Shoe trees : are they really needed?

[Goodlander]

Borrowing from medicine-do trees *hurt* the shoes?

Except for oversized/bad fit, i can’t see how they do. The helping appears to be a matter of degrees, but at least not ruining things.

 

[Miles R.]

I planted a shoe tree but it never bore fruit.

 

[BAK]

The functionality of shoe trees is very simple: the soles of the shoes are slightly bent when walking, so when you insert the shoe trees into the shoes, they will straighten its sole. When soles are straightened the uppers are stretched as well so its creases are smoothened.

To expound on this a little - not only do the trees help return the sole to it's original straightened shape, but without the use of moisture absorbing trees the damp interiors will slowly dry out, pulling the shoe in on itself, making the curled up sole even more pronounced. Now think about a curled up sole versus a flat sole, and how each of those will tend to strike the ground going forward. The curled up sole tends to connect with the ground in a very small area (which is why you see some soles worn through in just one small spot) while the straightened sole benefits from having more square inches connect with the ground, helping to more evenly spread the sole wear and and lessening the chance for extreme wear in any one spot. So shoe trees keep the tops looking good, but they also help extend the life of the soles.

 

[luca_defumo]

I see now that one can in fact buy cedar shoe trees on Amazon Italy where I live. I've just never seen them in use here. In my experience, the better quality shoes I buy in Italy or France or UK or Hungary come with birch or other hardwood trees. That leads me to believe there is no clear advantage to cedar--otherwise why wouldn't high-end shoemakers use it? Maybe cedar is used more by after-market shoe tree makers? Anyway thanks for the correction...

Hi,
one reason the bespoke shoetrees are more likely made of birch is because bespoke lasts are made of birch too. And when the shoemaker has prepared the last he send it to the last laboratory where they use to copy it with the same lathe they use for last making and for some reasons they are more comfortable using the same wood.

For shoetrees made in stocks for RTW brands it’s more common to use softer/lighter woods like cedar, also for a weight reason.

 

[maxalex]

Hi,
one reason the bespoke shoetrees are more likely made of birch is because bespoke lasts are made of birch too. And when the shoemaker has prepared the last he send it to the last laboratory where they use to copy it with the same lathe they use for last making and for some reasons they are more comfortable using the same wood.

For shoetrees made in stocks for RTW brands it’s more common to use softer/lighter woods like cedar, also for a weight reason.

That makes sense, thanks!

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

Greetings all. Regarding shoe trees: people go on about shoe trees all the time as being essential peripherals for looking after and improving the longevity of good-quality shoes and boots; i'd like to understand how much they are really needed. I have maybe 40 pairs of shoes and boots, and a couple of pairs of shoe trees that i use for unstructured shoes that i feel could do with holding their shape.
Now i'm updating my collection a little and adding a few new pieces, i want to make sure i get the most life out of my shoes, some of which are 20yrs old now (some pre-Prada Church Balmorals and Legates i bought when i started at work).
Without a counterfactual, there seems no way of telling how much they are preserving my shoes and lengthening their service... perhaps they are more useful for those whose feet sweat more ? (mine hardly do) or for certain types of shoe/boot/upper/amount of wear/meteorlogical conditions, etc?
So to my question: does anyone have some convincing analysis/argument as to the efficacy of cedar shoe trees? For my collection, i need to spend possibly £500-1,000 for a full set of trees, which feels a signficant investment. I'm prepared to do it, if i can be shown, be convinced and have confidence in their efficacy - and so i'd love to hear people's opinions.
Many thanks indeed.

It depends on the shoe tree. Sometimes they can make shoes look worse if they're not the right shape for the shoe. I bought an inexpensive pair of wood shoe trees from Dick's Sporting Goods in the early 2000s that happens to have the perfect shape for loafers. It effectively reblocks any moccasin-toed shoe. Because I've never been able to find another pair with the perfect shape for loafers, I rotate it on 5 or 6 Allen Edmonds. Several people have commented that shoe trees do not seem to be useful beyond the first day or two. I disagree with that. The longer the shoe tree is in place, the more perfectly the shoe conforms to it and straightens out. It can take several days for a leather sole to straighten out. But in the interest of rotation, I'd guess that after a week or two, you probably get enough of the benefit to take the trees out. If you are adventurous, you could probably speed up the process by covering the shoe with heavy cloth and ironing wherever the shoe tree is in contact with the shoe. I'm not recommending it, just adding the thought. I've done it once with no damage. Applying leather lotion or doing any polishing while a shoe tree is in place also seems to speed things up.

Most of the shoe trees I see would not work for reblocking (maybe a better term would be "relasting"). Obviously the best results would be from a shoe tree that is as close as possible to the last the shoe was made on.

Maybe someone should do a study. Maybe pitch it to a company that makes shoe trees. But I think almost all of the anecdotal evidence is going to indicate that shoe trees are necessary if you want to keep your shoes in ideal shape and make them presentable for longer. The argument would be in the details of how to do it best.

 

[dddrees]

As odd as I find it there are those that find deep creasing and curled up toes not only appealing but worthy of creating as such they avoid shoe trees and they even enter them in a contest claiming the patina to be worth awarding some sort of prize.

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Frankly no matter how well one likes this so called patina I can't see them to be anything than less than ideal to be walking around in. He claimed he was taking care of them even though he also said they often remained wet inside for a few days at a time. Personally this too isn't something I would want to put on my feet like he has while achieving this so called patina. Wearing wet boots or shoes with heavy creasing and curled up toes isn't my idea of a good time.

 

[Leiito]

As odd as I find it there are those that find deep creasing and curled up toes not only appealing but worthy of creating as such they avoid shoe trees and they even enter them in a contest claiming the patina to be worth awarding some sort of prize.

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Frankly no matter how well one likes this so called patina I can't see them to be anything than less than ideal to be walking around in. He claimed he was taking care of them even though he also said they often remained wet inside for a few days at a time. Personally this too isn't something I would want to put on my feet like he has while achieving this so called patina. Wearing wet boots or shoes with heavy creasing and curled up toes isn't my idea of a good time.

He seems to have been going for that Officine Creative look
To be fair, while not my cup of tea, I can understand why curled up toes and creases can be liked by those going for a more rugged, worn out look of their boots, might almost be a status symbol, look at my boots, they're so good I put them through hell and they still look expensive.

 

[luca_defumo]

He seems to have been going for that Officine Creative look
To be fair, while not my cup of tea, I can understand why curled up toes and creases can be liked by those going for a more rugged, worn out look of their boots, might almost be a status symbol, look at my boots, they're so good I put them through hell and they still look expensive.
View attachment 1940507

On the CXL boot of the article the toe spring could be something that has some sense and it’s made on purpose by the shoemaker.
A comb of:
Strong leather with welt + doublesole and the wood peg construction put together make a boot that is quite stiff to bend.

On the officine creative boot, Blake constructed, is something I can understand less.

But yes, as you said, it’s matter of taste.

 

[dddrees]

On the CXL boot of the article the toe spring could be something that has some sense and it’s made on purpose by the shoemaker.
A comb of:
Strong leather with welt + doublesole and the wood peg construction put together make a boot that is quite stiff to bend.

On the officine creative boot, Blake constructed, is something I can understand less.

But yes, as you said, it’s matter of taste.

Taste is one thing function is yet another. Frankly walking in wet curled up leather with deep creases as I pointed out would not be my cup of tea as well.

 

[luca_defumo]

Taste is one thing function is yet another. Frankly walking in wet curled up leather with deep creases as I pointed out would not be my cup of tea as well.

Ah, we totally agree!

 

[Leiito]

I think OC is Blake Rapid but yeah, a bit more fashion forward, I guess, imagine walking around with these babies:

Those are NDC, but same spirit. OC is also quite unorthodox when it comes to trouser length in their stylings, perhaps an act of rebellion against the dictate of skinny pants cut too short:

 

[luca_defumo]

I think OC is Blake Rapid but yeah, a bit more fashion forward, I guess, imagine walking around with these babies:
View attachment 1940563
Those are NDC, but same spirit. OC is also quite unorthodox when it comes to trouser length in their stylings, perhaps an act of rebellion against the dictate of skinny pants cut too short:
View attachment 1940565

It’s 100% Blake. Some models have a decorative faux rapid stitch. But we go off topic here.

 

[Leiito]

Let's say it's tangentially within topic limits, if someone's after that curled up look, maybe shoe trees can hamper his progress but it probably can't be good for leather, a human foot produces, what, 250ml of water per day, without wood absorbing the moisture it will stay in the leather and evaporating take out the natural oils too, I'm not sure that Renovateur or anything else can remedy that.

 

[jdgershbein]

I have been purchasing cedar shoe trees since stepping into (pun intended!) high-quality shoes many years ago. Like many of you, I heard the same "argument" that trees maintained the shoe's shape, integrity, and look when not worn. And whenever I traveled with a good pair or two, invariably, I weighed my suitcase down with the trees.

Presently, I have more trees than shoes. So, I rotate. I believe there is some restorative effect after a day's wear. I have also noticed that trees can loosen up some shoes that were tight on me during the first few wears. There may be a psychological edge gained from using them.

Still, in the absence of a controlled, double-blind study conducted by notable researchers at prestigious institutions, there is no discernible laboratory evidence that shoe trees increase the longevity of shoes. In my experience, however, the care of shoes is a reciprocal phenomenon; you take care of them, and they will take care of you.