The most popular games out in the parking lots are typically the “tossing games”. Games like cornhole, beer pong and washers can be seen sprinkled all across parking lots everywhere. One of the more popular and fun tailgating game is Ladder Toss. You may call it something different like Ladder Ball, Ladder Golf, Blongo Ball, Hillbilly Golf among others but no matter what you call this game, Ladder Toss is a lot of fun while tailgating.
The guys at GoPong, well known for beer pong tables and recently cornhole games, have expanded to include another tossing game, Ladder Toss. We took a look at the GoPong Ladder Toss set and compared it to other sets on the market and even compare it to making one by doing it yourself.
In order to do a proper comparison and review, you first need to know what the GoPong Ladder Toss set includes. The whole thing comes in its own carrying bag with handles and includes all the tubing, bolos and instructions to get the game going. Assembly is rather quick and all the pipes fit into the joints easily and quickly.
Two aspects of the GoPong Ladder Toss that struck me when first breaking it out was the higher quality of the PVC pipe they use along with the golf ball bolos. First we’ll focus on the type of piping GoPong used to construct the game.
You’ll see the side-by-side comparison photo above of the two different thicknesses of pipe that can be used to make this game. Most reasonably priced Ladder Toss sets use a 1 mm pipe while the GoPong Ladder Toss uses the 2.5 mm PVC pipe. This thicker pipe makes the game more sturdy and less likely to tip over during game play. Also, the thicker pipe makes the set less prone to breaking or shattering when taking the pieces apart and packing them away. In comparison to other Ladder Toss games we have used, the thicker pipe does not significantly add more weight to the game when transporting it in the included carrying bag.
The other aspect we liked about the GoPong Ladder Toss game was the fact they used real golf balls on the ends of their bolos. Real golf balls are key in that they not only add the proper amount of weight needed for making an accurate toss but also allow for bouncing if the player prefers that method. Some of the cheaper ladder toss games will have foam balls on the ends which kills the weight and do not bounce as well. Also, after hitting the ground a number of times, the foam ends can come apart if played on a hard surface like asphalt or concrete. Golf ball bolos will not fall apart when they hit the ground.
Comparing the GoPong set to a DIY ladder toss set, the biggest problem with doing a game on your own is the uniformity problem. By going out to a home improvement store and buying your own PVC pipe and cutting them to length yourself, the amount of cuts you have to make will probably result in a number of cuts that are irregular and slightly different lengths. Human error comes into play and most homemade ladder toss games tend to lean because of the mismatched lengths can affect the way the game is put together. Factor in the time and expense of driving to the home improvement store, the gas and the time cutting PVC pipes with a hacksaw, the money you save by doing it yourself is lost and basically because a wash if you buy the GoPong set.
By comparison to other ladder toss games out there on the market and compared to a homemade ladder toss game, you are probably better off getting a GoPong Ladder Toss set based on price and time saved. By this criteria we are going to deem the GoPong Ladder Toss game “Tailgate Approved”.
We thought so highly of the GoPong Ladder Toss set that we have chosen to add it to our online tailgating gear store, Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com. The GoPong Ladder Toss set is priced $59.99 plus $15 flat rate shipping to anywhere in the continental United States. To buy one of your own, click HERE.