Cedar Shoe Trees - Is there Really a Difference?

[JFWR]

Is there really a difference between brands of cedar shoe trees?

Provided they are made of actual cedar, and provided we are not talking about the difference between lasted and non-lasted ones, is there really a big difference between brands?

Is Hound's Bay as good as Woodlore as good as Moneysworth and Best as good as whatever else?

It seems to me that the differences would be marginal, reducible maybe to the quality of the wood, and perhaps the size of the heel. I personally like Hound's Bay precisely because, as a gentleman with wide feet, my shoes benefit from the slightly wider heel; however, I can't honestly say that in terms of quality, they're any different from the others I have.

Is there anyone who can provide evidence that one brand really is better than another?

 

[Thin White Duke]

No!

 

[zanci]

Wood quality is similar, shape is not.

20€ per shoe tree is a price i usually pay.

If a shoe tree is not good, it's better not to use it. All my shoes have shoe trees (generic or meermin), except a pair of Saint Cripsins and meccarielos, the normal trees just somehow don't fit (they need to be lasted)

 

[FPB]

If Joseph A Bank still has their "buy 1 get 2 free" or whatever it was, then get those. Mine still work fine and smell like cedar after years and years of smelly shoes.

 

[JFWR]

Wood quality is similar, shape is not.

20€ per shoe tree is a price i usually pay.

If a shoe tree is not good, it's better not to use it. All my shoes have shoe trees (generic or meermin), except a pair of Saint Cripsins and meccarielos, the normal trees just somehow don't fit (they need to be lasted)

Looking at most of my cedar shoe trees from different brand, the shaping is not often that much different from one another.

 

[Betta]

My brief review:





This Past black friday Jos A bank (2019) had $10 shoe trees. I only ordered a couple because I was hesitant about the brand since Woodlore is the go to here. Thought I would do a comparison (as I could not find any).

So a couple of things.

1. The combination Woodlore are definitely smaller than Jos A Bank, for comparison Woodlore states these fit Large (Fits shoe sizes 10.5-11.5) vs JAB , L10W-12M
2. The connector between the two wooden pieces on the WL is wooden vs on the JAB is metal.
3. The back part of the heel is definitely thicker on the JAB. I mention this because of the concern of overstretch with the WL having less area for contact.
4. (Not pictured) the JAB spring definitely compresses a lot more than the WL giving them a better range I guess? Though to that point for smaller shoes i'm not sure you would want that much tension.
5. Also not pictured, Amazon Cedar elements which were even smaller than the Woodlore (also Made in China). To be honest I really could not tell the difference between the Woodlore vs theses ones. Sadly No Photos.

Overal I would say the JAB shoe tree has more smooth edges, more finely sanded around the edges. Were the WL and Amazon ones have rougher more pointy edges all around, not to mention the lesser contact area for the back part.

TLDR: IMO for first time buyers, if possible, wait for JAB sales at least for the basic combination shoe tree. Can't speak for the Woodlore Epic and ultras.

 

[JFWR]

My brief review:





This Past black friday Jos A bank (2019) had $10 shoe trees. I only ordered a couple because I was hesitant about the brand since Woodlore is the go to here. Thought I would do a comparison (as I could not find any).

So a couple of things.

1. The combination Woodlore are definitely smaller than Jos A Bank, for comparison Woodlore states these fit Large (Fits shoe sizes 10.5-11.5) vs JAB , L10W-12M
2. The connector between the two wooden pieces on the WL is wooden vs on the JAB is metal.
3. The back part of the heel is definitely thicker on the JAB. I mention this because of the concern of overstretch with the WL having less area for contact.
4. (Not pictured) the JAB spring definitely compresses a lot more than the WL giving them a better range I guess? Though to that point for smaller shoes i'm not sure you would want that much tension.
5. Also not pictured, Amazon Cedar elements which were even smaller than the Woodlore (also Made in China). To be honest I really could not tell the difference between the Woodlore vs theses ones. Sadly No Photos.

Overal I would say the JAB shoe tree has more smooth edges, more finely sanded around the edges. Were the WL and Amazon ones have rougher more pointy edges all around, not to mention the lesser contact area for the back part.

TLDR: IMO for first time buyers, if possible, wait for JAB sales at least for the basic combination shoe tree. Can't speak for the Woodlore Epic and ultras.

Great review.

This is why I buy Hound's Bay for precisely the reason: more contact = less stretch. I found my Allen Edmonds brand shoe trees were causing my Jefferson 2.0 to bow out slightly on the heel and I didn't want that. It was minor, though, and the shoe suffered no damage, but why risk it when the Hound's Bay are cheaper?

Hounds Bay routinely does two packs for about 30 dollars and that's a great deal.