I’m often asked what sunglasses are the best in terms of sun protection, durability and comfort. Usually, my answer is Maui Jim. To help understand what makes them better than the rest, I arranged an interview with their UK Representative Tony Calver.
Tony on a whale watching trip on the Maui Jim boat in Lahaina, Maui. (I’ve not yet received my invitation to the Maui Jim boat).
(Robert Sands): Hi Tony, thank you for taking time out for our blog readers. Your company makes amazing sunglasses, however to my frustration many people still don’t wear sunglasses as much as they should. Why should people be wearing sunglasses more?
(Tony Calver): Hi Robert. Let’s keep it simple. Here are our top 5 reasons to wear sunglasses:
UV Protection- The sun’s harmful rays can lead to serious & in some cases long term health issues.
Skin Cancer- 5 – 10% of skin cancer occurs around the eyes. Always wear quality protective sunglasses.
General Eye Comfort- The sun’s brightness & glare interferes with comfortable vision.
Dark Adaptation- Spending even a relatively short time in intense sunlight can hamper the eyes’ ability to adapt to night-time or indoor light levels.
Blue Light Protection- Use outdoor lenses that absorb the HEV, as accumulated exposure has been associated with Macular Degeneration.
Maui Jim sunglasses protect you from all of these issues.
(RS): So do all sunglasses protect your eyes the same?
(TC): No. Sunglasses that are not polarised are dimming light rather protecting from glare. Sunglasses that do not provide adequate UV protection can actually cause more damage. They shade the eye causing the pupil to dilate & allow in more UV rays.
Most sunglasses protect from UV, but not many protect equally from HEV (High-energy visible) light.
(RS): When you put on a pair of Maui Jim’s, you can instantly see a difference. How does the view differ through a pair of Maui Jims compared to your average pair of shades?
(TC): We have a unique, patented, proprietary formula: Our PolarizedPlus2 lenses enhance the colors your eyes naturally perceive. So, you see vibrant, saturated colors with a higher level of contrast and greater depth perception.
We infuse our lenses with a patented blend of three rare Earth elements to enhance red, green, and blue light waves. These elements increase and balance the saturation of colors we need to see, and filter out the colors we cannot see that cause interference. So colors pop and your world comes to life.
Maui Jims really do make the view so much more colourful.
(RS): Moving on to the frames, our most popular models are made from Grilamide; can you tell us what makes it such an amazing material?
Maui Jim Kanaha, made from Grilamide. They don’t look strong, but they really are.
(TC): It’s a nylon based material, which helps it hold its shape indefinitely. Grilamide also has a memory, it can bend and flex and snap back to its original shape. It can be molded into most shapes and styles.
This makes it ideal for sunglasses where many people are increasingly using them in active lifestyle and sporting pursuits.
(RS): I’d add that it’s extremely lightweight and therefore comfortable too.
(TC): Yes that’s true, particularly with the adjustable nose-pads we add to the frames.
On the subject of sport, what sports do you think Maui Jim’s are ideal for, and are some lenses better for certain sports?
We have a comprehensive range of lens materials & tints to combine with our patented lens technology to enable participation in a wide range of non-contact sports and active lifestyle.
We have frames specific to water-sport in Waterman.
The Maui Jim Waterman features vents on the lens to prevent fogging and a strap to hold them in place during rough watersports.
Our sunglasses are particularly popular in sports such as cycling, golf & running.
The Maui Jim Stone Crusher is ideal for Golf, Cycling or Running.
Personal choice is all-important:
Neutral Grey is ideal for bright, direct sunlight. It’s the first high contrast grey lens, that offers more vibrant color and sharper detail, even in the harshest sun conditions. This one is the preferred lens color for offshore / deep sea anglers.
Maui Jim Kanani featuring HCL Bronze lens.
HCL Bronze – for full sun to overcast use. It provides excellent contrast for everyday variable conditions. Great if you love a warm, subtle bronze tint. This makes it ideal for offshore, freshwater, and sight-fishing.
MAUI HT™ – High transmission – for times when most lenses would be too dark. It offers the highest available light transmission allowing for incredible depth perception, with excellent color enhancement and contrast.
(RS): All the lens colours have their uses. I’ve found the HT brilliant for this country, where it’s more likely to be overcast than sunny. It still eliminates glare and is still pretty good in bright light, but it really improves your vision in almost all conditions. I reviewed it in one of my YouTube videos:
The HT lens is also particularly good for golf. We’ve just started a partnership with Ashton & Lea Golf Club whereby we’ll be educating their members on ways to improve their game. A big part of that is the HT lens, which improves your ability to ‘read the greens’ and judge the distance to the pin or the fairway better.
Miguel Angel Jimenez wearing his Maui Jims on the golf course.
Thanks again to Tony for providing insight into Maui Jim sunglasses. We stock over 40 styles at any one time, and will help you find the perfect frame and the perfect lens from the collection. You really must try them for yourself! As we say, ‘seeing is believing’.
Call us on 01772 312213, or tweet me @specfactory to arrange an appointment or if you have any questions.
