A.HardCover is a company dedicated to supplying high quality products to institutional organizations committed to educating the public with regard to safe sex practices and making products available to their clients to encourage those safer sex practices.

Q. No really, what do you do?

A.We import and distribute HardCover Condoms™, which are manufactured under our label. In addition, we distribute our HardCover Lubegel - Personal Lubricant with Aloe Vera which is produced right here in Canada and was developed with direct input from Public Health - Sexual Health Educators and HIV/AIDS Outreach workers.

Q. How come I’ve never heard of you or seen you in drugstores?

A.Probably because we have concentrated to a large extent on the institutional types of accounts like the Government of Canada, Public Health Agencies, AIDS Committees and community groups in Canada since 1993.

Q. Which agencies use your condoms and how do they use them?

A.Agencies from coast to coast in Canada use our condoms in a variety of their outreach programs which are conducted through their clinics, schools and in the streets among others. The condoms are made available in walk-in clinics, doctors’ offices, schools and are often used as give-away items in “bar-hops” conducted by the outreach groups. In fact, over 40 Million HardCover Condoms™ have been distributed by these agencies since 1993. Roughly 35% of all the condoms distributed through institutional channels in Canada were HardCover Condoms™ since 1993.

Here are several examples:

• Health Canada
• Government of Canada, Correctional Services
• City of Toronto Public Health
• CANFAR, (Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research)
• AIDS Committee of Toronto, (ACT)
• Windsor Essex Public Health
• Hamilton - Wentworth Public Health
• Regina Health Services
• Calgary Regional Health Services
• and many more agencies and groups, too many to list here.

Q. So, where can I get your condoms?

A.Good question! It’s been tough to find us out there although we are available through some retailers, (sex shops), from several “online” retailers for small quantities, or finally, contact the Public Health Department or AIDS Committee in your community and ask them if they have our products or ask them to carry them. If you are interested in buying larger quantities, read on… We created this Web Site to give you the opportunity to order our products directly in bulk providing you want to order a minimum combination of 3 gross of condoms or lubegel, (432 units). We know it seems like an odd number for a minimum but, it is based on our minimum size order of $100 before taxes and shipping.

Q. Is it safe to buy condoms over the Internet?

A.We are in the “Safe” business, so yes, it is safe to put your order through to us via email providing us all the details necessary so that we can call you to confirm your order by telephone before your order is processed.

FAQ’s About HardCover Condoms™

Q. Why are they called HardCover Condoms™, are they “Hard”?

A. No, our condoms are not hard even though condoms were made of tortoise shells at one time. The name is supposed to be very tongue and cheek because we want you to cover something hard with our latex condoms. Hey, we thought it was self-explanatory, we were wrong on occasion because people still ask the question.

Q. So what’s so special about HardCover Condoms TM?

A. Plenty! We offer the condoms that passionate people are looking for. In addition to our plain latex products, non-lubricated, lubricated, we offer coloured and flavour scented latex condoms that are lubricated.

Q. Hey ! Back to condoms. If they are coloured or flavour scented are these novelty condoms?

A. Absolutely not! Boy, am I glad that you asked that question because there is a real difference between novelty condoms and HardCover Condoms™. For one thing, all of our condoms, whether plain, coloured or flavour scented have been designed to exceed all Canadian Standards, (the highest in the world, and not because of latitude), and International Standards including those of our neighbours to the South, the United States of America. Novelty condoms are not designed and tested to meet these standards. In fact, Novelty condoms are not allowed to make any statements on the packaging or foil suggesting that they are effective in preventing STI’s, (Sexually Transmitted Infections), and or pregnancy.

We are proud of the fact that, when used properly and in accordance with our instructions, all of our brands of condoms are highly effective in preventing Pregnancy and may reduce the risk of catching many STI’s and HIV - the virus leading to AIDS, although, no contraceptive can guarantee 100% effectiveness.

Q. Where are your condoms made?

A. In fact, our condoms are made in Malaysia, a country blessed with some of the highest quality natural latex in the world.

Q. Can you tell me what those “high” Canadian Standards for condoms are?

A. Yes.

Q. Well, what are those standards?

A. In a typical lot or batch size, 313 condoms out of 315 condoms per condom lot tested cannot leak. In other words, 2 condoms or fewer are allowed to leak and still be considered an ACCEPTABLE lot all over the world. Also, condoms made available for distribution in Canada and most of the world must consistently exceed air bursting volumes and pressures of 17 litres and 1.0 Kpa before they are exploded in testing.

Q. How do HardCover Condoms TM rate?

A. They rate quite high in these tests with bursting volumes typically around 33 - 35 litres with bursting pressure usually about 2.0 Kpa.

Q. Who tests your condoms and are all condoms tested the same way?

A. Our condoms are tested by the manufacturers who produce our condoms, independent accredited labs, eg., SGS Surveyors, and Health Canada.

All of the condoms go through an electronic test on the production line just before the condoms are sealed in their individual foils. Samples in accordance with Canadian Standards are taken and tested in all cases by the manufacturer once they have been sealed. These condoms are selected randomly from within each lot and tested in several different ways over and above those listed earlier. Then, condom lots are selected randomly by Health Canada. The random selection process with respect to Health Canada-Health Protection Branch has two meanings. They come to test our condoms spontaneously and make their selections from within the condom lots on a scattered basis. We also use SGS on an impromptu basis, when we want additional INDEPENDENT testing to help us insure quality control. So in effect, some condom lots are potentially tested in labs as many as three times over and above the testing on the production line.

If you’ve got some questions that you need answered and think should be up here because of their relevance or for their entertainment value feel free to send them in and we will try and answer them. If they are really good, you might get a surprise in the mail from HardCover, so “Rise to the occasion with colour and taste”.

We may not be able to make the claim that HardCover Condoms™ are the “condoms of champions” but, we can say that HardCover Condoms TM are the condoms of the professionals.