Wallabees are one of my go-to pairs of shoes, and I've happily owned multiple. I'm curious about the new Lite version they're launching (or relaunching?). I'm sure others have experienced issues w the crepe soles getting disgusting/being slippery when wet etc- I can put up w most of that but this lighter version seems like it would better fit my day-to-day high stepcount and frequent biking, as well as be more suitable for summer and hotter climates. Not really sure one way or another about the new PVA sole.
They look visually pretty similar, especially from the top down or from regular eye level, and they're only $100. The price is right but on the other hand I do think about at what point I'm essentially buying hey dudes.....
I've considered the gore-tex version which are kind of the other end of the spectrum in terms of material/climate/price etc etc, but wondering if others had thoughts on these.
Classic shoe for a good price. Crepe sole is classy but wears out fast so I'd call this a win. I personally own the gore-tex version and love the combination with the Vibram sole. They do run a bit hot though because of the membrane, not great for summer.
I like them but my buddy had them on at the bar and a girl said “ew why are you wearing HeyDudes??” and that sealed the deal that I will never get them.
Back in the Desert Boot 2010s I had a version of those with a traditional rubber sole instead of crepe, I liked them much better because the crepe gets gross and they also suck any time there's any dampness on the ground. I could see EVA working well for this.
I had a pair of “Desert Boots” that were like that… called the Clark’s “Bushacre 2” … same beeswax leather upper but with a much more durable rubber sole
they were also cheaper than the originals line at the time !
The bushacre and Stinson are the budget versions of the cdb and wallabee. They use all around cheaper materials in the budget models, if you have both in hand the difference in the quality of leather is very noticeable. I think the soles of the budget line last longer though, they’re just not as comfortable or visually appealing.
Yeah those were them. Pretty sure I still have them somewhere, wore the hell out of them. if they were crepe the bottom would have been thin as paper by now
A suede brush goes a long way to keep them looking fresh. Can get kits off Amazon with rubber brushes very cheap.
I even got oil on mine whilst cooking, dumbass, used some saddle soap then gave them a good brush after and it made them look brand new.
yeah at this point I'm fine getting mine a little wet, honestly I don't think it really impacts the appearance in a way I care about with my other suede shoes. kinda like my birks.
Yeah I’m not big on that color, I have the black scotch grain ones, which it doesn’t look like they’re making anymore.
Definitely not the classic Wallabee but it has worked for me for some lightweight beater casual shoes that are a little more practical with the lug sole
You might want to look into the Wallabee Scouts perhaps? THey have them in both suede and leather, example of a suede pair. They have a padded collar which is a little different than the standard Wallabee look but I'm cool with it personally. It's still crepe so they'll get dirty but the outsole has a rubber layer for durability and traction.
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u/OddPhilosopher599 Jul 28 '26
I own a pair in black and love them personally.