Omega

holdemchamp1225
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I will try to be thorough so please see below...

I have used and owned sunglasses of different brands for over 40 years.

At one point, I was sponsored by Oakley during my youth as a competetive golfer and tennis player. I have owned almost EVERY model from their sports line and EVERY lens they make from clear to their darkest shade (black iridium). Their polarization is moderate at best but it is more than adequate for normal use. I believe I have owned over 100 different pairs of Oakley frames over the years and probably several hundred different lenses they offer for these particular frames. The benefit of Oakley over most of their competitors is their durability and customer service which reacts fast and generally replaces damaged frames and lenses without much push back.

Now for Maui Jim. I tried my first pair of Maui Jim sunglasses in the early 2000s so approximately 20 years ago. From that point on, I could not wear anything else due to eye comfort, especially due to their polarization. Again, I have tried Oakley, Ray-Ban, Serengeti, Vuarnet, Persol, Costa del Mar, Smith, Tag Heuer, and probably a few more that I forget at this point. My point of view comes from a golfer, tennis player, avid hiker, as well as enjoying a few amount of time on the water during my younger years. At this point, I have several dozen different Maui Jim frames (styles) and all of the lenses they offer (superthin glass, Maui Brilliant, Maui Pure, Maui Evolution, and Maui Pure LT). I think I am in a unique position to give an objective point of view as an end user who has used these types of sunglasses as intended for many years.

Again, I would like to emphasize that this was my personal point of view due to eye comfort while wearing sunglasses for an extended period of time (consecutive hours, not minutes). I know that polarization is not recommended for pilots and/or driving due to a few factors but that is another discussion.

Now for the facts. A few years ago, an Independent lab did a thorough test on most of the major sunglass companies. The results were quite shocking. They tested optical clarity, distortion, UV protection, etc...(I don't remember all the different categories but it was extensive). The lab performed tests as extensive as what DXOmark does for camera equipment. They also used a similar system to score the results based on 100 points.

They tested several lenses from each brand to find out if some offered better quality or protection than others from the same brand.

Maui Jim polarized lenses had an overall score of 92 / 100 for ALL lenses tested.

SECOND place was Ray-Ban polarized lenses with a score of 78 / 100.

THIRD place was Oakley polarized lenses with a score of 77 / 100.

And it goes down from there. Again this was the MOST extensive test on lenses by any Independent lab ever performed. As you can see, the results were not close between MJ and all the others.

Personal preference is one thing, but we cannot deny laboratory tests done by experts in the field. 🤷‍♂️😉