Found this bag flying under the radar...
I am becoming partial to white bags!
It's 2020 and one of my goals this year is to become less bag monogamous. A few weeks back at a Wicked Cornhole tournament, I saw that Bruce and Stacey were selling some Smokin J's from Tampa Bay Cornhole, the Cheyenne Renner Edition. I am not naive enough to believe that these bags would make me play like Cheyenne, but the price was right, no shipping and I can leave the building with them, so why not?
Impressions...
Bag in Hand
I immediately noticed that the seam of the bag was a bit large and exaggerated compared to other manufacturers. This worried me a bit as I like to hold the bag by the seam and it needs to feel just right. In contrast, the Ultra Widows are made so well, I have difficulty finding the side with the seam. Yeah, I'm picky. Put a Reynolds Pro Advantage in my hand, give me a blonde wig, a bowl of porridge and I'm good to go! Seriously, other than the seam, the bag felt very good, firm and full. I was ready to toss!
Down and Back
Whoa, right out of the gate, these bags felt great! I was able to get a good rhythm of flat tosses that would hit the board and slide into the hole. That's my game! Sure, some flew off the back, but that will be the case with any fast bag, especially brand new. My first match with them was a win with my partner dropping four daggers! Maybe I am used to a fast bag these days, but the Smokin J's seemed to break in really quickly for me.
Fast and Faster?
Which side is fast and which is faster? I don't know and I wasn't alone. On the night I broke them in, I asked this to several players in Worcester and the answers varied. To be fair, I also have to ask that question when playing with ALL-SLIDES from ALLCORNHOLE. And this bag is billed as the ALL-SLIDE competitor.
Airmail
If I had to go over the top with this bag, I would, but only after thinking twice. I am really not that comfortable airmailing any bag that does not have a true sticky side. But, that's the trade-off when choosing a fast bag. If the shot is there, take it, but if you miss, you are probably off the board.
Marketing
How come I haven't seen these bags during Show and Tell Hour (which is every hour) on Addicted to Cornhole? I reckon that's partly due to the name and graphic on these bags which may not be as enticing as its competitors. Like it or not, marketing probably plays the biggest role in determining which bags are hot! It appears as if people want spiders, snakes, lions, and dragons on their bags. Perhaps a dangerous bag equates to a dangerous player? Also, I happened to stumble across these at a tournament; otherwise I would have never have heard of them. Nor can I find them for sale on the Tampa Bay Cornhole website. They are listed on the Cornhole Addicts site, but only available with the Cornhole Addicts logo.
Recommendation
You do not have to play for the Astros or Red Sox to know how I am going to pitch against you. I am sliding straight up the middle and into the hole. With that in mind, these bags are a yes and a good "Bully Bag" for me! They probably would not get the nod over my hole-friendly GameChangers, but I would place them ahead of Ultra Widows and Reynolds Pro Advantage on my depth chart. If you have a strong slide game, pick up a set of Smokin J's!