Maui Jim Maui Sunrise Sunglasses Lens Review
- Sunglass Science
- 24 hours ago
- 8 min read
Maui Jim makes some of the best sunglasses for bright and colorful conditions, and the Maui Jim Maui Sunrise lens is one of the best-looking high-contrast, color-enhancing lenses you can get.
Check out the Maui Jim MauiRose lens on SportRx. (Why SportRx?)
You can also find it on Amazon.
If you want to learn more about how rose lenses work, click here. This lens isn’t a typical rose tint—it leans toward brown. To understand more about brown lenses, click here.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Maui Jim Maui Sunrise |
Technology | PolarizedPlus2 Color Boosting |
Lens Color | Rose |
Mirror Color | Purple/pink |
VLT | MauiBrilliant ~13%, MauiPure ~14%, Category 3 |
ABBE | 56 MauiBrilliant, 52 MauiPure |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared and Blue-light blocking |
Material | Unspecified |
Weight | Light |
Scratch Resistance | Moderate |
Prescription Available | Yes |
2 |
As of writing (2025), the lens only comes in MauiBrilliant and MauiPure, not SuperThin Glass. It used to come in glass, and it remains to be seen if Maui Jim will add that option back.
The MauiBrillaint and MauiPure lenses are not as remarkable as the glass lenses Maui Jim offers, but are still equal or better to almost anything else on the market.
The Pure and Brilliant materials are very lightweight.
The lenses have every coating you could ask for. The mirror coating is the most vulnerable to scratches, but the anti-scratch coatings do a good job of adding protection.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes, in MauiBrilliant material. For your prescription (or non-prescription) needs, check out SportRx, the best place online for Maui Jim lenses. You can also find the lens on Amazon.
How does the lens look?
The front has a bright purple/pink mirror with orange/yellow highlights on the sides, depending on how the light hits it.
Initially, I thought this lens would look very casual, but my wife and I quickly discovered that it can be easily dressed up and accessorized. It has a nice hue that looks like a precious stone rather than a cheap, flashy mirror.
The aesthetic of the lens doesn't work well for me, so I mostly tested it while driving. It does have a feminine vibe to it, but some men can definitely pull them off, like this (though wear what you like and don't worry about what others think):
There are only eight frames that come with the Sunrise lens as of writing. Four of them are flagship models and more standard shapes, the Mavericks (which I have) being the most classic of them.
Keep in mind that any frame can have the Sunrise lens put in with prescription or customized (for free) on the Maui Jim website.
The back has a red shine from the anti-reflective coating. The tint is rose, but the purple/pink mirror reflects away some red and blue light, and the result is a rose/amber lens.
What does the view look like?
This will get a bit technical for a minute, so if you just want to see what the lens looks like, skip to the next section.
This lens is built on the Maui Jim MauiRose lens, but the pink/purple mirror reflects away red and, to a smaller degree, blue light. Since a rose lens primarily lets in red and blue light, the effect of the mirror is to moderate the rose lens and bring it closer to what a lens with less red and blue light transmission is - a rose/copper lens. In other words, it slightly equalizes green light by making it a higher percentage of the total light that comes through the lens.
Here is how a rose lens is generally split up between the three colors that we can see:
This the light that a pink mirror reflects (this is not exact, just to illustrate the point):
So when you put the two together, some red and blue have been subtracted from the rose lens.
This brings it closer to a brown lens, but still a rose lens. Hence, rose/copper.
Here is the spectrum of Maui Jim Rose lenses to give you a sense of the various degrees of rose that Maui Jim offers:
No rose effect | Rose/Amber effect | Slight rose effect | Heavy rose effect |
Neutral Grey | Maui Sunrise | MauiGreen | MauiRose |
Since the Sunrise is a rose/copper lens, it gets the benefits of both colors, and that is why it is my favorite color for a lens.
Adding warmth to sunglass lenses enhances vibrancy and richness by reducing high-energy blue light, which can make colors appear dull. Copper lenses are especially effective at filtering blue light compared to green or red lenses, creating a warmer, more colorful view.
This increased warmth sharpens visual clarity and may also boost alertness, energy, and mood, making brown/copper lenses a great choice for a more vivid and comfortable viewing experience.
Adding more red and blue to a brown lens, or adding some green to a rose lens, has the effect of enhancing colors without impacting the rich blues of the sky as much as many copper lenses typically do.
The closest tint I have tried to the Maui Sunrise is the legendary Serengeti Drivers lens, as we will see below. The Sunrise is darker and more saturated, but the tints are fairly similar.
Sunny Conditions
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 Sunrise on SportRx, the best place online for Maui Jim lenses. You can also find it on Amazon.
These images don’t accurately represent the view through the lenses. Cameras struggle with drastic tint changes, making it difficult to capture what our eyes naturally adjust for.
Our brains use "color memory" to subconsciously correct colors based on what we expect—like knowing roses are red or snow is white. Cameras, however, lack the advanced object recognition and processing needed to replicate this effect.
Rose-tinted lenses, even ones that are closer to brown, are particularly challenging to capture accurately, making them one of the hardest lens colors to represent in photos.
Here is my simulation of how the lens looks:
The lens has a reddish brown tint that adds a lot of warmth, color, and contrast to the view. It is still comfortably dark. The vibe of the lens is energetic and hot, unlike the calmer and cooler grey lens:
Cloudy Conditions
The Maui Sunrise lens is great for overcast and mixed-light conditions, excelling in bright haze by enhancing brightness and color vibrancy. Its warm tint creates a more dynamic and visually engaging experience, making it a superior choice over grey or green lenses, which can sometimes feel too dim in these environments.
It is still a darker lens, and though the added color, contrast, and warmth are very pleasant in standard overcast conditions, I find it to be too dark when I am only slightly squinting.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
The Sunrise lens is amazing for just about all conditions, and I cannot think of any situation where they will not be good, if not great. I wear this kind of lens very often, especially in mixed or overcast conditions. They may not be the absolute best lenses to wear in bright conditions, but they are still excellent.
They will perform very well in winter, too.
The only place I would not want them is in a hot and red place like a desert. I took similar lenses to Arizona and it felt too "hot" for me.
Sports
These lenses work well for sports in both sunny and overcast conditions. The color and contrast they provide, as well as an energetic tint, help with acuity, comfort, and perception.
 Avoid this lens entirely if polarized lenses would not work for your sport.
Keep in mind for long exposure in bright conditions, the Sunrise may be fatiguing, even though the view is amazing. I wouldn't do offshore boating or fishing with them.
Interested in experiencing the MauiRose lens for yourself?
Comparison to the same brand - Maui Jim
Maui Jim MauiRose
The MauiRose is what the Sunrise was before the mirror was added. It has a silver bi-gradient mirror that only makes the lens darker in those spots and does not affect the tint. MauiRose is darker, redder, and more saturated than Sunrise, but comes in more options than Sunrise. I think Sunrise is more versatile and generally has a more pleasant view, but the lenses are similar, and the aesthetic difference of the pink mirror is probably the biggest differentiation between the lenses.
See here for the full MauiRose review.
Maui Jim Neutral Grey
The Neutral Grey Lens will be a lot cooler and darker feeling than the Sunrise and more comfortable in very bright sun, but performs poorly in comparison to the Sunrise in any other conditions.
See here for the full Neutral Grey review.
Maui Jim HCL Bronze
As Maui Jim's other color and contrast boosting lens tint, using a bronze base, the HCL Bronze lens feels less "hot" than the Sunrise, which can be better in full sun, but the lenses are not too far from each other once the pink mirror tempers the rose closer to brown. The Sunrise has certain situations where it performs better, like sports such as golf, but overall the HCL Bronze lens performs well in the same situations while excelling in other places this lens would not work as well for. I would give the nod to the Sunrise in winter.
See here for the full Maui Jim HCL Bronze review.
Comparison to the Rose/Copper Lenses of Different Brands
Serengeti Drivers
As mentioned above, the tint and view of the Sunrise lens is very similar to the Serengeti drivers lens. Serengeti does not have the pink mirror, it comes in glass, it is mildly photochromic, and comes in many more styles and options. But it is an honor to be compared and mentioned with arguably the greatest lens ever made, so you can be sure the Sunrise will be a great lens as well.
See here for the full Serengeti Drivers review.
Dita Lancier Land
Dita Lancier is Dita's line of performance lens-focused sunwear, and with their Land lens, they created an amazing offering. More rose than the Sunrise, but with color enhancement added to keep colors bright and natural, especially blues, which typically get impacted the most with brown or rose lenses. Considering the design and materials used, Dita Lancier prices are in an overlapping range with Maui Jim and can be a great stylish alternative. The lenses are made of nylon and come with all coatings included.
Full review coming soon.
Revo Drive
The Revo drive lens is very similar to the Dita Land lens, with the same material and all coatings and a similar tint. It comes in only a few styles, and the frame choices are more functional, less style.
Full review coming soon.
Conclusion - Maui Jim Maui Sunrise Sunglasses Lens Review -Â Should you buy it?
The Maui Jim Maui Sunrise lens is a stunning combination of style and performance, offering exceptional color enhancement and contrast that make every view more vibrant. Whether you're enjoying a sunny day outdoors or navigating shifting light conditions, this lens delivers a warm and dynamic visual experience. With its lightweight construction, advanced coatings, and compatibility with prescription options, it’s a top-tier choice for those who appreciate high-quality eyewear. Its versatility and premium lens technology make it one of the best options for those who love rich, warm tones in their sunglasses.
Ready to experience the Maui Sunrise lens for yourself? You can find it at SportRx, the best online retailer for Maui Jim prescription and non-prescription lenses. It’s also available on Amazon. No matter where you get it, this lens is sure to elevate your outdoor adventures with its unique balance of color, clarity, and comfort.
