If you own a pair of Hey Dudes, you already know the feeling: they are so light and comfortable that you want to wear them everywhere. But then the clouds gather, and the question hits — are Hey Dude shoes waterproof?
The short answer is no. Hey Dude shoes are not waterproof, and they are not even officially water-resistant. If you walk through a puddle or get caught in proper rain, water will soak straight through the upper and your socks will pay the price.
That said, getting them wet is not the end of the world. Here is the full honest picture: why they are not waterproof, what actually happens when they get soaked, which styles cope best, and how to protect them.
Why Hey Dude Shoes Aren’t Waterproof
It comes down to materials and design priorities. Most Hey Dudes — the Wally, the Wendy and their many cousins — are built with canvas, cotton-blend or stretch-knit uppers. These fabrics are chosen for breathability, flex and featherlight comfort, which is exactly why the shoes feel so good on your feet.
The trade-off is that breathable fabric is the opposite of waterproof. There is no waterproof membrane (nothing like Gore-Tex), no sealed seams and no water-repellent coating applied at the factory. The knit literally has tiny gaps to let air flow through — and where air passes, water passes too.
Think of it like a t-shirt: you can throw a cotton tee in the washing machine without a second thought, but you would never rely on it to keep you dry in a downpour. A Hey Dude upper behaves the same way.
What Happens When Hey Dudes Get Wet?
Here is the good news: getting your Hey Dudes wet will not ruin them — at least not the standard canvas and stretch-knit versions. The uppers handle water exposure fine, dry out relatively quickly thanks to all that breathability, and the lightweight EVA soles are unfazed by moisture.
A few honest caveats, though:
- The insoles suffer first. Most Hey Dudes come with memory-foam insoles, and memory foam plus repeated soaking is a bad combination — it breaks down faster and starts holding odour.
- Special materials need care. Suede, leather and wool Hey Dude editions are a different story. Water can stain suede, stiffen leather and felt wool. Check the care guidance for those before they meet rain.
- Smell is the real enemy. Shoes that get wet and stay damp develop that unmistakable sour odour. Drying them properly (more on that below) matters more than the soaking itself.
- Grip drops on wet ground. The flat, flexible outsoles are not designed for slippery surfaces, so wet pavements need a bit more caution.
So: rain will not destroy your canvas Hey Dudes, but it will leave you with wet feet and a drying job.
Which Hey Dude Styles Handle Water Best?
Not all Hey Dudes are equal around water. If you want the best shot at staying comfortable:
- Canvas Wally and Wendy styles cope best — they get wet, shrug it off and dry fast. The Wendy is the slip-on; the Wally is the lace-up moc-toe. If you are choosing between them for more than just water, our Hey Dude Wendy vs Wally comparison breaks down the differences.
- Water-ready collections — Hey Dude sells specific lines marketed as water-ready (look for H2O in the name). These use quick-dry materials designed for boats, beaches and poolside. They are the closest thing the brand makes to a water shoe, though even these are not sealed waterproof boots.
- Avoid around water: suede, leather, wool and corduroy editions. Save those for dry days.
Check the latest Hey Dude styles on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hey+dude+shoes
Can You Make Hey Dudes Water-Resistant?
You cannot turn canvas Hey Dudes into wellies, but you can buy yourself meaningful protection. A quality waterproofing spray (silicone or fluoropolymer based, made for fabric footwear) adds a hydrophobic coating that makes water bead and roll off instead of soaking straight in.
How to do it properly:
- Start with clean, completely dry shoes.
- Spray evenly from about 15 cm away in a ventilated area.
- Let them dry fully, then apply a second light coat.
- Reapply every few weeks of regular wear — the coating wears off.
Be realistic about the limits: spray helps with light rain and splashes, not with standing in puddles. And never use it as an excuse to wear suede Hey Dudes through a storm — some battles are not worth fighting.
How to Dry Wet Hey Dudes Properly
If (when) yours get soaked, drying them right prevents odour and keeps their shape:
- Remove the insoles and let them dry separately — they hold the most moisture.
- Stuff with newspaper or paper towels to absorb water and hold the shoe’s shape. Replace the stuffing once it gets soggy.
- Air dry at room temperature, ideally near airflow but never on direct heat.
- Never use a radiator, hairdryer on hot, or tumble dryer — heat warps the EVA sole and shrinks canvas.
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight, which fades colours and dries fabric unevenly.
Washing works the same way: canvas and Sox-style Hey Dudes are machine washable on a cool, gentle cycle, then air-dried. Leather, suede, stretch and wool styles are not — hand-clean those.
Better Options for Rainy Days
Some days the honest answer is simply to wear different shoes. For genuinely wet weather, you want sealed seams and a waterproof membrane — rubber rain boots, waterproof walking shoes or water-ready sandals depending on the situation. Keep the Hey Dudes for the other 300 dry days of the year, where they genuinely shine.
FAQs
Can Hey Dude shoes go in the washing machine?
Canvas and Sox-style Hey Dudes can, on a cool gentle cycle with mild detergent. Leather, suede, stretch-knit and wool versions cannot — clean those by hand.
Do Hey Dudes dry fast?
Yes, faster than most shoes. The same breathable knit that lets water in also lets it out, so a soaked pair air-dries noticeably quicker than leather trainers.
Are Hey Dude Wally shoes good for the beach?
They are light and comfortable on sand, but they are not water shoes. For actual water use, look at Hey Dude’s water-ready H2O line instead.
Will rain ruin my Hey Dudes?
Rain alone will not ruin standard canvas or knit Hey Dudes, though repeated soakings wear down the memory-foam insoles. Suede, leather and wool editions can be damaged by water.
Final Verdict
Are Hey Dude shoes waterproof? No — and the brand has never claimed otherwise. The breathable canvas and knit uppers that make them so comfortable are exactly what lets water straight through.
But waterproof is not the same as fragile. Standard Hey Dudes survive getting wet just fine as long as you dry them properly, and a water-ready pair or a coat of waterproofing spray covers you for light rain. Just know their limits: puddles, downpours and slush are jobs for proper waterproof footwear, not your favourite ultra-light slip-ons.