Shoe tree too big?

[lullemans72]

Hello again gentlemen,

So I just got myself some shoe trees which I ordered online a few days ago.
My shoe size for dress shoes is 25.5 cm, so I got myself some shoe trees with a range of 25.0~25.5 cm thinking the fit would be ideal for my shoes.
So far I've mostly been using cheap shoe trees with springs or with a small handle like a wooden piece at the end of the tree.

However, as I placed the trees in one of my shoes, it didn't feel tight or snug in the least. When I touch the sides of the shoe, I do feel like the tree is filling up the inside of the shoe mostly, but when I look inside the shoe, or near the heal, there seems to be a quite large gap between shoe and heel. The heal part of the tree fits very loosely and can be removed with almost no effort.

This leads me to believe that the trees are just too small, even if they were advertises as 25.0~25.5 cm.

Since I feel so much loosness when the trees are in the shoe (compared to the other cheaper trees I own) I'm guessing they're just smaller than I thought?

 

[12345Michael54321]

Whether in suits or in shoe trees, take advertised sizes as little more than a starting point. A place where you begin your search to find the right size. Sizes are often far from precise and can occasionally be wildly inaccurate.

Based on the advertised size, these shoe trees should be a good fit for your shoes. They're not.

No different from knowing that you always wear size 36 pants. When your new, online ordered size 36 pants reach you, you try them on and they're so small you can't button them. Sometimes, things just don't fit the way we'd expected. That's why the Flying Spaghetti Monster, who so loved the world he gave us pirates and strippers and beer, also gave us retailers with liberal return privileges.

 

[lullemans72]

You're absolutely right.
I hadn't thought of sizing for shoe trees the way I do for clothes. You try and save some time and money but it ends up causing more trouble afterwards...

I went to a retailer in leather goods earlier today and brought my shoes with me and had the owner recommend me a pair with the best fit, of which I bought two pairs (see below).

Overall fit seems much better than the previous ones as they're actually exerting pressure on the leather and feel very snug. Though the rear part of the heel seems to be at a diagonal angle and slightly sticks out a little.

 

[Bower]

I try to be carefull when choosing shoe trees. First I look for a model similar in shape to the shoe, and then I go for a bit smaller size. Doing this I try to maintain the shoe shape without adding pressure that coud deform the shoe.

 

[lullemans72]



I try to be carefull when choosing shoe trees. First I look for a model similar in shape to the shoe, and then I go for a bit smaller size. Doing this I try to maintain the shoe shape without adding pressure that coud deform the shoe.

That's a fair point. But where does one draw the line though? How much smaller a shoe tree do you go for exactly? It's my understanding that if the shoe tree isn't just the right size, it won't exercise the right amount of pressure inside the shoe to minimize creases or to prevent the toe of the shoe from curling upwards.

 

[Bower]

Just a little bit, I am UK7.5 and I will get UK7 if the tree comes in sizes, or I will get a S size.

I found a site that offers a very good selection of different shoe tree shapes and brands. I can´t remenber the name now, but I will look for it and I´ll tell you later.

 

[lullemans72]

Just a little bit, I am UK7.5 and I will get UK7 if the tree comes in sizes, or I will get a S size.

I found a site that offers a very good selection of different shoe tree shapes and brands. I can´t remenber the name now, but I will look for it and I´ll tell you later.

I see. FYI, the shoe trees above are from a company called Sleipnir, and are size 25.5 cm (41 Euro size), as are the shoes in the above photos. The trees are very snug but in my opinion, but not too big.

A pair of other shoe trees I bought just last week for another pair of black derbies with semi-broguing, was size 25.5-26 cm (41-42 Euro size), and those were intended for shoes with size 26 cm (42 Euro size). Those non-brand shoe trees were about the same size as the Sleipnir ones, but considering that they are intended for a bigger shoe (26 cm/42), I would say the shoe tree might have been just a tad bit small.