Shoe trees cost / Crockett & Jones

[max2013]

At Crockett & Jones there are 2 pairs of shoe trees: "regular" and "luxury"; the cheaper one is £60.

I must be missing something. I assume each shoe must be stored with a shoe tree. Does it means that a shoe tree adds 20% to the price of the shoe (the shoe is ~£300-350)?

Or can I buy much cheaper shoe trees that would still work perfectly fine with C&J shoes (last 348 if that matters)?

Thanks!

 

[JubeiSpiegel]

Ideally you should get a shoe tree that is in theory made with the original last in mind (to retain it's intended shape). If C&J uses un-lasted shoe trees (i am unfamiliar with CJ trees) you might be ok with just a generic shoe tree. Better a generic tree than no tree.

 

[max2013]

C&J uses trees designed for each last... So I suppose I should buy it from them then.

And I can't share 1 tree for several pairs of shoes, right? That is, a shoe should always be on a tree when not worn?

I'm used to tree priced at $20 in the US, so the £60 here in the UK was quite surprising.

 

[JubeiSpiegel]

Just buy them, for each shoe, no sharing

If you are indeed indulging and appreciating well made shoes (and spending good money for them), might as well buy the lasted trees.

 

[Ich_Dien]



C&J uses trees designed for each last... So I suppose I should buy it from them then.

So they say...in my experience, they most certainly are not.

 

[Fred G. Unn]



C&J uses trees designed for each last...

So they say...in my experience, they most certainly are not.

I don't think so either. They are sized, so you can buy a UK9 tree, but it's not a particular last. I think the regular tree is generally designed more for the benchgrade lasts and the "luxury" tree is for the handgrades. I have a couple of the regular ones and I will say they fit the 348 very well.

 

[jmills]

I think the regular tree is generally designed more for the benchgrade lasts and the "luxury" tree is for the handgrades.

The luxury trees are just meant for a few of the newer narrow/long lasts like the 358, or so I was told. Other hand grades like the 337 (and maybe even the 363) are still better with the standard trees, and that has certainly been my experience.

But yes OP, the C&J trees are relatively expensive, and they are not lasted. If you want to save a few dollars, get some cheaper brand trees.

 

[JubeiSpiegel]

I was also looking into getting some C&Js recently, It is useful to know that they don't make lasted trees...

 

[chogall]

None of c&j trees are lasted. But the regular tree fits 337 and 348/358 okay.
Biggest downside to c@j trees is that they are coated and doesn't have a hole drilled through like EG/JL. Vass trees doesn't have a dril hole either but they Are not coated.

 

[Bounder]

FAIK C&J trees are not lasted. Having said that, it appears to me that C&J trees are the 341 last. So they fit shoes on that last very well but everything else only so-so.

But overall, C&J trees are not good value for money. There is really no reason to spend 60 GBP on unlasted trees from C&J when you can get perfectly nice unlasted trees from someone else for 15 GBP.

 

[max2013]

Thanks, I'll do that. If you suggest any particular shoe trees, or at least any particular features of a shoe tree, let me know!

 

[Kai]

Buy these from the folks at the Hanger Project:

http://www.hangerproject.com/epic-cedar-shoe-tree.html


With the money you saved over C&J trees, you can buy more shoes (and trees.)

 

[striker]

C&J trees are pretty generic. They most certainly don't fit 348 perfectly. I have one from C&J and it is quite a ***** taking it out from my 348 chukkas, both size 10.

 

[SuitedDx]



C&J trees are pretty generic. They most certainly don't fit 348 perfectly. I have one from C&J and it is quite a ***** taking it out from my 348 chukkas, both size 10.

I find the standard beechwood trees to actually fit the 341, 348, and 337 well (6E in all lasts and trees). While I was in the store I tried using the HG trees and they really do look like they are made for the 348/358. I didn't try the HG trees on the 337 but I've read in some of the threads that they work with them too; I still use the BG trees on my 337.

 

[MrUnderwood]

Hi guys,

Just purchased a pair of Crockett Bradfords - i have flaw in that i like to have brand matching shoe trees with my shoes. Should i go for mens classic or the narrow shoe trees for my Bradfords? I reckon they are on last 341 if that matters.

SuitedDx just above answered the question, but that was back in 2013, perhaps something has changed in the meanwhile.