Ever since I tried Serengeti sunglasses with the rose/amber/whatever color they are "drivers" lenses, maybe 15 or so years ago, I've worn almost nothing since. I do have one pair that has grey/green lenses, which I occasionally wear, typically only on cloudy days (we don't have many of those in Tucson). If you're used to the typical grey lenses, it'll definitely seem weird going to amber/rose/bronze colored lenses, but when you're used to them and take them off and/or switch to grey lenses, suddenly the world seems so bland, drab, and dull.
Serengeti's also all have their "photochromatic" technology. Meaning the brighter it is the darker they get. The change is subtle, not even remotely as dramatic as "Transition" eyeglass lenses. But it does help when you're going from inside to outside or from out to in.
I also like that Serengeti's - at least the models that I've owned - use glass instead of plastic lenses. I stick with simple shapes, thin frames, etc. I can't pull off the Wayfarer style, and I feel like a douche wearing aviators or wraparounds. My favorite pair is the "Getaway" (center, 2nd from top). They were the first that fit me without modification. I've worn several through about 15 years or so, and they've only been replaced because of accidents, not because they "wore out" or anything (no big scratches, but lost 2 pairs, stepped on one, a lens slipped out and broke from one because the screw got loose, and I endo'd on my bike and faceplanted wearing another). Unfortunately they've long been discontinued so I'm constantly trolling eBay looking for NOS or gently used ones. None of their current models interest me at all, but that's just me.
The only other brand I've considered is Maui Jim. I've heard nothing but good about them, they use glass in some of their models, and their amber/rose lenses look like they're not dissimilar to Serengeti.
It's interesting revisiting old posts I've made to see how things might have changed or evolved.
I very rarely wear my old Serengeti Getaways anymore. I've found a few different models that I like much more, all of them discontinued, either used or old stock.
I've also since picked up a few different Maui Jim models. Again, discontinued models, as they're typically much cheaper than buying new ones. My favorites are the Kilohana and Beachcombers. The Kilohana have titanium frames and glass lenses and are easily the lightest sunglasses I have. The Beachcombers have monel frames, but despite being rather heavy are comfortable for long periods because they fit so well.
Maui Jim has a few different tints, and stray a bit from the norm. The neutral grey is exactly that - just grey. They're quite dark, so they're good for the bright summer sun in Tucson (which started a few days ago when temps were in the 90°s and actually broke 100°). They're a bit too dark for going indoors, so that's a compromise. They differ quite a bit from many company's grey, which is often a grey-green, like Ray Ban's G-15 (G for green, 15 for 15% light transmission). Whether you prefer the natural (but dulled) colors of neutral grey or the green enhanced G-15/grey-green is personal preference.
I thought I would like the Maui Rose, having worn Serengetis for so long, but they're quite different than Serengeti's "driver" lenses. They're much darker and add too much artificial color that dulls colors rather than enhancing contrast.
The HCL bronze is my favorite of Maui Jim's offerings. Despite being a different tint than Serengeti's they have the same contrast enhancement, possibly even more. It's really evident when looking at greenery (trees and whatnot). The world looks a lot more colorful with these. However, the light transmission isn't quite as dark as most grey or grey green lenses, or even Serengeti's "driver" tint when fully darkened. They might not be the best choice for a cloudless day unless you're also wearing a hat, in which case they're a great all-around tint for sunny, cloudy, mixed cloudy, and going in and out of doors, as they're not so dark that you need to take them off when going indoors.
Optically, Maui Jims are excellent. I'd say that Serengeti's still have the edge for optical clarity, probably a result of the polarization. I only have 1 pair of Serengetis that are polarized and they've got a very slight edge over Maui Jim. But we're talking an extremely slight difference, one that doesn't really make a difference, as Maui Jims are amazingly clear as well. Note though that all the lenses I'm talking about are glass. I cannot speak for the different plastic lenses offered by either company. My need for polarization is dubious in Tucson. I can't say they make much of a difference, but I'm rarely around water. I'll see if they give an advantage during monsoon season, or when I visit my folks in San Diego and go by the ocean (if this pandemic ever gets licked).
The biggest difference is that Maui Jims, at least the ones I own, are of a far higher build quality than any of my Serengetis. While there's nothing "wrong" with my Serengetis, the Maui Jims are just better. Think VW vs BMW or Benchmade vs Chris Reeve.
The next brand I really want to try is Randolph. I got some old frames (52mm Aviator) for cheap that I put some aftermarket lenses in, and I like the way they look on me. They've made improvements to the frames since then, and I like the bayonet temples - they took a while to get used to, but they're quite comfortable despite the weight of steel frames.
