Maui Jim Sunglasses - Ironwoods, High Tide, and Pau Hana

[GolfSpy Dave]

Maui Jim Sunglasses – REVIEW

An Official MyGolfSpy.com Review

 

MauiFlex Memory Metal Collection

High Tide: Silver with Blue frames /neutral gray Lens

http://www.mauijim.com/high-tide-4713.html

 

Ironwoods: Gunmetal with Green Frames/ Maui HT (green) Lens

http://www.mauijim.com/ironwoods-4767.html

 

Pau Hana: Honey Frames/ HCL Bronze Lens

http://www.mauijim.com/pau-hana-4710.html

 

Hey, What are Those Glasses?

Prior to this review, my experience with Maui Jim sunglasses was quite limited. In fact, the only pair I had ever seen belonged to my brother. I was impressed at the styling and thought they looked good on him. He raved about the lenses being the best he had ever worn. I took this as a great complement, knowing the brands of expensive sunglasses he has owned in the past. Unfortunately, as my brother's sunglasses were prescription, I couldn't really experience the quality first hand. It's hard to tell how great a lens is when your whole field of view is bent like a Salvador Dali painting...

 

Needless to say, when given the chance to run some styles of Maui Jim sunglasses through the MyGolfSpy.com review process, I jumped at the chance.

 

Style

I think that all three pairs that I was sent to review demonstrate significant style. The two pairs of MauiFlex Metals look great on me. As one blessed with a larger-than-average melon, finding sunglasses that look good can be a challenge. I found that the square shape of the lens was perfect for me in both styles. I also really like how the arms of the glasses color coordinate with the lenses. Not something that you notice when they are on, but the colored accents really make the glasses pop. I think that the best measure of style comes from the reactions of others, and universally, with both of these pairs, the reaction was positive. Frequent questions were asked about the manufacturer and where they could buy some. The gallery went wild for the High Tides and the Ironwoods.

 

High Tide

 

 

 

Ironwoods

 

 

 

 

The Pau Hana sunglasses represent a total departure from the style of the other pairs. I love the look of these glasses. They really give me that nostalgia feel for the Vuarnet cateye sunglasses I rocked in the 80's. The frames are a translucent honey color that really works well with the bronze lens. I love how they look. Regrettably, the wife looked at me wearing them and said “Um, No.”, shooting down all of my retro aspirations. These frames are smaller than the others that I reviewed and I was informed that they just are not for me. To rub it in a bit, we had some people over for a BBQ and my malevolent guests agreed that the Pau Hana was working on my face. Twisting the knife a bit further, more than one of these guests thought that the glasses looked excellent on them, and honestly I have to agree. Having a head with its own zip code has its limitations.

 

Pau Hana

 

 

 

 

On the Course

I ran all three styles through the paces of play on the golf course. Yes, even the Pau Hana. In addition to the feel of the sunglasses during play, I wanted to see what the course looks like through each lens color.

 

Lenses

Of the three colors, I prefer the green Maui HT lens both on and off the course. My main concern was that it would still be too bright to play in this lens, but I did not experience that at all. I feel that of the three lenses, this is the one that really enhances the visual field during play. In a close second, the neutral gray lenses in the High Tides were also excellent on the course. One of they guys who I play with liked them better than the green lenses that he found too bright. He typically wears very dark lenses when we play so that may skew his results a bit. The bronze lens in the Pau Hana was the third place finisher for me. In fairness to the lens, this decision could be biased by the style of frame not quite fitting both my face and the activity of my golf swing. In retrospect, I probably should have tested the bronze lens in another MauiFlex pair, like the Fleming Beach model.

 

 

In all cases, the lenses provide a crystal clear field of view. While I don't really understand all of the physics behind polarized lenses, I can say that there is definitely a difference between the polarized and the non-polarized. It is a bit hard to accurately describe the difference, but it seems like the polarized lenses make the world a bit sharper. A warning though for those of you unfamiliar with polarized lenses, they can allow you to see patterns in car window tint that you don't see with a non-polarized lens. It's a bit like the movie They Live starring that great Scottish thespian Rowdy Roddy Piper. In the movie, when you put on the special sunglasses, you could see that some people were actually aliens. Polarized lenses may make the window tint in your car look a bit alien. Check this out for yourself in your car. For some people this is a real detractor from wearing polarized lenses.

 

Golf Performance

Both the Ironwoods and the High Tide sunglasses are 100% playable sunglasses. Although metal framed, they are super light. In addition, the weight is balanced perfectly between the contact points at your nose and the arms. Once they were on, they were unobtrusive and almost forgotten. They did not shift at all during the full swing, even after building up a bit of sweat. The lenses provide excellent cover. They also clean up quite nicely with the provided cloth storage bag.

 

 

 

 

With the Pau Hana not quite fitting my face, you can guess that they were not as strong on the course. That aside though, I found them a bit on the heavy side compared to the other pairs and more prone to slipping as there is no added rubber at the face contact points. These are really more of a lounging at the pool or beach pair of sunglasses, and are marketed by Maui Jim as such.

 

 

 

Value

As you can tell by clicking the embedded links, these are not cheap drugstore sunglasses. The Ironwoods and High Tides are $319 a pair, with the Pau Hana coming in at $299. These are definitely premium quality sunglasses and they carry a premium price. I am very diligent about taking care of all of my eyeglasses. If you use it, the Maui Jim hard case that is provided with the glasses should protect your investment, enabling years of use. If you are they person who constantly misplaces glasses and buys multiple replacement pairs a summer, you may need to develop a touch more sunglass responsibility with these. Once you have them though, the “Wow!” of wearing them should make the price far more palatable.

 

 

Summary

Maui Jim sunglasses truly represent quality and style. Both of the MauiFlex styles are well suited to the stylish golfer, both on and off the course. While the Pau Hana may not be quite as nimble on the links, they will be champions at the lake. The lenses in the Maui Jim sunglasses are easily some of the most clear that I have ever experienced. If you are in the market for new shades, give these a look.

[RookieBlue7]

Alright, if any Costa Del Mar's ever some in, you can feel free to send them my way for review. The only Maui Jims I've ever owner were the ones without hinges, which I think are called Little Beach now. Good glasses, just wished they offered better polarizations and mirrored lenses.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Cool message that I just got from Maui Jim...

 

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Dave:

 

Thanks for the great review. Part of the reason the MauiFlex are so comfortable is that they are made from a flexible titanium-nickel that bends, twists and stretches, then pops back into shape. They are great for people who are a little rough on their glasses.

 

Also, if you need a little help while recording your score, check out Maui Jim's new MauiReaders. They have hidden bifocals encased in lightweight polycarbonate lenses with PolarizedPlus®2 technology. Available in two styles – Ho'okipa and Makaha – they are available in add powers of +1.50, +2.00 and +2.50. http://www.mauijim.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=readers

 

Here's to more holes in one!

 

Maui Jim

[JBones]

Those High Tides are pimp, but I'm not up for dropping $300+ on Sunglasses (anymore).

[MmmmmmBuddy]

We have carried Maui Jim at my store for years. Great glasses. I personally own 5 pair. Can't say enough about the company and the customer service. Great people, great product!! Nice review.

[Jondagcl]

Great review. I also like the high tide as well. I have a pair of Maui Jims and love the too. Heres a tip on getting them a little cheaper - from time to time Costco has sunglasess "road shows". Maui Jims are always there and a bit cheaper.

[golfluvzme]

The last four pair of sunglasses I have worn were all Maui Jims and I am spoiled. I have a good quality pair of SunDogs for around the shop and working out of doors, but the Maui Jims are all about when I need a classy pair of shades. In fact, I just purchased another pair for my wife, much to her surprise.

The optics are what blew me away, the first time I put a pair on my face. I didn't have the $$$ to purchase them, that day, but the way my eyes just "relaxed" when the glasses went on was impossible to forget.

If you have the money, it is well-spent on the Maui Jims. I wear the "Kanaha" model and they retail for about half of what the three pairs here are at, so that helps in some cases.

Just one Mann's opinion, so take it with a grain of salt,

LaMont in AZ