Product Review - Maui Jim Sunglasses

Spending several days on the water in bright sunlight can be extremely fatiguing on the eyes.  Constant squinting to reduce glare is not only frustrating, but it takes away from your ability to concentrate on watching the water for fish.  Maui Jim’s seven-layer lens manufacturing process must work, because the days I spent on the water during the second tournament were considerably more comfortable than in the first.  At one point, a Mahimahi swam past the boat, and I could immediately see it in the water with all the sharp colors a Mahi emanates.  Those on board without Maui Jims could see the fish after we pointed it out, but the sharp contrast gave us the advantage to see it quickly and in brilliant vibrant color. 

We watched the fish swim through the lure pattern and disappear as fast as it came, squint free, and with colors as close to natural as I’ve ever seen.  The glasses are lightweight, durable, and the vision clarity is beyond belief, even when looking at objects in the distance.  The glare was all but completely gone, and at the end of the day my eyes were not tired as they had been in the past using other brands.  Since that day on the water using Maui Jims, I use these glasses now almost exclusively, be it fishing,sailing, a day at the beach, or for a business meeting.   

So what is it about Maui Jim lenses that makes them different?  A number of manufacturers have good styling to help sell their products, and while the Maui Jims are also nicely styled, this article isn’t about personal taste.  Furthermore, no sunglass is worth anything without eye protection and ability to see on the water, and that’s what this article is about.

Glare, especially a day of it on the shimmering ocean in Hawaii, is what causes eye strain, and the goal of most manufacturers is to reduce it to a comfortable level.   Unfortunately, however, in the eyewear industry, the higher the reduction in glare, the more a sacrifice in optical clarity and good vision is experienced.   

Maui Jim has been able to combine the best of both worlds by using a patented 7-layer process called PolarizedPlus.  According to their promotional literature, they take “two pieces of hand-ground 100% optically correct glass and sandwich a polarizing film between them.  A bi-gradient silver dioxide coating is then thermally applied to the front, and an anti-reflectant coating is vaporized and vacuum processed to the back.   The fishing touch is a thermally bonded waterproof coating on both sides.”  They go on to say the result is amazingly clear, sharp, glare-free vision, and frankly, after wearing these glasses for months now, I couldn’t agree more.  These glasses are the clearest, sharpest, and most glare-free I have worn.  

The sunglasses come with two types of lenses: neutral grey and the newer HCL bronze I currently have.  The grey lenses advertise highest glare protection and are reportedly suitable for all light conditions.   The HCL (high contrast lens) bronze version offers additional contrast and a subtle bronze hue for everyday wear.  There are a multitude of styles to choose from, in both men’s and ladies’ versions.  The glasses are comfortable and durable too, thanks to other quality features such as corrosion resistant, spring hinges (crucial for use in saltwater), adjustable temples, hand-cut dyed temples and solid colors that prevent flaking, peeling and fading.

Try out a pair of Maui Jims, available at CROWLEYS OPTICIANS, or visit their website at www.mauijim.com for more information.  I think you’ll find these glasses will have a positive impact on your fishing or sailing days,