Living in Florida, one thing you always need is a good pair of sunglasses. I am quite sick and tired of buying pieces of garage for sunglasses. I usually end up buying a pair for $10-20 bucks and they literally last me 10-20 days. I finally decided that I am going to hunt down a pair of sunglasses that were quality made and that would last longer than a few measly weeks. When I was looking to find the perfect brand to match my taste, I immediately thought about Maui Jim. I am not a surfer but I do love the island life and this company really embraces that lifestyle.
I was introduced to two new and hot lines. The first is called Stone Crushers (see above). They are a durable, tough pair of shades that are perfect for all day wear. They are very lightweight and do not weigh down your face. They have a tough grilamid frame with lightweight polycarbonate lenses along with adjustable nosepads. When these hit my face, I heard music like in the movies. It may seem lame but if you saw the last pair with scratched lenses and wobbly frame you would cringe.
This brand comes in three different styles/colors. We chosen the Matte Black style with a Neutral Grey color lens. These special lens are made especially to resist bright, direct sunlight. Being in FL, there is no abundance of that. These also come in the following styles/colors Matte Rootbeer / HCL Bronze and White Pearl / Maui HT, each of these lens have their own unique qualities. Also included are a Maui Jim case and cleaning cloth.
The next pair that we had the privilege to play with is the Spartan Reef line. These glasses are inspired by one of the outer reefs of Kanaha on the Central Maui Coastline near Paia known for producing big surf and long sessions. The style/color that we chose for this line was Marlin / HCL Bronze. The lens specializes for use in everyday variable conditions ranging from from full sun to overcast, which FL can switch from one of the other in a heartbeat. They have a warm, subtle bronze tint.
The design for these include a sleek frame that comfortably wraps your face to provide optimal protection against the beautiful sun. The shape of these are a modified, rectangular frame that aims to complement a range of facial shapes. I have to admit out of the two pairs, I am definitely favoring this pair. They also come in two other style/color including Gloss Black / Neutral Grey and Matte Tortoise Rubber / HCL Bronze. Of course, also included is a Maui Jim case and cleaning cloth.
I would also like to discuss two of the specific features that every pair of Maui Jim glasses include are PolarizedPlus2 and CLEARSHELL. This is their patented, color-infused lens technology that wipes out 99.9% of glare, 100% of harmful UV and boosts color via specially designed lens treatments. CLEARSHELL is a scratch coating protection, which is something that will really put to the test. It is a silicone-based hard coat that aims to protect your lenses and is applied to front and back of the lens, so you covered all around. So if you are looking for a quality pair of sunglasses look no further than Maui Jim!
