Maui Jim Blue Hawaii Maui Ultra Sunglasses Lens Review
- Sunglass Science
- Nov 13
- 9 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Maui Jim makes some of the best sunglass lenses for bright and colorful conditions, and the Maui Jim Blue Hawaii lens is easily one of the best. This lens came in three different lens materials, and now Maui Jim has added a fourth: the Maui Ultra.
Check out the Blue Hawaii lens from Maui Jim's Website (filter for Blue Hawaii).
If you would like to know more about how grey lenses with blue mirror lenses work in general, click here.
Disclaimer: Maui Jim provided the sunglasses for review. All opinions are my own, and I received no money to make this review.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Maui Jim Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii |
Technology | PolarizedPlus2 Color Boosting |
Lens Color | Grey |
Mirror Color | Solid Blue |
VLT | 12% |
ABBE | 46 |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared, and Blue-light blocking |
Material | Urethane |
Weight | Light |
Scratch Resistance | Moderate |
Prescription Available | No |
2 |
As discussed in the other Maui Jim reviews, the clarity of Maui Jim's glass lenses is off the charts. The non-glass MauiBrilliant and MauiPure are both great. The worry with the Maui Ultra is that it would sacrifice some clarity for its other benefits, since urethane has a lower Abbe than the other materials. I can report that I do not notice any drop in clarity.
Sometimes with Maui Jim, the different lens materials will render the same color lens differently. That is the case with the Blue Hawaii lens, as SuperThin Glass, MauiBrilliant, and MauiPure are all different tints, as I show in the main review for Blue Hawaii. In the case of the Maui Ultra, it is most similar to the Glass lens, with only small differences.
The Maui Ultra lens is very lightweight.
The main reason they made this new lens was for sports, specifically for impact resistance. They performed a High Velocity Impact Test and Enhanced Drop Ball Test to make sure this lens is as strong as it can be without resorting to using polycarbonate and really messing with clarity.
Maui Jim sent me this: "The "high velocity impact test" performed on the Maui Ultra lens material was an extremely demanding test typically performed on military and construction equipment. Maui Ultra lens material passes this extreme test typically not performed for eyewear, going beyond the industry standard."
The lenses have every coating you could ask for. The mirror coating is not encapsulated between the lenses, and is most vulnerable to scratches, though it has an anti-scratch coating protecting it.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Not yet, but that may change. I didn't get a definitive answer on that from Maui Jim.
Right now, the Blue Hawaii only comes in prescription in the MauiBrilliant material. For your prescription (or non-prescription) needs, check out SportRx, the best place online for prescription Maui Jim lenses. Use code SCIENCE10 for $10 off your purchase.
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.
The model I have is a custom black frame with the Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii. I think this looks better than the standard, and it's cool that you can customize for free.
The back has a blue shine from the anti-reflective coating. The tint has an amber hue because of the blue mirror.
I will go into the difference between the lens materials here and spend the rest of the review just on the Maui Ultra. That's why there are a lot of comparison photos in this section.
The Maui Ultra, SuperThin Glass, and MauiPure have amber hues, which is normal for blue mirror lenses.
They are not the same, though. The Maui Ultra and SuperThin Glass are darker, the tint is more uniform, and the amber effect is more subtle than the Pure or Brilliant.
The VLT (visible light transmission) of the lenses is very different. The MauiPure has an 18% VLT, while the Maui Ultra and SuperThin Glass have 12% (confirmed with Maui Jim). That is a huge difference. The Maui Ultra and Glass lenses transmit nearly half the light of the MauiPure.
This makes the MauiPure not that well-suited to very bright conditions, while the Maui Ultra and SuperThin Glass are 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. I do not find that effect with the Maui Ultra or Glass (even though the tint picture of the Maui Ultra might make it seem like there is).
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.
The main comparison for the Maui Ultra is the SuperThin Glass. The tints and VLTs are remarkably similar. I have to swap the lenses back and forth many times to see a difference, and to my eyes, they are essentially the same in terms of the view.
Right now, the Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii is only available in a few models, though that will probably change soon. Maui Jim's website can't link to search results, so I will list the two models here:
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 only slightly blocks 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.
Sunny Conditions
These photos are what I 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 Blue Hawaii lens from Maui Jim.
Here is my simulation of how the lens looks:
The colors feel richer and more saturated, but still very natural. It does have a touch of warmth, but not nearly as much as a brown lens. You can see this in the color of the sky and water, which are still a very pleasant blue and are not impacted as much as a brown lens would cause. By comparison, the neutral grey looks a bit cooler and bluer, though still colorful and saturated.
Cloudy Conditions
The Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii lens does not thrive in overcast or mixed light. They are better for full sun. These lenses 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.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
This may be the best bright, colorful-conditions 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.
As mentioned above, these lenses do not work well in cloudy conditions, darkening an already color-reduced view. This isn't a good winter lens either.
The more sun and color there is, the better for this lens, and vice versa.
Sports
Here's where it gets more interesting.
Maui Jim took the view and VLT of the glass Blue Hawaii and made it more impact-resistant than the MauiPure. I think the view is noticeably better than the MauiPure. To some degree, Maui Jim cannibalized the MauiPure with the Maui Ultra lens.
Regardless, for sunny conditions in colorful places, this is an excellent lens for sports. I generally prefer a rose or brown lens for sports, but this lens will hold its own as long as it doesn't get too cloudy.
Comparison to the same brand - Maui Jim
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.
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.
Comparison to Blue Mirror Lenses of Different Brands
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.
See here for the full Costa Del Mar Blue Mirror review.
Oakley Prizm Sapphire Polarized
Maui Jim's Blue Hawaii lens has the same principles as the Oakley Prizm Sapphire, but does everything better. The clarity is better, the lenses come with all coatings, the PolarizedPlus2 technology enhances colors in a more natural way than the Prizm tech, and the view in full sun is engineered to be as beautiful as possible. With the Maui Ultra now essentially matching the Prizm in impact resistance, it is better in every way.
See here for the full Prizm Sapphire review.
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.
Island Optics Glass Blue Mirror
Island Optics has a grey glass lens with a blue mirror, similar to Costa, just a bit more amber. Like Costa, it was designed to be the best offshore lens in the harshest conditions, and focuses less on color enhancement and more on comfort. What stands out with the Island Optics is the price. The glass lenses come in under $200, one of the most affordable glass lenses on the market.
Conclusion - Maui Jim Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii Lens Review - Should you buy it?
The Maui Ultra Blue Hawaii is a clear example of Maui Jim’s dedication to perfecting both color and clarity. It takes everything that made the original Blue Hawaii lens great and builds on it with better impact resistance and lighter weight, without sacrificing the crisp, vibrant view Maui Jim lenses are known for.
The urethane-based Maui Ultra lens performs nearly identically to the SuperThin Glass in color and clarity, but adds a level of durability that makes it more practical for active use and sports. The warm grey tint and blue mirror deliver a rich, natural look that brings out the world’s colors in bright, tropical light while maintaining comfort and balance.
Its only real weakness is cloudy or low-light conditions, where the lens feels too dark. But for sunny days, ocean glare, or anywhere color and light are intense, this is one of the best-performing lenses you can wear.
If you love Maui Jim’s Blue Hawaii look and want something lighter and tougher than glass, the Maui Ultra is the version to get.
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