Century Hydrocore Heavy Bag

Update - May 2019 - 2 more years laterI still have the exact same bag. As a true linear update, the straps have not busted that I was previously worried about, the bottom still has not fallen out, the bag has survived yet another move and much more punishment as I have gained technique and muscle. I went crazy for a couple weeks and was wearing super weighted gloves and was knocking this thing around, still yet to see any actual sign of wear and tear on it. The plastic "frisbee" topper thing has bent a bit since I have tightened the chains a lot so it's much higher off the ground, but that doesn't really affect much, I'll rig something up as a better cushion for that soon anyway if it starts to bother me. The bottom stitching is finally showing some wear, but there are still zero actual holes or any signs of the stitching coming loose. I can honestly say, three years later, that this is still one of the best purchases I've ever made, it's right up there with my massage chair, although a lot more fun since I can kick it.1 Year and 3 months later - May 2017::::::I am still in love with this bag. It has held up to everything I have thrown at it, and as my training and strength has increased the bag has held up to every bit of punishment I've thrown at it. It survived a 1000 mile move (emptied water first of course) and a number of kicks (with and without shoes) which have unhitched it from it's mounting point and sent it flying. Hangs right back up and takes more punishment. My earlier worry about the bladder falling from the bottom, no longer there as I've step kicked that bottom so much it definitely should've popped by now. The cushion is still very much impact absorbent and hasn't flattened or become less "cushy" in the spots I hit most. I went through 3 sand/fiber filled bags in a year before this one came along and it's definitely done more than expected. When this one finally gives out, I'll definitely be getting another!Previous Review February 2016The bag does exactly what it says it does. I received the bag in a very light box and immediately took it out to fill it up (leave space at the top so when you hit it water doesn't pop out). The XL weighs in at 90lbs actually but I didn't notice much of a difference in performance compared to a 100lb fiber filled bag. What I love about the Hyrdrocore most is it's ability to bounce back and also it's ability to stay balanced. I'll throw combo after combo at it and the water allows it to absorb the hit without it putting too much strain on the chains (my fiber fill bag would jerk a lot with heavy hits and the straps eventually would just come right off). My biggest gripe was that one chain was not straightened when the hanging ring was put on so once mounted the strap correspondent with that chain would instantly twist and throw the angle of the bag off (also a bit scary that the twist might make it tear quicker). The seller spoke with Century who said they would extend the warranty if the strap did indeed rip. I ended up actually removing the 1 mounting ring, straightened the chains and put a ring of my own on instead to be safe. My only worry at the moment is the bladder hangs on the bottom and there doesn't seem to be a cushion there to keep it from possibly just falling right through the bottom of the bag, however, I have abused the heck out of this thing and haven't seen any indication that it wouldn't hold up.

I've never used a traditional bag filled with sand, but I do like the feel of this. The foam layer has a reasonable amount of flexibility. Tip for novices--don't stand too close and hit too hard because it is not hard to sprain your wrist, as I had to lay off the bag for a couple of months.It comes with the chain shown in the pics. The top has a zipper along the circumference. Inside the vinyl top, there is a free-floating, hard plastic lid. Under that lid is the thick foam and the center plastic water bottle and a black cap. Also included is an instruction sheet with a long list of disclaimers on the back. The XL I ordered measures about 51" tall. Without water, it is relatively light, as it is just plastic, vinyl, and foam. With the thick layer of foam, and what seems like a thick plastic bottle, it is not clear how much force would be required to break this to cause a leak, but it seems like a lot. In my photos, the Century logo is on the other side of the bag.For someone 6' tall, you probably need to raise the bag from normal length by shorting a couple of chain lengths. Otherwise, you are punching the hard fabric that connects the chain to the bag, which will tear skin very quickly if practicing without gloves. Raising the height gives just enough room on the bottom to practice knee level kicks.I have it supported with an Everlast stand because I'm not sure I want to transfer the force directly to the ceiling and house. It will shift side to side with strong kicks if you don't weigh down the stand with some plates, but I work around that.Having read someone complain about overfilling and soaking the surrounding fill, I intend to stand on a ladder to fill it with a hose so I can visually monitor the progress. If you put this outside, you may want to consider putting something like wide Gorilla tape over the zipper to prevent water from seeping in through the zipper. No doubt the vinyl would eventually succumb to UV damage if exposed to direct sun for any long period. In a pinch, you can always have a massive emergency water bottle on hand with this!

This is my first bag, and I have to say it is pretty awesome! There's 4 inches of foam surrounding a somewhat flexible plastic jug that you fill with water. I recommend using plumbers tape on the threads of the jug, just in case you hit really hard and knock water out. Granted that never happened with me, but the threads don't appear water tight. One of the many nice things about the water core is that it is cheap shipping.I've had this bag for about a month now, and I've been smashing it with everything from low kicks, side kicks, knees, elbows, roundhouse kicks, heel kicks, and it feels like it will last forever. The material is very rugged and the water core provides good feedback as if you're striking another person. I purchased the XL bag, and it is about the perfect height for all MMA strikes.I highly recommend that if you're on the fence between this bag and any other, pick this one instead.

This bag makes an EXTREMELY loud "BOOM" noise from a good enough impact. I discovered this when doing round kicks. The noise is from the way the water-filled bladder vibrates against the foam. Regular heavy bags filled with traditional material like shredded cloth are much, much quieter. This was a waste of money. I only bought it because it was lightweight and shipped cheaply. Big mistake. I'm getting rid of it now and looking for a real heavy bag.

Love this bag. Feels nothing like a normal heavy bag more like a real opponent and it had a lot less swing to itMy one and only complaint is the cap on the inside water bottle is hard to put on and once you fill it You can't lay it back down. It will leak No matter how tight you think you get it the cap will leak. Sealed mine with silicon and I still wouldn't want to lay it down. So As long as you keep it hanging it's one of the best bags I've had