Maui Jim Miona: Luxury Hawaiian sunglasses with organic glass and prescription inserts

Soft lines instead of an angular racing look

The semi-rimless design gives the Miona an elegant look. The transitions are smooth, and both the lenses and temples have a rounded shape; you won’t find any sharp edges anywhere. Despite the large lenses, this makes the glasses look less aggressive than some other shield-style frames. This is a visual impression, not a comment on comfort.

The lens of the Miona is curved in two directions, thus following the contours of the face. Maui Jim claims this provides a wide, unobstructed field of vision. Ribbed rubber pads on the nose and temple tips are designed to keep the glasses in place whilst on the move. Just how well this works with a helmet and on rough descents can only be assessed in a ride test.

According to Maui Jim, this is the first time the company has used a lens material containing up to 99 per cent bio-based content. This refers to the lens material itself, not the entire pair of glasses. It is not possible to draw any conclusions about the environmental footprint or durability from this information alone.

Polarised or non-polarised?

According to a press release, Maui Jim offers the Miona with both polarised and non-polarised lenses. Polarised means that a filter in the lens reduces light reflected from, for example, wet paths or other smooth surfaces. This makes such reflections less dazzling.

The polarised Miona is also designed to enhance colours and contrasts. However, polarisation is not the same as photochromic technology: the lens does not automatically adjust its darkness in response to changing light conditions. UV protection is a given, and the glasses also feature a blue light filter to protect against so-called high-energy visible light (HEV).

​One more thing: polarised lenses may, in some circumstances, make it difficult to read certain LCD displays or the dashboard in older cars.

According to Maui Jim, the different lens colours have been developed for various lighting conditions: Neutral Grey is designed for strong, direct sunlight. Blue Hawaii combines a blue mirror coating with a neutral grey base tint and is also intended for use in very bright light. Maui HT is a lighter, greenish tint for low or changing light conditions. Maui Sunrise features a pink-coloured mirror coating on a pink base; Maui Jim emphasises the contrast here.

We cannot find any specific filter categories or light transmission values for the individual Miona lenses on the manufacturers’ websites mentioned. There is no classification into categories 1, 2 or 3.

Prescription via RX insert

For cyclists who wear prescription glasses, the included RX insert is of particular interest: according to Maui Jim, an insert with clear prescription lenses can be fitted behind the Shield lens via the brand’s prescription service. We are familiar with this principle from, for example, the 100% S3 with RX insert. However, only a test will reveal whether the Miona’s performance, eye relief and field of view prove impressive on the trail.

Price and classification

The Maui Jim Miona costs 275 euros. That’s a lot. We don’t yet have any specific weight figures. This information would be particularly helpful in assessing high-performance sports glasses. We hope to be able to provide these details soon.

Similarly, we’ll have to wait for the test sample before we can say anything more specific about the fit, visual quality and practicality. We’ll let you know as soon as possible whether the elegant design also goes well with a MTB helmet and how these high-end glasses perform on rough trails.

Anyone who cycles in very changeable light conditions or at dusk and is looking for an automatically tinted lens rather than a polarised one will find one here Comparison test of photochromic glasses ranging in price from just under 90 to over 300 euros.

About the brand: Maui Jim originated in Hawaii and has been selling sunglasses since the 1980s. The company became known worldwide for its own patented polarisation technology. Since 2022, the brand has been part of the portfolio of the premium eyewear group Kering Eyewear, which also distributes luxury eyewear from boutique brands such as Gucci and Cartier.