Time for a Dip with Maui Jim's Lagoon Shades

Total Score: 8.33 - EDITOR'S CHOICE!

Introduction: Maui Jim has earned a strong reputation for building quality optics into every one of their eyewear products and while the corporation has long ago left the islands, the aloha spirit lives on in the inspiration for the products' design as well as their names. It's been nearly five years since we've taken a look through Maui Jim's familiar lenses so it's time to focus our sights once again and check out a product inspired by Keehi Lagoon Beach in Honolulu. Introducing Maui Jim's Lagoon shades.

Impressions: Five years ago I wrote about Maui Jim's Nunui Shades. They were a wrap around style, polycarbonate lens pair of shades built for outdoor activities where wind is a factor. Even though I still have mine and continue to wear them on occasion, the product has since been discontinued. My only issue with them these days is I prefer the clarity of glass lenses hence my move to Costa Del Mar and the Hammerhead shades I wrote about two years ago.

Time for a look at another pair of Maui Jim Shades

While Costa Del Mars 580 lenses are nice, I’ve broken two pair since that review. The last time I broke them I had taken them off and put in the middle pocket of my hoodie for safe keeping during breakfast. When I pulled them out, the lenses were cracked. Sure, I could send them in for a warranty claim, but that wouldn’t help me with a full day of fishing ahead.

Keiko shows us the Maui Jim Lagoons.

So it was time to return to more familiar territory. It was time to revisit my “ohana”, or at least that’s how I feel whenever I’m shopping for a pair of Maui Jim shades. Their fit and finish suits me well so I was on the hunt was on for a less outdoor specific pair of shades with glass lenses.

One of big disappointments with the Nunui shades five years ago was the lack of a micro-fiber cleaning cloth.

The Lagoon frame is a more traditional style product than the Nunui featuring a somewhat narrow plastic frame which you can purchase with your choice of grey or bronze lenses. Grey is a good choice if you look for protection primarily during bright light conditions, but the bronze is an excellent all around choice for cloudy to sunny skies. The frames come in either dark brown or black. I purchased dark brown frames with the bronze lens.

Maui Jim must have taken note, because our Lagoon shades came with a very decorative cleaning cloth that doubles as a bag to house your shades.

I've worn these pair of shades for the better part of a year taking them with me on destinations such as El Salto Lake, Mexico.

Clarity of the lenses is excellent with zero distortion on the edges.