Crash Test Toylab - Toyfriend
On Wednesday last week, I went down to the Traveling Tickle Trunk to get an up-close look at just what Brenda Kerber does to ensure that consumers are getting a high-quality product. The store had just gotten in a new shipment of silicone, waterproof toys in from Toyfriend. The purple Cute, the pink Bunny and the black Coney.
Test #1 - Physical Appearance
All three vibes were meticulously examined after arriving at the store. Brenda and her employees noted that there appeared to be some scratches on the Coney, as well as some sort of gritty substance around where the logo had been lasered into the shaft.
After calling the company and asking about the grit and scratches, Brenda learned that the toys were indeed coated with a polyurethane coating (safe for use) and that the grit around the logo resulted from the lasering process. Seams were soft and almost invisible.
Updated Status: PASS
Test #2 - Durability
Beyond general use, which Brenda and her employees will test in the home lab privately, Brenda put these vibes through a litany of physical stress tests, especially at points where tears were likely to occur. She explained to me that 100% silicone will turn white under stress, but will go right back to its original colour and shape and is difficult to permanently damage.
You can see here where the 'bunny ears' on the Bunny turned white at stress points, but no permanent damage was done.
Status: PASS
Test #2 - Waterproof
The package and company that produces these toys claim that they are 100% waterproof. Their claim appears reasonable, given that all of these toys are well-insulated by silicone at the seam for battery retrieval. But that's not good enough for us! We turned those suckers on and subjected them to a full-submersion test!
After a good minute under water, we retrieved the vibes, dried them off and opened up the battery compartment to look for any sign that even a drop of water had gotten in. Nothing!
Status:PASS
Test #3 - Flame-proof
Brenda explained to me that 100% silicone toys will not melt, burn or catch fire. 100% silicone will turn white when held to a flame, but will return to its former colour as it cools off. The packaging for the Toyfriend toys claimed that the vibes were made of "high-quality' silicone, but provided no more information on the toy's ingredients, a must for Brenda. See what happens when we try to light one on fire (do NOT try this at home; instead, buy your toys from a shop like The Traveling Tickle Trunk that does it for you).
Status: Need more information
Again, Brenda called the company and requested more information on the ingredients in the toys. The company confirmed her suspicions that the toys were made of 100% silicone but that they were coated with a polyurethane coating, which is totally safe.
Status: PASS
Test Results: Suitable for Sale
The toyfriend toys we tested today were all determined to be safe and high-quality enough to be carried in the Traveling Tickle Trunk. The Cuteand the Bunny toys will be out for sale next week in-store, along with some of their other Toyfriend friends. The Coney will not until we resolve the issue of the polyurethane grit and coating scratches.
Check back tomorrow when we post a toy review for another Toyfriend product, the Nosy!