ECCO Yucatan Review

With a classic three-strap sport sandal design, the Yucatan may not be the sleekest or sportiest looking compared to other top-ranked sandals that we've tested, but it more than makes up for that with its impressive comfort and all-around performance. This sandal has no weaknesses; it is constructed from high-quality materials, has a very comfortable contoured footbed and comfortably lined straps, and has a high-quality sole design that provides excellent traction and support.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

As the most comfortable sandal in our lineup, the Yucatan stands out in this metric with several impressive high-end features designed to cradle and support your foot through the entire walking motion. While ECCO has a lot of fancy names for these technologies, we can confirm that the comfort they provide is evident in the field.

When putting these sandals on for the first time, you can immediately tell how nicely they cradle your feet, beginning with the contoured EVA foam footbed covered in soft microfiber material. ECCO's Fluidform foam with Receptor technology provides excellent cushioning and support in the midsole. The rubber outsole is slightly rockered to help guide your foot through its natural walking motion. ECCO sees to put much more research and technology into their sandals than most other manufacturers, which results in a very comfortable and supportive product that is evident in every step.

Above the foot, the straps are constructed from a soft nubuck leather material and have a neoprene lining for a smooth and comfortable fit without any weird textures or pressure points. Combining the soft upper material with the well-cushioned and supportive midsole makes the Yucatan a wildly comfortable sandal.

Traction

While the Yucatan and its technologies are built for comfort, these sandals provide an impressive level of performance on the trail. Although not as grippy as the Vibram-branded soles on some other models we tested, the rubber outsole and aggressive tread pattern provide confident traction in various conditions.

The density of the rubber is firm enough to seemingly provide long-lasting durability but is soft enough to provide high-end traction across a variety of surfaces. The tread pattern is comfortably aggressive to grip loose or rocky materials and also does surprisingly well in wet conditions. While the footbeds of many sandals can get quite slippery when wet, the microfiber material on the Yucatan keeps your foot firmly planted even when wet, sweaty, or dusty.

Stability

The same features and technology that make the Yucatan so comfortable making it very stable and supportive. The contoured microfiber footbed cradles the foot, the Fluidform midsole foam with Receptor technology, and the rockered outsole with firm rubber material combine to make a solid and supportive platform for your feet.

In addition, the upper strap system provides excellent coverage and support and comfortably encases the foot with its neoprene lining. The classic three-strap sport sandal design with one sidebar is very similar to several other sandals that we've tested but isn't quite as supportive as those with overlapping straps or closed-toe designs. Overall, the combination of the soft, supportive upper material and a top-of-the-line midsole design, and sturdy outsole material give the Yucatan one of the most stable and supportive platforms in our lineup.

Adjustability

With a traditional three-strap sport sandal design, the Yucatan has three Velcro adjustment points; one at the heel, one at the ankle, and one at the forefoot. While not as adjustable as some more modern designs with overlapping pull-through strap systems or adjustable buckles, this classic design does a good job of balancing comfort, simplicity, and adjustability.

The three straps are constructed with sturdy leather and are backed by a soft neoprene material for extra comfort. The adjustable heel strap allows the heel to be positioned wherever the user feels most comfortable and then firmly and securely locked into place. The ankle strap helps keep the rear of the foot firmly planted but isn't so tight as to restrict movement or cause any pinch points. The forefoot strap completes the package and helps secure the midfoot and forefoot area. It is aided by anchor points that widen as they connect to the footbed and provide additional coverage and support for the foot. Overall, while this classic strap system is not as versatile as some modern designs, it is very simple to use and provides enough adjustability for most users in most conditions.

Versatility

While at first look, the Yucatan might seem like a traditional sport sandal that is comfortable but lacks the chops to keep up when the going gets tough, we found that this certainly isn't the case. With excellent comfort and stability, surprisingly capable traction, and high-quality materials that perform wet or dry, the Yucatan can take you anywhere from the beach to rocky trails to around town. The classic three-strap design also accommodates socks for when the temperature drops, as a camp sandal, or to complete the dad-style look.

Our testers were pleasantly surprised with these kicks' all-around performance and versatility. They truly are very comfortable and supportive in any condition. During our testing, we took the Yucatan on rocky trails, steep dirt and gravel roads, wet and mossy steps, to the beach, and around town. These sandals handled every situation easily and maintained a stable and comfortable platform, whether wet or dry, uphill, downhill, or sidehill, on dirt, rock, or pavement. While not everyone will love the classic "dad-style" sport sandal design, if you can get past that, these kicks certainly impress with their comfort and performance in any scenario.

While we have been genuinely impressed with these kicks, the main reason they didn't win our Editors' Choice Award is that there is another model that provides even better traction and adjustability in a lighter-weight package. But, with its solid all-around performance, the Yucatan wins an Editors' Choice Award for being the most comfortable sandal in our lineup.

Should You Buy the ECCO Yucatan?

The ECCO Yucatan quickly made its mark on our testers with its impressive comfort and performance. With high-quality materials and comfort-oriented technologies, it performs well across the board and stands out for its comfortable footbed that nicely cradles and supports the feet. Capable of comfortably taking you on adventures in various conditions, the Yucatan earns top accolades and is a sandal we feel confident you'll love to wear. With one of the highest prices in our lineup, the Yucatan might not provide the best value for everybody. Other options offer excellent traction or similar comfort and stability at a fraction of the price. Those alternatives may provide a better value for most users. However, with its top-of-the-line materials and construction, impressive technologies evident in its comfort and support, and consistently high all-around performance, the Yucatan could provide a solid long-term value for someone looking for ultimate comfort.

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