Sunglasses are an often overlooked part of the running kit essentials. The benefit of sunglasses go beyond looking cool. They provide protection on roads and trails from the sun, dirt, dust, stray tree branches and insects. Shades also help with fatigue and perceived effort. Squinting actually can waste energy, and proper lenses can also help with depth perception on the trails.
I have tried plenty of brands and styles, but never considered Maui Jim Sunglasses. Before checking them out, my opinion was, they were lifestyle sunglasses, not performance gear. Maui Jim contacted us when Meb (Maui Jim sponsored athlete) was running in the Olympics and asked if we wanted to try a pair. No strings attached. We didn’t even need to review them. How could we pass up that offer?
while on the site, I saw that they do carry performance sunglasses. The Night Dive shield style in the Matte Aquamarine would work for running. The Maui HT™ lenses have “the highest usable light transmission for incredible depth perception.” Often runs will start in low light in the morning and continue into bright sunshine, so versatility with the lens was key. I need sunglasses that aren’t so dark that I can’t see in low light. The Night Dive glasses provide good eye coverage as well. Other features include a rimless frame, adjustable nose pads, and nylon temples. The Night Dive are extremely light at 23 grams.
The best thing I can say about the Night Dive Sunglasses is that they disappear and become unnoticeable during my runs. I ran between 8 miles to 26.2 in the Night Dive without the glasses getting fogged up or irritating me. They are super comfortable and my eyes adjusted quickly to the HT lenses.
Before trying the Maui Jim sunglasses, I would not have considered them for running. I recommend you check them out. The price is the only drawback, these glasses ain’t cheap. MSRP $249 available on mauijim.com
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