Shoe trees : are they really needed?

[dddrees]

All I can say is I know what has worked for me and my shoes and boots. Shoe trees, dust bags, rotating footwear, and conditioning when necessary, do help to make my footwear look and function better over time. I really don’t require any laboratory experiments to tell me something I can see from up close personal first hand experience. Not to mention comparing my results to various others who don’t do the same. Results may vary but there’s no doubt what I’m doing works. You may or may not do some or none of these things and have varying degrees of success or in the end just not care because I have seen some of those that don’t do some of these things their footwear and although some don’t always look as bad as some others I’ve seen, I’ve never seen those who don’t look as good as mine.

The expense is marginal when doing so as you purchase each pair. If others chose not to then so be it, you’ll still be able to wear them they just may not look or function as good.

I guess all I can do is apologize for recommending others do what has worked so well for me. LOL

 

[Pandaros]

Eh, if anyone says they're essential that can't be true. My grandmother was so poor that when growing up a single pair of shoes were passed from child to child as they all grew up. They didn't have shoe trees, and the shoe didn't fall apart. And it wasn't a high-end shoe - made for the working class of the 1930s.

 

[dddrees]

Eh, if anyone says they're essential that can't be true. My grandmother was so poor that when growing up a single pair of shoes were passed from child to child as they all grew up. They didn't have shoe trees, and the shoe didn't fall apart. And it wasn't a high-end shoe - made for the working class of the 1930s.

There’s essential and then there are things that make things better. If I’m already spending $600 plus on a pair of boots or shoes spending $35 more on a pair of shoe trees that will help to ensure those pair of shoes or boots look and function better over the course of their life it’s money well spent. Then again I’m also averse to walking in shoes or boots that have already been broken in for some one else’s foot. Your Grandmother did what people of her means were capable to do, some of us are capable of doing better.

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

What is "better" depends. I knew a European gentleman who grew up in bad times in the mid 1900s. He has his own authentic style and many people consider him to be one of the most sophisticated people they've met. His style is classic menswear. Beaten up and used until it can't possible be patched up anymore. That seems to extend to his shoes. And it works. And I imagine he would not think it "better" to have to fuss over any of it with shoe trees or ironing or whatever. It can be a look if the person can carry it.

But, if you are going to bother to iron your shirt and pants or try to keep your clothes looking sharp, then it wouldn't make much sense to skip shoe trees.

A study on shoe trees would be interesting even if it seems unnecessary. If you took several pairs of identical shoes and had the same person wear them over the same period of time (alternating by day or week or whatever). One pair without shoe trees, one with cheap shoe trees (like the plastic ones that don't do much of anything), and one with high quality shoe trees. I would be interested to read about the development of creases, sole life, smell, and aesthetics.

 

[dddrees]

What is "better" depends. I knew a European gentleman who grew up in bad times in the mid 1900s. He has his own authentic style and many people consider him to be one of the most sophisticated people they've met. His style is classic menswear. Beaten up and used until it can't possible be patched up anymore. That seems to extend to his shoes. And it works. And I imagine he would not think it "better" to have to fuss over any of it with shoe trees or ironing or whatever. It can be a look if the person can carry it.

But, if you are going to bother to iron your shirt and pants or try to keep your clothes looking sharp, then it wouldn't make much sense to skip shoe trees.

A study on shoe trees would be interesting even if it seems unnecessary. If you took several pairs of identical shoes and had the same person wear them over the same period of time (alternating by day or week or whatever). One pair without shoe trees, one with cheap shoe trees (like the plastic ones that don't do much of anything), and one with high quality shoe trees. I would be interested to read about the development of creases, sole life, smell, and aesthetics.

If you’re that interested why don’t you just go ahead and perform the study yourself?

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

If you’re that interested why don’t you just go ahead and perform the study yourself?

Haha....I would if I had the money and a financial interest in the outcome. Maybe someone at GQ or Esquire should do it.

 

[breakaway01]

A study on shoe trees would be interesting even if it seems unnecessary. If you took several pairs of identical shoes and had the same person wear them over the same period of time (alternating by day or week or whatever). One pair without shoe trees, one with cheap shoe trees (like the plastic ones that don't do much of anything), and one with high quality shoe trees. I would be interested to read about the development of creases, sole life, smell, and aesthetics.

Did you not see this post early in the thread?

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/shoe-trees-are-they-really-needed.719945/post-11362253

 

[dddrees]

Haha....I would if I had the money and a financial interest in the outcome. Maybe someone at GQ or Esquire should do it.

Maybe they don’t see it being worth their time and effort. But you do at least have that one Reddit user mentioned earlier who did, and it appears based on his results shoe trees were found to be beneficial.

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

Did you not see this post early in the thread?

https://www.styleforum.net/threads/shoe-trees-are-they-really-needed.719945/post-11362253

Thanks for pointing that out. I somehow missed the boot experiment here: https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwe...ce_of_shoe_trees_a/?ref=share&ref_source=link

That's a good start.

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

Maybe they don’t see it being worth their time and effort. But you do at least have that one Reddit user mentioned earlier who did, and it appears based on his results shoe trees were found to be beneficial.

They may or may not right now. And then for all I know they may have at some point. But an experiment would be pretty easy to do if a shoe company donated shoes for that purpose. Or if a publication repurposed shoes that were sent as a sample. It probably wouldn't make sense for an individual to buy 3 or 4 pairs of identical, quality shoes and do the experiment themselves.

 

[dddrees]

They may or may not right now. And then for all I know they may have at some point. But an experiment would be pretty easy to do if a shoe company donated shoes for that purpose. Or if a publication repurposed shoes that were sent as a sample. It probably wouldn't make sense for an individual to buy 3 or 4 pairs of identical, quality shoes and do the experiment themselves.

Sorry, but I’m just yanking on your chain a bit.

As I stated earlier based on what I have seen and my first hand experience I’m already convinced and don’t find this experiment necessary. As I mentioned earlier I’ve seen enough to already know those who don’t might have varying level of results based on a number for different reasons, but I’ve yet to see any people who don’t use shoe trees where their shoes or boots look as good as those which do. Some look worse than others but as I said it’s been my experience that none end up looking as good as they could. So even on that rare occasion if you might find some, the chances would be less that they would look so good so it‘s just common sense if your trying to maintain shoes and boots in a closer form to what they were initially you would be best to use shoe trees.

Now for those who like the curled up toe and deep crease look, they may disagree but then again they are looking for something else.

By the way when people post pictures of shoes and boots and people react by recommending they should use shoe trees I’ve yet to hear anyone reply they already do.

 

[Quirk]

That is a very interesting article, thank you.

Yes, I'd love to read a similar study comparing the practical/noticeable results after a year of hanging a tweed sportscoat on a proper curved-back wooden jacket hanger with bulbous ends vs. hanging an identical jacket on a relatively flat wooden hanger. I've always accepted the former is preferable, but now with increasingly limited closet space, I'm forcing myself to wonder how much if any meaningful difference it makes.

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

Sorry, but I’m just yanking on your chain a bit.

As I stated earlier based on what I have seen and my first hand experience I’m already convinced and don’t find this experiment necessary. As I mentioned earlier I’ve seen enough to already know those who don’t might have varying level of results based on a number for different reasons, but I’ve yet to see any people who don’t use shoe trees where their shoes or boots look as good as those which do. Some look worse than others but as I said it’s been my experience that none end up looking as good as they could. So even on that rare occasion if you might find some, the chances would be less that they would look so good so it‘s just common sense if your trying to maintain shoes and boots in a closer form to what they were initially you would be best to use shoe trees.

Now for those who like the curled up toe and deep crease look, they may disagree but then again they are looking for something else.

By the way when people post pictures of shoes and boots and people react by recommending they should use shoe trees I’ve yet to hear anyone reply they already do.

I agree with you. I may have just thought about the OP too much. I enjoy experiments and studies. There are so many university students in the world and so many people looking for an article to write that I wonder if someone might like to do it to really go into finer detail about the results. It could be a team thing between a shoe tree maker, shoe maker, a university lab, a publication, etc. If you had a lab with robotic legs just sitting around that could be used to give different pairs of shoes the EXACT same treatment in a lab setting. Maybe splash each pair of shoes with the exact same amount of dirty puddle water the same number of times at the same intervals. The question is who has the materials and who has the interest. Because no one is going to want to spend a ton of money on it. Maybe a synthetic leather maker would be interested from the point of view of comparing their shoe with a leather one?

 

[Bee Double-Ewe]

Yes, I'd love to read a similar study comparing the practical/noticeable results after a year of hanging a tweed sportscoat on a proper curved-back wooden jacket hanger with bulbous ends vs. hanging an identical jacket on a relatively flat wooden hanger. I've always accepted the former is preferable, but now with increasingly limited closet space, I'm forcing myself to wonder how much if any meaningful difference it makes.

That would be interesting too. When you consider the amount of consideration and money it costs to put together a nice wardrobe, it seems like there would maybe be more definitive, detailed answers to basic care questions. I'm sure that so many people, myself included, ruin a lot of clothes to figure out the answers for themselves. A lot of that anecdotal evidence get shared on wonderful forums like this. But it seems like maybe someone somewhere wants to do a study to publish somewhere and some of these questions could be taken up systematically in a well-designed experiment.

 

[dddrees]

I agree with you. I may have just thought about the OP too much. I enjoy experiments and studies. There are so many university students in the world and so many people looking for an article to write that I wonder if someone might like to do it to really go into finer detail about the results. It could be a team thing between a shoe tree maker, shoe maker, a university lab, a publication, etc. If you had a lab with robotic legs just sitting around that could be used to give different pairs of shoes the EXACT same treatment in a lab setting. Maybe splash each pair of shoes with the exact same amount of dirty puddle water the same number of times at the same intervals. The question is who has the materials and who has the interest. Because no one is going to want to spend a ton of money on it. Maybe a synthetic leather maker would be interested from the point of view of comparing their shoe with a leather one?

Frankly I think we could benefit much more from something else being studied.

However if it were to be conducted I think the criteria should possibly include various leathers, various thicknesses of leather, different types of Lasts, lengths, widths, and various different soles and their thickness to see how well rubber for example does vs leather. Not to mention the differences between a cheaper leather sole and those which are much better like an oak tanned leather sole. It should also probably focus on the importance of rotating or recovery time or lack there of. What products are used for example to include conditioner for example and as you mentioned use to include things like weather. I don't know how you could go about measuring moisture inside the shoe or boot but I do imagine that too being important. Not to mention fit of the individuals doing the testing but this certainly to also has an effect on how a shoe or boot will tend to crease or hold it's original form.

Here again I'll just say I'm not someone who needs to be convinced. I've just seen enough results where I'm already convinced. Although there maybe some materials that do better than others without trees I can't imagine even those not benefitting from using shoe trees as well.