I have a 5 gallon bucket that I filled half way up with sand and then topped off with some clay, the kind kids play with at school. I have the clay punded in there pretty good so it holds all the sand in without a problem. This works extremely well for me. I've had a few arrows puncture the back, but this doesn't happen if I remember to pack it every few days. This has lasted much longer and arrow removal is much easier than with any other targets I've used.