The Ultimate Maui Jim Vs. Costa- Showdown
You may find yourself asking the question: What are the best sunglasses for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and hiking for example. Two great options are Maui Jim and Costa Del Mar sunglasses.
Both brands are known for their superior quality and commitment to innovation in lens solutions. However, regardless of your reason for selecting your sunglasses, this is a significant decision that requires some research.
Good quality sunglasses help shield your eyes from damaging UV rays. They can significantly improve your performance by improving your sight and visual function. It is also important to note that according to The American Academy of Ophthalmology– exposure to UV light raises your risk of eye diseases and other problems. Here are a few of the eye conditions you can avoid by wearing sunglasses:
When it comes to water sports and outdoor activities, not just any sunglasses will do. It would be best if you found the perfect pair of shades to showcase your style and protect your vision.
If you’re ready to break down the differences between Maui Jim and Costa sunglasses, two of the major brands on the market, we have compiled The Ultimate Sunglasses Guide for 2022.
We wanted to share a word from the experts at Boerne Vision Center.
Boerne Vision Center can offer a unique insight into sport and fishing glasses. We have had the pleasure of working both with Maui Jim and Costa Del Mar. Our head optician loves to fish and offers insight into the two brands. Later in this sunglasses guide, we will share why we chose Maui Jim as the clear winner in this comparison.
Warranty & Customer Service
One of the biggest questions we receive is warranty and customer satisfaction policies. If you read reviews on Costa Del Mar and Maui Jim, you will find that Maui Jim is a clear winner. There are many posts on various forums in social media that demonstrate the long waiting times and cumbersome customer service policy of Costa. At the same time, Maui Jim is more customer-centric and has notably gone above and beyond for customers.
Another thing to consider with a sunglass warranty is the use of your sunglasses. Neither Maui Jim nor Costa sunglasses come with lifetime warranties.
You will have to pay relatively high replacement fees for Costa Del Mar sunglasses. It could be up to $89 (not including return shipping and processing fees.
However, the replacement fees are still much cheaper than buying a new pair of shades, but it can still be quite costly.
Costa Sunglasses Return Process:
The returns process for Costa sunglasses is relatively straightforward, though. You will have to fill out a basic online form.
Upon filling out the form, you will face additional processing fees. Still, you won’t be charged for any repairs until the warranty department at Costa determines whether a limited warranty covers the repairs.
You do not have to provide a credit card for the cost of repairs, although it can make the process go faster and more smoothly.
Maui Jim Sunglasses Return Process:
Maui Jim also offers a warranty, although it is only a two-year limited warranty instead of a limited lifetime warranty.
You’ll pay $75 for a lens replacement or $50 for a full-frame replacement, which is cheaper than repairs for Costa sunglasses. If you purchased your Maui Jim sunglasses with Boerne Vision Center, any frame or lens warranty will be taken care by one of our opticians. Any fees for breakages or repairs will be taken care of by Boerne Vision Center. Just pay $15 for shipping!
Maui Jim offers a better warranty, but it’s important to note that it is only suitable for two years after your original purchase date.
Different environments and activities can increase the chance of loss or breakage. We at Boerne Vision Center will work with you to help rectify any of these situations as quickly as possible. Still, the best option is to invest in a second pair of sunglasses. We will often offer additional savings to have a backup pair.
Boerne Vision Center Tip: If you plan on spending a lot of time on the water, you may want to take a close look at your eyeglasses retainer. Some eyeglass retainers can help your eyeglasses to float.
How Fishing Glasses Work
Lenses
Maui Jim and Costa are similar when you compare their lenses. While Maui Jim argues that the lenses in its sunglasses come infused with “rare earth elements” (which can allegedly boost clarity and improve color perception),
Costa claims to have 580 different lenses. The Costa lens manufacturing process incorporates high-tech beam ion deposition.
This process produces a multilayered film coating that is remarkably thin yet allows for good scratch resistance.
The sunglasses bounce reflected light away from your eye. Not only will you be able to view in more vivid color, but your vision will be sharper and more focused, too.
Whether that’s legitimate or not is for you to decide. However, according to thousands of reviewers, the company’s claims follow through with their promises.
Costa’s lenses offer exceptional focus and clarity while blocking your eyes from the sun’s harmful rays.
This protection can limit eye strain and make it easier for you to keep fishing all day. They also help eliminate the glare.
Features And Benefits Of Maui Jim Sunglass Lenses
Glare Elimination
Glare can prohibit your ability to see and make essential decisions on the fly. The improved response time that glare recovery provides can lead to significant safety improvements, especially in extreme water sports and competitions. Maui Jim lenses use advanced polarized lens technology. Polarization is a process used in making Maui Jim sunglasses. Polarized lenses can eliminate up to 99.9% of glare so you can see the world around you more clearly.
Maui Jim lenses also come with Bi-Gradient Mirrors. When applied to both the bottom and the top of the lens, it can help avoid the amount of blinding light that can stream through the top and lower portions of the lens of your sunglasses.
No more squinting!
Lens Protection
Have you ever had the trouble of water and other elements such as fingerprints smudging your lenses? Maui Jim sunglasses come treated with unique lens coating treatments. This oleophobic coating is designed and applied to repel water, fingerprints, sand, oils, smudges, and in some cases, even fog.
This coating also includes a super scratch-resistant coating with the most comprehensive protection available.
You don’t have to worry about scratches inside or outside your lenses since both sides are made with proprietary CLEARSHELL treatments.
Lens Colors
You might also want to consider the lens colors when you’re comparison shopping. Costa offers seven different lens colors.
Tip: You can browse options online or reach out to your team at Boerne Vision Center, and we can find you a lens that can match your lifestyle needs.
There are everyday use lenses and lenses designed specifically for deep sea fishing (where the water is more blue than usual).
The lenses are available in polycarbonate as well as glass.
Maui Jim doesn’t have as many lens colors – this company only has four different shades – but they cover most light conditions. Your options include neutral gray, rose, bronze, and HT.
As with Costa sunglasses, you’ll also get both a polycarbonate and glass lens. You also can choose the unique MauiBrilliant lenses, which feature the relatively new technology.
Most users don’t report a significant difference between the two companies’ lenses, even with all the options taken into consideration.
They’re both polarized, so you shouldn’t have much trouble seeing clearly with either option that you select.
Frames
It’s not all about the lenses, though – you will also want to consider the frames.
Both Costa and Maui Jim have unique technologies in their frame design.
The companies are identical in that they both offer prescription-ready frames. You can quickly get your favorite pair of shades made with your unique prescription.
There is a wide array of choices available for the frames, too.
Costa Del Mar uses a wide variety of materials in their frames, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding the material that best fits your personality and preferences.
If you’re particularly accident-prone, you’ll like that Costa offers frames made out of rigid, super-tough materials.
Maui Jim frames are also strong, made out of triple-injected nylon in most cases (although there are other options, like rubber). The frames are made to withstand any amount of activity and are durable and stylish.
How Maui Jim Won
At Boerne Vision Center, our mission is to provide completely independent eye care services to our community. As eye care professionals, we take our business decisions seriously. We carefully select partners that have an aligned interest with our core goal: To provide you the patient with quality options that not only look great on you but are best for you as an individual. We have selected Maui Jim and have decided in the Question of Maui Jim vs. Costa who is better?- that Maui Jim is the winner.
Maui Jim has also been recognized in many periodicals and trade publications for its commitment to philanthropy. He has pledged to donate over 1 million dollars to various charities in 2022.
Our patients love the Maui Jim product line and prefer it over the Costa sunglasses. Our fishing enthusiast, Michael, prefers Maui Jim over Costa for their personal fishing needs.
A Look at the Maui Jim Philosophy
Maui Jim got its start in 1980 as a small company selling sunglasses on the beach in Lahaina, Hawaii. Seeing a need in the market for technology that could combat intense glare and harmful UV while bringing the brilliant colors of the island to life, they engineered the revolutionary PolarizedPlus2® lens. Incorporated into seven new sunglass styles, Maui Jim’s Classic Collection was introduced. Maui Jim now offers over 125 kinds of sunglasses, 100% of which are polarized and protect from 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
- Inspired by the beauty and culture of Maui, our mission is to spread aloha through vivid color, clarity, and detail.
- Maui Jim provides more vibrant colors of the world while protecting your eyes from the harsh effects of glare and harmful rays for those who appreciate the sun.
- We make your life brighter, so you see the colors of your world at their best and always feel confident in your style.
- Maui Jim believes color and light are the keys to human experience. Our sunglasses show you its full spectrum, so you can see the world as you’ve never seen. We believe everyone should experience all 16,777,216 hues of beautiful color that surround us every day.
Maui Jim’s promise closely aligns with the Boerne Vision Center’s promise. “We always show our true colors – true colors that come shining through in our superior customer service. We promise that you will always be greeted with a friendly voice and a dedicated representative. We want you to be happy. That’s why we stand behind every pair of sunglasses we make.
What to Expect from Costa Del Mar
According to many review sites, we have visited, Costa Del Mar seems to have many mixed reviews. Since the brand is currently being offered at major sunglass boutiques across the country and in shopping malls, the styles are more readily available. The mass production of mainstream brands like Costa makes it more challenging to get a unique look and style.
That being said, Costa Del Mar is still one of the best high-performance sunglass brands currently available. Although Maui Jim is our first choice, Costa Del Mar is a real contender in quality and performance
How Can Boerne Vision Help Take Your Sunglasses To The Next Level
In addition to the style of your frame and lens, there are many other factors to consider. We cover more on this subject in the Boerne Vision Glasses Resources Center. Your Boerne Vision optician will be happy to listen to you about your lifestyle and hobbies.
Once we understand where you wear your sunglasses, we can provide great suggestions and make this decision-making process easy. We will also consult with your Boerne Vision Eye Doctor and optician to ensure you get a lens aligned with your overall vision health plan.
We will work with you to build the perfect pair of sunglasses and offer you a free consultation on all lens options available to help and customize your vision according to your eyeglass prescription. Once your choices are selected and finalized, we will order your sunglasses and have them ready for you within 2 weeks.
The final step is the most critical part of the sunglasses buying process. Your Boerne Vision Center optical expert will adjust your sunglasses when you pick up your sunglasses. We will check to ensure the lenses align perfectly with your natural optical center. We will also change your Maui Jim frames in a position of wear that best suits you as an individual. Factors such as height, unique facial features, and posture are all considered. The need for custom measurements in the final adjustment process is one of the main reasons shopping in a local optical shop produces a better result than buying sunglasses online.
Choosing Your Style Base
Maui Jim offers frames in a variety of styles. Maui Jim features men’s, women’s, and children’s frame styles. They also have some essential categories such as small, comprehensive, and Asian fit.
* Boerne Vision Center Tip: If Boerne Vision Center does not have your style a available, we can custom order it for you to try on.
The color selection of Maui Jim is also very vast. There is a lot to choose from with various materials such as plastics, metals, acetates, and titanium when selecting your sunglass frame. Finally, when selecting your lens options, we will revisit your needs from a performance and visual health perspective and consider your personal fashion preferences. It can be a lot of fun to add customized color and mirror options to your lenses.
Designing Your Personalized Style
Here at Boerne Vision Center, your sunglasses buying experience is essential. Whether your style is casual or chic, masculine or feminine, Maui Jim and the team at Boerne Vision Center have you covered. Our partnership is significant. A great brand like Maui Jim maintains its excellent customer service record with independent vision centers such as our Boerne and Fair Oaks optical locations. We can help you in the customization process. Our goal is to make it fun!
Check out this review from a recent patient on their overall experience
Other Considerations for Whichever Side You Choose
Whether your select Costa del Mar or Maui Jim, we would like to remind you about these key takeaways:
- Maui Jim is a brand that is independently owned and supports local businesses.
- There is an excellent team at Boerne Vision Center. They are experts in making your sunglass options selections easy and fun.
- Regardless of which sunglasses you choose, you should always select a local optician to ensure you get the suitable sunglasses options and get the right fit. You only have two eyes, so a small investment of time and money in selecting the right sunglasses will pay off in the long run. As you age, your vision will become more vulnerable. The decisions you make today can give you many more years to see the beautiful things around you and the ones you love more clearly. Providing great vision to our community is our favorite part of doing.
Conclusion
Suppose you have made it through this entire sunglasses guide and still have questions. In that case, we invite you to contact us for more information. You can also easily schedule an appointment 24/7 on our website. One of our opticians will be happy to get you started with your sunglasses selection. Need to update your eye exam? We have two complete vision centers in convenient locations to serve you. Whether you are near our flagship Boerne location or our Fair Oaks location, we are here to help you. This guide answered all of the most frequently asked questions about high-performance polarized sunglasses. Still, if you have any questions we did not cover, please send them over, and we will consider adding them to our future content.
Do you know someone who would benefit from this information, or are you active in making your community aware of their overall health decisions? Feel free to share!
please let me know if any store im miami.
Do you have optical shop here in North York, Ontario?
We do not, but try searching “optical near me” in your search engine or maps to find one closer.
Please send me pictures of the styles of eyeglass frames and also pictures of the lenses colors that you provide. Can you also so kindly provide me with a price guide. Thank you!
Hi! You can see our sunglasses online here https://shop.boernevisioncenter.com/
Just select sunglasses and you can see the options. We can custom order any color lenses and frames.