Ecco Yucatan Sandal: Comfortably Hike in Heat and Humidity

You don’t need to climb Mayan ruins to appreciate the Ecco Yucatan–it’s a sandal for diehard adventurists and casual hikers alike. We just got back from a week in Costa Rica with friends and I’m so glad I had my Yucatans. I deliberated more than necessary over which footwear to bring (imagine that). Before the final packing of the suitcase, I narrowed down my options to hiking boots (Ahnu Sugarpine), closed-toe sandals (Keen Rose), sport sandals (Ecco Yucatan), Nike running shoes and casual-dress sandals (Naot Dorith). I wound up leaving the hiking boots at home since they took up too much space in the suitcase, and brought the other four.

Although I wore my Keen closed-toe sandals on off-path hikes through water and slippery rocks, I chose the Ecco Yucatan for our many path hikes and casual walks through town. With temperatures in the 90s and high humidity, an open-toe sport sandal allowed for better air circulation around my tired feet. While the upper straps are nubuck, they’re lined with soft Lycra® spandex and nylon for a soft feel that wicks moisture.

The Ecco Yucatan’s arch support surpassed that of my Keens, so I gladly strapped them on for any around-town exploring and hikes that stuck to a path. I did wear them on one waterfall excursion and was impressed with their traction on craggy, slippery rocks (plus they dry quickly in the sun).

I predict wearing my Yucatans as walking sandals this summer. Yes, they’re great for hikes, but to store them in the closet for that sole purpose would be silly. Ecco’s trademarked RECEPTOR technology is the key to the Yucatan’s support and stability. To quote the manufacturer description:

The three steps identified in ECCO’s Receptor technology are:

1. PUSH OFF:
ECCO’s sole is designed to mimic the motion the ball of the foot makes when walking, helps to give an extra boost when you push off the ground

2. MID STANCE:
The foot holds the greatest weight burden when supporting. Receptor® support allows the great ligaments in the foot to lock in place maximizing stability.

3. HEEL STRIKE:
Your bare foot strikes the ground at a 20 degree angle and so does the receptor in our shoes, this angle gives you the momentum to follow through with the stride.

I would highly recommend the Ecco Yucatan for women with plantar fasciitis–the heel support and shock-absorption is top-notch. It could easily make our list of over 103 shoes for plantar fasciitis we’ve reviewed previously.

The Ecco Yucatan best fits a narrow to medium width foot and is true to size. Note that the forefoot strap is only adjustable to tighten the strap, not to loosen it. If you have a narrow to medium width foot with bunions, the forefoot strap should fit well, but if you have a wide foot, the strap might fit too tightly.

The Ecco Yucatan is available in euro sizes 35-43 (I wear a 41 for my size 10 feet) for $99-130 at Zappos, Nordstrom and Amazon.

Have you ever worn Ecco Yucatan sandals? What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know!