Did you get the latest Hey Dude shoes? We wouldn’t oppose you; they’re the current fashion icon. But their unique design brings in some confusion.
As the shoes have just a few loops starting from the eyelet, many people get confused and wonder how to tighten Hey Dude shoes.
The easiest way is to simply pull the laces tight and tie a knot as close to the eyelet as possible.
But this method is often flighty due to the limited lace length of Hey Dude shoes. Let’s go over some alternatives.
3 Ways to Tighten Your Hey Dude Shoes
Due to their unique and stand-out design, Hey Dude shoes have to be laced together differently. The lace length is shorter compared to other shoes. This is where the challenge of tightening the shoes begin.
But you needn’t worry. In this section, we’ll go over 3 methods we’ve tested of tightening Hey Dude shoes.
1. The Original Method
Well, the most popular method of tightening shoes sticks to the basics — first, you have to pull the laces as tight as you can. Then, tie a knot as close to the eyelet as possible. Eyelets are the openings where the laces first enter.
But this method often fails as Hey Dude’s shoelaces are shorter than other multi-looped shoes.
If it fails for you or isn’t that comfortable, you can try the needle and thread trick.
2. The Needle and Thread Technique
This technique is an extension of the original method of tightening Hey Dude shoes.
For this method, hold an end of the string with your fingers. Loop the needle at your desired spot multiple times to tighten the string against itself according to your liking. Repeat the process for the other string.
3. Oven Heating Process
Hey Dude Shoes are made of a special type of fiber. We can make use of its chemistry to tighten the shoes.
Place your Hey Dude shoes in an oven or a hot stove and allow them to heat for a few minutes. Two to three minutes should be ideal.
While heating, we’re crystallizing the special fiber molecules of Hey Dude shoes. This initially softens them, but they’re hardened after cooling to create a much tighter and stiffer shoe body.
Use this method with proper caution. We’ve put it as the last method because there’s a risk of injury or mishaps.
Make sure you don’t take more than 3 minutes and keep the melting point of the shoes in mind.
Best Way to Tighten Hey Dude Shoes Laces
Now that you’ve successfully tightened your Hey Dude shoes, you might want to tighten the shoelaces to your comfort as well.
To tighten shoelaces, first, take both laces in each hand and pull them as tight as you can. Then, tie a knot at the desired length of each lace end. This’ll create an endpoint on both shoelaces, shortening their length and tightening them up.
How to Stretch Hey Dude Shoes
Until now, we’ve only covered how to tighten Hey Dude shoes and shoelaces. But what if you got it too tight and want to loosen or stretch it up? In this section, we’ve got you covered.
We’ll take the opposite approach of the oven heat-up method to stretch these shoes. Put the shoes in a large-enough Ziploc bag. Add some water and seal it up properly. Then, simply leave them in a freezer for a couple of hours.
The shoes expand due to the expansion of the water.
Do note, if you want stretchable shoes in the first case, Hey Dude have a sox and stretch style available for you. These are made with elastic fibers that automatically adjust to the shape and size of your feet over time.
Tips to Get the Perfect Fit from Your Hey Dude Shoes
By this point, you should know how to tighten Hey Dude shoes, shoelaces and how to stretch them as well. This should give you maximum control and customizability. Nonetheless, here are some additional tips to get the perfect fit from your new Hey Dude shoes.
- In the beginning, wear your shoes for a couple of hours in the morning. When we wake up, our feet are swollen due to water buildup and other reasons. This helps the shoe adjust better to your feet when they return to a regular state.
- While picking socks, pay attention to the thickness. Too thick socks may occupy too much space out, creating adjustment issues. Thin, light socks are the best way to go.
- Go for leather or premium fabric design. These stretch and adjust best over time. They might cost a bit more, but the comfort will be worth it.
- Make a habit of tying the shoes at a constant tightness. This makes adjustment seamless, and the shoes can adapt easily.
- For the first few days, tie and untie them a couple of times to loosen the shoelaces a bit. Paradoxically, loosening the shoelaces allows them to be tightened better in the long run.
- Hey Dude shoes come with fewer eyelets and loops compared to other shoes. Be sure to use all the eyelets and not leave any out. That’ll maximize how much you can tighten or loosen up the shoes.
- If your shoelaces feel a bit uncomfortable, go for athlete sneaker laces or gym shoelaces. These are made of cotton and are much more comfortable. They might wear out a bit quicker, though.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In the beginning, they fit loose. But as you start wearing them regularly, with daily dirt buildup and wear and tear, they tighten up and get a better smooth fitting.
The shoes aren’t much true in size for most of their models. But you needn’t worry; they have proper guides on their websites to guide you through your ideal shoe size.
If you’re going for sox or stretch style Hey Dudes, you should size down just a bit. As these shoes can stretch easily, by sizing down, you can be sure they’ll be a proper fit in the long run.
Tightening won’t usually cause your Hey Dudes to shrink. Their material is usually fabric or leather, and neither shrink on compression.
The usual rain and puddle should be okay. But if your Hey Dudes don’t have a machine-washable sign, they might shrink due to the chlorine salt of your washing machine. It won’t shrink drastically, though, but the color might start to fade.
Conclusion
If you’ve come this far, you’ve hopefully learned how to tighten Hey Dude shoes properly. The first method is the most popular, and it won’t fail unless you have really short shoelaces.
As a final note, avoid getting your shoes too wet or cold. This will cause them to stretch a bit automatically and lose color too in the process. That way, you’ll be able to keep them compact and tight throughout the years.
We hope you enjoy your new Hey Dudes. Cheers!
Why can’t you put a simple tension clip inside the little cups that comes on the shoelace? Are you friggin serious? No fast and easy way to TIGHTEN/LOOSEN a pair of shoes each and every time you put them on or remove them? Omg. Pathetic. Never again will I waste money on such a ridiculous design. And be sure I will advise everyone I work with to never buy these.
I’m about ready to go back to boat shoes. They need a better lacing system. These are not simple slipons. They feel more like house slippers for inside the house.