyard with these glow in the dark bean bags. Its just perfect to plan the birthday party during the nighttime. Thanks for the Great ideas.
Yep, these glow in the dark bags are pretty crazy. Again, they are more of a novelty, you don’t want to hold your next tournament with them, but still a lot of fun.
And yes, what a great idea! Kids would love to have these in their room. They could almost be like night lights, sending kids off to dream about dropping four cornholes in a row!
These glow in the dark bags could even be used for playing catch outside at night!
I think you guys are doing really great by being creative and thinking out of the box. Your idea of glow in the dark bags is not different from all other great ideas making waves in the world today, they are born out of thesame creative mindset .Its a great idea for a nite time party with family and friends.
Zuchii!
You can get super creative with cornhole my friend! You can decorate your board – Cornhole Board Decals – Create the most talked about cornhole boards! Or have a wild party with glow in the dark bags, booze and body paint…now that sounds like fun!
If you end up having a night time cornhole party, be sure to come back and share some pictures! 😉
Have a great time out there my friend!
Glad to know that radio luminescent paint can produce light energy on its own. This is possible because of the present of radioactive elements in it. Phosphorescent paint on the other hand needs to be charged for so times before it receive light energy to glow.
I will want to know which is better between radio luminescent paint and phosphorescent paint.
You learn something new ever day right? 😉
Radio luminescent paint shouldn’t be used for anything like cornhole. It’s not a lot of radiation, but you’d have to use a lot of paint…and it is expensive…and why risk it?
You are better off going with a paint that needs to be “charged” before it glows…..OR…..get some black lights and neon paints. That can be just as fun! It’s like cosmic bowling.
Hey there Michael,
thanks for the informative review, I’ve found it to be very helpful and I’ve also enjoyed reading it and learning about a completely new and unheard of product. As far as Light Up Bags go, well I won’t lie- at first when I’ve heard the whole concept and idea behind them I though- damn, that sounds pretty cool. However, after reading Your review and discovering that this is just a gimmick that doesn’t really deliver on its promises made all of the hype and excitement behind this glowing bags quickly disappear and vanish, haha! One of the biggest issue that I have with the LED inserts is, like You’ve mentioned the fact that the creators had to use less plastic filling for LED to come on consistently, which in the end results in these LED bags filling much differently in hand, compared to the original ones. Which is a huge downside for me personally as it kills the overall experience I guess, as You have to get used to the feel of game all over again (well, for some it may not- I guess it depends on personal preference, right?). Although I have to say that I really like Yours idea of just using glow in the dark paint s to paint the original bags Yourself instead of using these LED bag- I honestly think this is a fantastic solution to this problem, great job!
All in all Michael, thanks for such awesome review and keep up the great work 😉
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by The Cornhole.
I’m like you…I play my cornhole with my favorite bags. Playing with anything different messes up my game. Now, if it is just a friendly night game I don’t mind. But most of our games are pretty competitive so I’m not going to risk it! 😉
Around our house, the glow in the dark bags end up getting used in a game of tag…people running around in the dark, getting glowing bags tossed at them. You get hit…you it!
If you end up getting any of these “lit” bags, drop back and let us know how they worked out for you!