Maui Jim VS Costa Sunglasses: Best Option For Fishing?

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If you plan on going fishing, whether you are out on the open ocean, a lake, or just in a river, something that you are definitely going to need is a good pair of sunglasses, especially if you are fishing on a bright and sunny summer day.

Now, today we want to take a look at two specific brand names that produce fishing sunglasses, these being Maui Jim and Cost. Both are high-end luxury brands known for producing quality sunglasses, but which is better for you?

Today, we want to take a look at two specific pairs of sunglasses, one from each brand, just to give you an idea of what you are getting into. We will also be comparing the brand on a variety of factors as well.

FeatureMaui Jim RatingCosta RatingWinner
Frames8/109/10Costa, more selection.
Lenses8.5/109/10Costa, better selection.
Customization8/109.5/10Costa, more custom options for fishing.
Overall Durability8.5/109/10Costa, generally more durable.
Eco Friendliness1/1010/10Costa, generally made from biological based nylon products.
Price8.5/108.5/10Draw, not much difference at all.
Warranty6/1010/10Costa, lifetime warranty. Maui is 2 years only.

Contents

Maui Jim vs Costa: The Biggest Advantages of Each

Before we get to comparing these two sunglasses brands on a side-by-side basis, what we want to do first is to provide you with a list of the biggest benefits that you get with both of these brand names.

The Main Benefits of Maui Jim Sunglasses

Let’s first take a look at the main features and benefits that you get with Maui Jim fishing sunglasses.

Protected Lenses

The first big benefit that comes with Maui Jim sunglasses is that they feature so called oleophobic sunglass lenses, which means that they are meant to repel grease, fingerprints, and dirt in general.

They also feature a special protective layer designed to help water bead up and roll off, not to mention that they are also scratch resistant.

No Glare

Another huge benefit that you get with Maui Jim sunglasses is that they are polarized, which is of course a big deal when it comes to fishing, as they help to eliminate the glare that comes off of water on a bright and sunny day.

They even come complete with bi-gradient mirrors that help to prevent light from creeping in at the top and bottom.

Enhancing Colors

The various earth elements that are incorporated into Maui Jim sunglasses lenes help to enhance the three main color wavelengths, which are red, blue, and green light.

In other words, these sunglasses are designed for optimal color clarity and contrast.

Eye Protection

The other main benefit that you get with Maui Jim sunglasses is that they always come with various features designed to help protect your eyes from all sorts of harm.


The Main Benefits of Costa Sunglasses

Now that we know what the main benefits and primary features of Maui Jim sunglasses are, let’s do the same for Costa sunglasses.

Customization

The best feature that you get with this particular brand name of sunglasses is that you will always find a pair that fits your face and the reason for it is because both the lens and the frames can be customized for fit.

Not only can you customize the brains for fit, but also in terms of the materials that they are made out of. There are tons of frame options to choose from here, and that is awesome.

On this same note, what you also need to be aware of is that there are seven different lens colors to choose from, which means that you can choose the one that works best for your specific fishing situation.

The 580 Lens

All sunglasses from this brand name are made with this same 580 lens technology.

These lenses were designed by light spectrum experts and are made to enhance colors and contrast more than normal sunglasses.

Moreover, this type of lens also helps to cut out glare and haze. Not to mention that they provide you with 100% UV light protection as well. These lenses can even absorb specific types of light that are known for causing eye disease.

Eco Friendliness

One of the absolute biggest benefits that you get with this brand of sunglasses is that many of their products are made with extremely ecofriendly materials.

One of the main goals of this company and the brand as a whole is to help protect the Earth.

All of the plastic sunglasses that this brand makes are made with bio-resin, a naturally made and biodegradable material.

The Frames

A huge benefit that you get with these sunglasses is that they are designed to fit big heads.

Many normal sunglasses don’t fit big heads, but these ones do. What also needs to be said is that these sunglasses are well known for being made with extremely durable materials that are not only very tough and corrosion resistant, but also very comfortable to wear.

When it comes down to it, these are some of the most comfortable and most durable sunglasses that you will probably ever find.


Maui Jim vs Costa: A Side by Side Comparison

Now that we have taken a look at both of these brands individually, let’s compare them on a side-by-side basis.

The Frames

What you need to know about the frames from both of these brands is that they both offer prescription ready frames.

Now, in terms of the materials used, Maui Jim usually uses triple injected nylon or rubber. These frames are extremely tough and designed to withstand a whole lot of punishment, and they do also look rather stylish.

Costa on the other hand does have a much wider selection of frame materials to choose from, some of which are very eco-friendly. Costa frames are made with various materials including co-injected bio based nylon, corrosion resistant monel metal, hydrolite rubber, titanium, and beta titanium.

As you can see, when it comes to frames, Costa does have a wide selection, not to mention the fact that the frames can also be customized, something that you don’t really get with Maui Jim.

The other thing to be aware of here is that Costa does really seem to cater to anglers much more than Maui Jim, with Maui Jim being geared more towards basic and causal use, whereas Costa is more fishing oriented.

That said, saying which is better is hard, because while Costa does have a better selection of frames, as well as frames for wider heads, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference more than anything else.

The Lenses

Next, if we compare the lenses of both brands, what you will see is that in the grand scheme of things, they are fairly similar.

Now, one thing that does need to be said is that Maui Jim has four different lens colors to choose from, including neutral grey, HCL bronze, rose, and HT.

The selection is not bad at all, and you should be able to find one lens color for every occasion.

With that being said, Cost does have a few more lens colors to choose from. Costa has seven lens colors to choose from, including blue mirror, green mirror, silver grey mirror, copper silver mirror, grey, copper, and sunrise silver mirror.

Realistically, with Costa, you will have an easier time finding lens colors for very specific fishing situations.

Now, what can also be said is that both brands make lenses designed to reduce glare, as they do both make polarized lenses, with glare elimination of course being very important. In terms of overall light transmission, colors, and contrast, it is hard to determine which is best.

On one hand, Maui Jim says that they use three rare earth elements in their lenses which are designed to help bring colors to life, to provide optimal contrast, and fantastic clarity too.

Maui Jim has both glass and polycarbonate lenses, as well as their newer MauiBrilliant lenses.

On the other hand, while Costa does also make their lenses out of either glass or polycarbonate, they do also use that 580 lens technology that we discussed above, which is also designed to eliminate glare, to reduce light transmission, and to maximize color clarity and contrast.

The bottom line here is that Costa has the far better selection of lenses, so we feel inclined to say that Costa is the winner here.

Customization

While both brands have great selection overall, what needs to be said here is that Costa sunglasses are geared more towards fisherman, and a lot of this has to do with the high level of customization they feature, as well as a wide array of product categories.

For instance, Costa has four different sunglasses categories just for fishing. For example, there are sunglasses for clear and sunny days, for cloudy days, and so on and so forth.

The simple reality is that when it comes to custom sunglasses specifically made for fishing purposes, Costa is probably the better option of the two.

Overall Durability

What needs to be said here is that Maui Jim sunglasses are made with very durable materials and they are designed to last for a long time to come.

They are extremely impact, corrosion and scratch resistant. However, what we need to mention once again is that Maui Jim sunglasses are designed for basic wear and are geared towards everyday use.

What we need to say here is that because Costa sunglasses are geared towards fisherman and active people, and because some of the materials used, such as the titanium, are extremely tough and ridged, they are ideal for adventurous people who are always on the go.

When it comes down to it, Costa sunglasses are probably a bit tougher.

Eco Friendliness

Plain and simple, Costa makes many of its sunglasses with a biological based nylon product that comes from nature and is very eco friendly. Maui Jim does not, so from an eco-friendliness point of view, Costa is a clear winner here 

Price

What also needs to be said about both brands is that they are very expensive, high end, and luxury brands.

Now, surprisingly enough, even with everything we have said here so far, Maui Jim sunglasses, on average, in the grand scheme of things, are a few dollars more expensive.

The price difference may be negligible, but there is a small difference none the less.

Maui Jim vs Costa Warranty

All Costa sunglasses feature a limited lifetime warranty, whereas Maui Jim sunglasses feature a two year limited warranty.

With that being said, if you break the sunglasses and need repairs, then Maui Jim is the more affordable option to go with.

Maui Jim even offers free nose pads. This one is kind of up in the air, because a limited lifetime warranty is much better than a two year warranty, but if you break then yourself and need repairs, then Costa is going to charge you a lot of money.


Maui Jim vs Costa Sunglasses: Reviews

Now that we have compared these two brands on a side by side basis in terms of the main brand features and benefits, we want to finish things off by comparing two specific models, one from each brand.

Here, we are going to do quick reviews of the most popular models from each brand, just so you know what you are getting into.

Maui Jim Southern Cross Fishing Sunglasses

Maui Jim Men's Southern Cross Polarized Wrap Sunglasses
  • Click the Maui Jim link above to visit our brand store, where you can find our entire catalog of sunglasses
  • All Maui Jim sunglasses feature PolarizedPlus2 lens technology that go beyond shielding your eyes from glare and...
  • Enjoy ultimate UV protection combined with premuim style, incredible durability, glare-free vision, and...
  • Neutral Grey lenses offer the highest available light reduction and are most useful in bright, direct sunlight

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

What we have here is one of Maui Jim’s more affordable pair of sunglasses, although make no mistake about it, because they are still fairly expensive.

With that being said, you do get what you pay for, and what you get here is quality, comfort, and fantastic eye protection.

When it comes to fishing sunglasses from this brand name, this is perhaps the number one most popular option.

The Frame

Something that stands out here is that you can choose between a black grey or see blue frame. The frame itself is rectangular in shape, which helps you not only look good, but also wraps around your face for added protection.

Due to being wrap-around sunglasses, they also help shield your eyes from the sun from the sides, not just the front.

What you may also appreciate are the rubber nose pads that are attached to the saddle style fixed bridge, as this does allow for a high degree of comfort.

One of the most impressive features of these particular sunglasses is that the frame is made out of triple injected nylon, which is of course extremely tough.

Not only is it impact resistant, but it’s also scratch resistant. These are definitely some very tough sunglasses.

You might also like the durable spring hinge that allows for easy opening and closing. Overall, not only is this frame very durable, but quite comfortable too.

The Lenses

First and foremost, when it comes to the lenses, beware that you can actually get them in prescription lenses or with just normal lenses.

But you might also appreciate about these lenses that they are neutral Gray in color, which means that they are best used in bright and direct sunlight.

This type of lens offers the best possible light reduction combined with great contrast and sharp colors.

What is also worth noting about these lenses is that they are made out of super thin glass.

Although they are made out of very thin glass, they are scratch resistant and shatter resistant. Not to mention that they are extremely lightweight too.


Costa Freedom Series Reefton Fishing Sunglasses

Costa Del Mar Men's Reefton Rectangular Sunglasses
  • 100% UV PROTECTION: All Costa Del Mar Eyewear lenses block potentially harmful high-energy visible blue light rays...
  • COSTA 580G GLASS LENSES: Costa’s patented 580G glass lenses provide scratch-proof clarity. 580 lenses go further...
  • OPTIMAL USAGE: Costa's Blue Mirrored lenses are great for harsh sun conditions, being out on open relfective water...
  • CO-INJECTED NYLON FRAMES: Costa's co-injected nylon frames are tough and durable, manufactured using the...
  • VISIT THE COSTA DEL MAR BRAND SHOP: Visit the Costa Del Mar brand shop to view the entire Costa Del Mar eyewear...

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Here we have what is one of the most popular fishing sunglasses models from the Costa brand name, the Freedom Series Reefton, which might not be cheap, but definitely comes loaded to the brim with awesome features.

The Frame

Right off the bat, what is worth mentioning about these particular sunglasses is that they are made with a co-injected bio-based nylon frame.

This particular material is incredibly tough and has amazing impact resistant, yet is still flexible.

This means that you can drop and bend these sunglasses like no tomorrow, and they’ll still stay in one piece.

Of course, one of the main benefits you get here is that this bio-based nylon is very eco-friendly, so you can rest assured that you aren’t harming the environment by buying them, at least not too much.

What also needs to be taken note of here is that these frames are designed to be quite wide, as most Costa sunglasses are designed to fit wide and large heads.

That said, the arms that they feature are designed to provide a secure fit, so if you do have a small head, they still shouldn’t fall off.

In terms of comfort, you may also appreciate the co-molded temples and the Hydrolite nose and temple pads.

These are both features that not only help keep you comfortable all day long, but also help in terms of providing a secure fit.

The fact that they come complete with cam action spring hinges is just an added bonus.

The Lenses

What we really appreciate about these particular sunglasses is that they feature very thin and lightweight, yet impact and scratch resistant lenses.

The lenses used here are made with 580G polarized glass, which is well known for providing maximum UV protection for the eyes.

Moreover, because they are polarized, they also don’t produce as much annoying glare as so many others do.

What is also worth mentioning here is that these sunglasses are best used for very bright and sunny days, as they work well to minimize light transmission while also maximizing color clarity and contrast, so you can see what’s going on, all without getting blinded.

Related: Need more options? We have covered our top 10 fishing polarized glasses picks here.


Conclusion: Which is Better, Costa or Maui Jim?

So, when it comes down to it, although both Maui Jim and Costa make excellent products, Maui Jim is ideal for fishing and for general wear, whereas Costa is geared specifically towards active people and even has a whole range of sunglasses designed for this very purpose.

In terms of both lenses and frames, as well as price, warranty, and comfort, when it comes to the best sunglasses for fishing, we think that Costa is the clear winner here.

Jason Downs

I created Fishtackly to share my 30 years of fishing experience and knowledge with others with the aim to help, and hopefully get more people involved and educated in this fantastic hobby that I love.