Maui Jim makes some of the best sunglasses in the world for bright conditions. With the HT (High Transmission) lens, Maui Jim has a certified winner for low light as well. In this Maui Jim HT lens review, we delve into the lens specs, visual performance, marketing accuracy, and comparisons with other lenses to help you determine if this specialized lens is the right fit for your needs.
Check out the Maui Jim HT lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
If you would like to know more about how green lenses work in general, click here. However, these lenses are not typical for green lenses, as we will explain.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Maui Jim HT |
Technology | PolarizedPlus2 Color Boosting |
Lens Color | Green |
Mirror Color | Bi-gradient silver/gold, or no mirror |
VLT | Around 30%, Category 2 |
ABBE | 58 in glass, 56 MauiBrilliant, 52 MauiPure |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared and Blue-light blocking |
Material | SuperthinGlass, unspecified |
Weight | Moderate for glass, Light for others |
Scratch Resistance | High |
Prescription Available | Yes, in MauiBrilliant only |
2 |
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. For example, the Blue Hawaii lens is very different in tint and color between the three different options. For the HT lens, I find the colors is the same for all of them, but the clarity is noticeably more pronounced in the SuperThin glass.
The weight of the glass is only moderate, as they use thinner glass than other brands. The Pure and Brilliant materials are very lightweight.
The lenses have every coating you could ask for. The mirror coating is not encapsulated in between the lenses, and is most vulnerable to scratches.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes, in MauiBrilliant material
For non-prescription, Check out the Maui Jim HT lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Maui Jim's website).
How does the lens look?
These lenses feature a bi-gradient mirror, with a touch of silver reflectiveness at the top and bottom, which adds a nice dimension on top of the green lens when the sun is reflecting on it. This mirror effect mimics the natural squinting of your eyes to enhance glare protection.
However, the mirror is often not noticeable in dimmer conditions, like in this photo.
The back has a green shine from the anti-reflective coating. Looking through the lens, you'll notice a subtle greenish hue, which others will also see when they look at you if the mirrors do not reflect.
What does the view look like?
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.
The last two photos are the most accurate to me. The colors are beautiful, especially greens, and the haze is removed. What the last picture doesn't convey is how bright those kinds of conditions will really be with the HT lens. Yes, the colors will be nice, but it will feel very bright after just a short period of time. The lens was not designed for sunny beach conditions. Maui Jim makes other lenses much better suited for that.
These three photos are all taken in the right conditions for the HT lens, but they do not get the view right. Bright early mornings when you could get away with not wearing any sunglasses but there is enough light to work with to boost acuity and color are the perfect settings for this lens.
The photos have a bit of a red and warm view, which is inaccurate. Here is a better example of what the lens should look like.
This is not a perfect simulation either, but its closer. This is a bright early morning, the long shadows are visible. The primary benefit of the lens is the reduction of all haze and reflected glare. It does an excellent job removing blurry blue light while boosting greens to be a saturated, rich hue. The polarization darkens the blue of the sky.
Here is what the same view would look like with a category 3 green lens like Ray Ban G15:
With the category 3 green lens, the view is too dark. Most would prefer to not wear lenses at all in that situation than wear the dark lens. That is the perfect time to wear the HT lens.
Sunny Conditions
Now let's see how the HT would work in bright, midday conditions.
This (also imperfect simulation) shows roughly what it would look like. The polarization does a great job dealing with the reflections on the water but the view is still too bright overall. The contrast the lens is capable of gets washed out when it’s so sunny. You could get away with using them, especially for short periods. For hours out in this weather the HT would be too bright.
With a full tint category 3 green lens it will look much better and be more comfortable:
Cloudy Conditions
We've seen that the HT works great in bright early morning, and struggles in full sun. What about overcast and cloudy conditions, like this?
To me, it depends. If the clouds are bright and you are slightly squinting, but it is too dark to wear category 3 sunglasses, then the HT is great. I even wear it in the rain sometimes if it is bright enough outside.
If the clouds are dark and the brightness level is low enough that there is no squinting at all, the HT may slightly add clarity by removing blue light and boosting green, but it will dim the available lighting too much. I wouldn't wear it in that situation.
Whether or not I am squinting is essentially my barometer for when to wear any sunglasses.
What views is it good and bad for?
When I got this lens it went straight in my car and quickly became one of my most used lenses. It fills the low light color enhancing lens role very well in a way that the Serengeti Drivers, my usual contrast enhancer in low light, does not always.
This is because it is a cool lens, whereas the Drivers are a warm lens. Each has its place but I often do not want to add warmth to a bright morning that is already very lively. The HT works better for that. It is a great compliment to the Serengeti drivers, the calming option vs the warming one.
They work best when it’s not so sunny and you don’t want high contrast. The main benefit is the elimination of glare and the added clarity, not the light reduction, as it’s not that darkening anyway. It just takes the edge off when you are slightly squinting, adding a lot of comfort. The best use for this lens is when other people would question you for wearing them until they tried them on themselves and understood the difference.
The lens effect is close to a lighter version of the Serengeti 555nm, with similar tints and color-enhancing effects, just with different amounts of tint.
It’s not a necessary lens, you would only need it when you are only slightly squinting, if at all, but it’s a nice addition if you want that clarity when normal sunglasses would be too much.
The views are nice even in the appropriate settings, but not spectacularly beautiful because you can only work with what you have to work within that scenario. This lens thrives in less than ideal conditions, which means its goal is to make a subpar view better, not to make the best conditions perfect.
Sports
Some people think the HT great for golfing, because it excels in overcast conditions and mornings, when you want to brighten the greens. I understand that. However, in fuller sunlight, and even mixed conditions during daylight hours, there is so much green on the course it would be more advantageous to use a rose or a brown lens.
The goal of the rose and brown lenses particularly for golf is to enhance the contrast of the grass and show dimension, making the contours of the greens pop in a sense. You would not want to make the green greener in bright sun.
There is a huge difference between a green-tinted lens and a lens that makes the color green stand out more. If the latter is what you are looking for, look for golf-specific sunglasses, like Oakley Dark Golf or Maui Jim Rose. Be aware, those won’t be green-tinted at all!
The same applies to most other sports. The HT will not be bad, and a higher VLT may even be useful, but there are better options, most commonly brown or rose lenses. Generally polarized lenses aren't the best for sports, but that isn't a dealbreaker, especially for Maui Jim whose contrast and color-enhancing lenses often make up for any depth perception issues.
How the lens is marketed
Maui Jim says about the HT lens "When most lenses would be too dark, this "High Transmission" lens offers extra contrast and color. Best for low light and golf"
"Best in variable light conditions. High transmission for times when most lenses would be too dark. More contrast and color for earl morning, late afternoon, and foggy mornings."
Is the brand’s marketing accurate?
Yes, though as discussed above the utility for golf is limited to mornings and overcast.
Comparison to the same brand - Maui Jim
Since the HT is a Category 2 lens, and all other Maui Jim lenses are Category 3 lenses that thrive in full sun, it is not useful to compare them. The use cases for this lens vs the other ones do not overlap much. This is very much a complimentary lens, to be used in addition to a Category 3 lens that does the heavy lifting.
Comparison to the same color of different brands
There are not many other premium Category 2 lenses. Most Category 2 lenses are for fashion and not function.
There are no other lower VLT green lenses made with color-enhancing tech that I have come across. Maui Jim HT is unique in that sense.
It is also unique in being a cooler low-light lens (other than blue lenses which are not practically useful). Most of the other low-light lenses are brown, rose, or yellow-based. Those lenses add warmth and pop to lower light settings which are often cool themselves and could use a boost. However, often the low light is warm and energetic like on bright mornings and for that, only the HT lens fits perfectly.
Conclusion: Maui Jim HT Lens Review - Should you buy it?
If you frequently find yourself in low-light conditions, such as early mornings, late afternoons, or overcast days, and desire a lens that enhances color and contrast without being overly dark, the Maui Jim HT lens is an excellent choice. Its unique color-enhancing technology and cool tone make it stand out from other low-light lenses, providing a comfortable and visually pleasing experience, and that is why it is included in Tier 2 lenses. However, if you spend a lot of time in full sun or require a lens specifically for sports like golf, other lenses such as rose or brown options might be more suitable. The Maui Jim HT lens is a specialized tool that excels in specific conditions, making it a valuable addition to your sunglass collection when used appropriately.