Maui Jim makes some of the best sunglasses for bright and colorful conditions and the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens is easily one of the best.
Check out the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
If you would like to know more about how grey lenses with blue mirror lenses work in general, click here.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Maui Jim Blue Hawaii |
Technology | PolarizedPlus2 Color Boosting |
Lens Color | Grey |
Mirror Color | Solid Blue |
VLT | SuperThin Glass ~11%, MauiBrilliant ~10%, MauiPure ~21%, Category 3 |
ABBE | 58 in glass, 56 MauiBrilliant, 52 MauiPure |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared and Blue-light blocking |
Material | Glass, unspecified |
Weight | Moderate for glass, Light for others |
Scratch Resistance | High |
Prescription Available | Yes, in MauiBrilliant only |
1 in glass, 3 in Pure or Brilliant |
Clarity
The clarity of Maui Jim's glass lenses is off the charts. The non-glass MauiBrilliant and MauiPure are both great.
Sometimes with Maui Jim, the different lens materials will render the same color lens differently. That is the case with the Blue Hawaii lens and this review will essentially be three reviews in one.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes, in MauiBrilliant material
For non-prescription, Check out the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
How does the lens look?
The Blue Hawaii lens has a brilliant deep blue mirror. Some Maui Jim mirrors are bi-gradient, meaning the mirror is on top and bottom but not in the middle, but the Blue Hawaii is a full mirror. All three lens materials have the same mirror.
The back has a blue shine from the anti-reflective coating.
Here is where the differences really come out. The mirror effect on the different materials makes this lens really three distinct lenses.
Differences by Material:
SuperThin Glass and MauiPure:
Amber hues, with the SuperThin Glass being darker and having a more uniform tint.
VLT: SuperThin Glass (~11%), MauiPure (~21%).
MauiPure lens has a non-uniform tint, affecting the edge vision slightly.
MauiBrilliant:
Greenish, cooler hue.
VLT: ~10%.
The SuperThin Glass and MauiPure have amber hues, which is normal for blue mirror lenses.
They are not the same though. The SuperThin Glass is darker, the tint is more uniform, and the amber effect is more subtle.
The VLT (visible light transmission) of the lenses is very different. The MauiPure has around 20% VLT, while the SuperThin Glass is around 11%. That is a huge difference. The Glass lens transmits about half the light of the MauiPure.
This makes the MauiPure not that well suited to very bright conditions, while the SuperThin Glass is right at home in full sun. The inverse is true in mixed light, as the MauiPure will have more light to work with.
Another factor with the MauiPure is that the tint is not uniform and even, with it being more saturated in the middle and less so on the sides. This does affect the view somewhat, as the edges of the vision will have a slightly different tint and hue.
The MauiBrilliant is completely different altogether. The lens is not warm at all, having a greenish, colder hue. This is not typical for a blue mirrored lens at all. The lens is dark with a 10% VLT.
When I reached out to Maui Jim about this they responded: "The lens materials do play a factor in the tint of the sunglasses slightly so while in most cases when looking through the Blue Hawaii, it is typically on the amber/bronze side, some of our materials (including the MauiBrilliant which is what you have in that style) offer a little bit cooler of a color which would likely by why you're experiencing more of a green/cool tone."
This makes a big difference, especially because the only prescription option for this lens is in the MauiBrilliant lens. It is important to understand how each lens works so that there is no confusion about which product is purchased.
What does the view look like?
Generally, it is better to add some warmth to a lens to make the world more colorful, energetic, and vibrant. This is because blue light, which is blocked by a blue mirror, is cooler and has higher energy, so it is very prevalent and hurts our ability to see other colors clearly. In addition, we like to add warmth and color to the view because it makes us more alert, energetic, and happy.
Gray with a small touch of warmth makes us feel like the world is natural but everything is slightly boosted, which to some degree makes it feel more boosted than others. With a rose or brown lens it can be hard to forget you are wearing sunglasses because the view, though beautiful, is far from what you would normally see. A gray lens will feel "natural", and a small touch of warmth will not be noticeable to our brains but it will still enhance the same colors a brown lens would, green and red. Unlike a brown lens, the grey lens with a blue mirror is only slightly blocking blue, so blues are still considerably more vivid than with brown lenses.
Maui Jim does this with the blue mirror in addition to their amazing PolarizedPlus2 technology that uses rare earth elements in the lens to boost red, greens, and blues.
These photos are what Maui Jim and other sources have used to show the view. Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes.
Interested in experiencing the lens for yourself? Check out the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
Maui Jim used the same simulation as the grey lens for this image, which does not have the warming effect of the blue mirror, so it is inaccurate.
The next pictures Maui Jim took through a lens in front of a camera, and then touched up the photo afterwards by raising the exposure. Sometimes this method works to give an idea of the tint but in this case it really doesn't. None of them show the difference between the three different lenses.
What gives a better idea is looking at the Grey lens and the HCL Bronze lens, and imaging a tint that is somewhere in between them.
Sunny Conditions
SuperThin Glass: Excellent at removing glare while boosting colors and adding warmth.
MauiPure: Similar to glass but allows more light, creating a brighter view.
MauiBrilliant: Cooler view, less vibrant colors, but still removes glare and haze effectively.
Here is a better example of what the lens should look like. Sunny conditions are what the Blue Hawaii were designed for and this is where they thrive, the more color the better.
The SuperThin Glass does an amazing job of removing all glare while boosting colors and adding warmth.
The MauiPure has a similar effect to the glass lens, but it lets in more light, making for a brighter, sunnier view.
The MauiBrilliant lens, like the other two lenses, removes all the glare and haze but has a "cooler", calmer view with the colors less vibrant and boosted.
Cloudy Conditions
None of these lenses thrive in overcast or mixed light, especially the Superthin Glass and MauiBrilliant. They are better for full sun. These lenses, especially the glass lens, are better at controlling and manipulating the available light, letting in the good light and keeping out the bad, than changing the colors to brighten the view like a brown or rose lens.
It is about letting a beautiful view be its best, not about creating a better one.
Of the two, the glass will be better as it has more warmth. The MauiBrilliant lens will be dreary.
The MauiPure lens is a bit different since its higher VLT allows it to work better in lower light. That being said, the contrast-enhancing isn't as pronounced as a brown lens in overcast conditions, so it will work fine but there are better options.
What views is it good and bad for?
Let's break this down for each lens.
SuperThin Glass - This may be the best bright, colorful condition lens you can buy. The clarity is astounding, the colors feel so natural yet so boosted, the haze and glare are removed but the view still seems so bright and alive. This is the lens to take on your tropical vacation and beach trips. It will work great offshore as well, fishing or boating. Driving with it on a sunny day is a pleasure.
MauiPure - A step down from the glass lens, this lens is too bright to be a full sun pair for most people, and too grey to excel in mixed conditions. It does very well in bright haze with lots of color and would be better for sports than the glass (other than because of impact resistance) because of the enhanced brightness. This is probably why Maui Jim uses this formula for this lens, as it is their go-to lens for the Blue Hawaii in sports frames. It is also perfect for those who enjoy a higher VLT lens with excellent Maui Jim protection and color enhancement. Maui Jim lenses are typically darker (except the green HT lens), so having this option may be a good fit for some people.
MauiBrilliant - The only prescription option in this lens, it is remarkably different than the other two options. This is a dark, "cool" lens, with a touch of green hue. The Maui Jim color enhancing tech still works to boost colors but compared to the glass lens this is significantly less colorful and vibrant. Even compared to the regular Maui Jim Neutral Grey lens this lens feels cold. Is it many times better than a standard sunglass lens? Absolutely. If it was my only lens I would happily wear it every time the skies were clear.
As mentioned above, these lenses do not work well in cloudy conditions, darkening an already color-reduced view.
Sports
SuperThin Glass: Not recommended for high-impact sports due to potential damage. Great for bright sun sports especially near or on the water.
MauiPure: Great for sports due to its brightness and impact resistance.
MauiBrilliant: Good for sports but less vibrant.
In bright, sunny conditions these lenses will work well for sports, and there are several options available for what brightness and hue you prefer. Avoid the glass lens if the activity has any chance of significant impacts to the face. I would generally recommend a brown or rose lens for sports but these (excluding the Brilliant) have enough color-boosting and warmth to perform well. For water sports all three would be great.
Interested in experiencing the lens for yourself? Check out the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
How the lens is marketed
Maui Jim says about the Blue Hawaii lens:
"Overflowing with vibrant blues, our island has inspired us to create a lens for those that thrive on colour. Developed as a fashionable option for top selling styles, Blue Hawaii provides a stylish look that offers the same amazing colour enhancement and clarity as all other Maui Jim lenses."
"Blue Hawaii features a patented blend of elements that increase and balance the saturation of the colours you can see. A blue mirror coating is applied to the outside surface of our PolarizedPlus2 Neutral Grey lens which eliminates glare, protects from harmful UV rays, and enhances colours."
Is the brand’s marketing accurate?
Yes, I think they undersell this lens, especially the SuperThin Glass
Comparison to same brand - Maui Jim
Full comparisons will be made for each Maui Jim lens. Here is a short summary for the most relevant lenses.
Maui Jim Neutral Grey
The Neutral Grey lens is the closest comparable because the Blue Hawaii is the grey lens with a blue mirror added. This lens will have the same clarity and color enhancement as the Blue Hawaii, but without the warmth and without the blue mirror, which may be better for some both functionally and aesthetically.
See here for the full Maui Jim Neutral Grey review. Check out the Maui Jim Neutral Grey lens on Amazon.
Maui Jim HCL Bronze
The HCL (high contrast lens) Bronze lens takes the warmth and color boosting of the Blue Hawaii to the next level. The only drawback to the increase in greens and reds is a relative reduction in blues. This lens is more versatile and works well in overcast to sunny conditions, but not as adept at dealing with full sun, high brightest conditions.
See here for the full Maui Jim HCL Bronze review. Check out the Maui Jim Neutral Grey lens on Amazon.
Comparison to same color of different brands
There are other lenses to compare this lens to, like Oakley Prism Deep Water and Serengeti 555nm Blue, but we will limit this section to other grey-based/blue mirror lens options.
Costa Del Mar 580G Blue Mirror Lens
Sort of the inverse of the Maui Jim lens qualities, this lens still has great color enhancement and clarity but is exceptionally comfortable in the brightest conditions. It was designed to be the best offshore lens in the harshest conditions and it fills that role to perfection. If the Maui Jim is too bright for you consider this lens.
Click here to buy on Amazon.
Revo Blue Water Sirilium Lens
I prefer this version of Revo's blue mirror lens over their H2O Heritage glass lens. Very similar to the Costa Blue Mirror with a bit more boost to greens and reds. An in-between option if Maui Jim is too bright and colorful and Costa is too dark and saturated.
Click here to buy on Amazon
Smith Chromapop Blue Mirror Lens
This lens has amazing clarity but the blue mirror does not add the same amber hue as the Maui Jim lens. The light levels are fine-tuned and the colors are clear, but the view is a lot closer to a grey lens than the Maui Jim. Consider this lens if you want the blue mirror without much warming effect.
Click here to buy on Amazon
Conclusion: Should you buy it?
The Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lenses offer a unique blend of style and functionality, making them an excellent choice for those who thrive in bright and colorful conditions. The three available materials—SuperThin Glass, MauiPure, and MauiBrilliant—each provide distinct advantages depending on your specific needs.
SuperThin Glass: The best option for unparalleled clarity, color enhancement, and glare reduction. Ideal for sunny conditions and outdoor activities where vivid color and detail are paramount.
MauiPure: A great middle ground, offering a brighter view and excellent protection. It is well-suited for sports and activities requiring a higher VLT.
MauiBrilliant: The only prescription-compatible option, providing a cooler, darker view. It's perfect for those needing corrective lenses but still desiring Maui Jim's superior color-boosting technology. Also, the only option if you want a blue mirror from Maui Jim with a prescription.
While the SuperThin Glass lens stands out as the top performer for bright, colorful environments, the MauiPure and MauiBrilliant lenses offer valuable alternatives based on light conditions and specific use cases. Each lens excels in removing glare, enhancing colors, and providing a comfortable viewing experience.
If you value exceptional clarity, vibrant colors, and high-quality construction in your sunglasses, Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lenses are a worthwhile investment. Whether for tropical vacations, sports, or everyday wear in sunny conditions, these lenses will enhance your visual experience and protect your eyes with style.