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The Official Alden Thread for 2021 - Share Reviews, Sizing, Advice, and Photos.

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madhat

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Wear a pair of shoes or boots all day and the interior lining will become damp. After removing the footwear install a pair of shoe trees. An hour later when the shoes trees are removed the wood will be slightly damp.
Regarding a pair of footwear's shape retention, that comes from the quality of materials used to produce the pair, the construction. For example, lower grade leather does not retain its shape as well as higher grade leather. And a significant function of a metal shank is that it helps the pair of footwear retain its shape.
I am aware, but I remember there was a big discussion about that you should let the shoes air out for at least 30min prior to inserting trees. Once the trees are in there, less airflow to help them dry out quicker.
 

jischwar

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I am aware, but I remember there was a big discussion about that you should let the shoes air out for at least 30min prior to inserting trees. Once the trees are in there, less airflow to help them dry out quicker.
☝ this is how I've always operated
 

scurvyfreedman

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How soon is one supposed to put in shoe trees in their boots/shoes they just finished wearing for the day? I was telling my friend that if they're dry, they can be promptly inserted, but if they're wet from rain, maybe wait a half hour or longer. This got me thinking, what do the people on SF do?

I put my trees in a soon as I have removed my shoes. They reverse the wear and tear from the bending of the sole and upper from walking.

The Shoe Snob says, " shoe trees are really just for maintaining shape (and not for the other marketing gimmicks they are sold for) a lasted shoe tree will clearly do the absolute best job at maintaining that proper shape, as it follows the contour of the shoe."
 

moondog-sparky

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Cigar Indy’s received!
Indoors they are VERY similar to my C8 tankers from Leffot. Outdoors definitely more cigar-like. Would prefer more olive toned shade, but really happy overall with how they turned out.

looking forward to many wears in the coming months!
 

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BAK

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There is 100% a benefit to removing moisture/perspiration from the shoe, which cedar does. You could use a metal or plastic shoe tree and let the leather hold onto all that moisture and salt that your feet produce but that's only going to reduce the life of the shoe. That alone is a worthy function completely separate from maintaining shape. Maybe even more so depending on someone's priorities.
 
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JSO1

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Hisheirness23

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There is 100% a benefit to removing moisture/perspiration from the shoe, which cedar does. You could use a metal or plastic shoe tree and let the leather hold onto all that moisture and salt that your feet produce but that's only going to reduce the life of the shoe. That alone is a worthy function completely separate from maintaining shape. Maybe even more so depending on someone's priorities.
So I take it that upon taking off your shoes you insert your shoe trees? Or do you wait a few minutes to let them breathe?
 

BAK

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So I take it that upon taking off your shoes you insert your shoe trees? Or do you wait a few minutes to let them breathe?
Personally if they haven't been on my feet too long or don't feel damp I stick the trees in immediately. If I feel they're very damp from wearing all day then I'll let them breathe for 20-30 minutes and just let air flow do some of the immediate heavy lifting, then insert trees.
 

scurvyfreedman

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So I take it that upon taking off your shoes you insert your shoe trees? Or do you wait a few minutes to let them breathe?

I guess it depends on the shoe. I don't drive in dress shoes, so I take them off before getting in the car and put on driving slippers (driving shoes is a misnomer in my mind). When I get home I put the trees in, so they get about an hour of breathing after a day of wearing. I keep my dress shoes in a bureau in my bedroom. If I wear my boots, I put the trees in immediately, b/c I drive home in them and they get trees in the garage where they reside on a shoe rack. Often I wear my boots for shorter periods anyway b/c I don't wear shoes for 8-10 hours straight during the weekend or days off. But, I sometimes do on causal Fridays.
 

RogerKaputnik

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I think that's a bit of an urban legend. That wood isn't going to soak up tons...soaked shoes are usually recommended to be filled with newspaper. I thought they were primarily to help maintain shape.

On the internet, the urban legends and anecdotal speculation around shoe trees rivals those of Sasquatch. Of course, since Bigfoot is real, I do use shoe trees in all my boots.
 

ProfilaBinding

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If my shoes get really wet from rain, I will turn them on their side for 24 hours and then put the trees in. This is what C&J suggests. I also read somewhere that Alden recommends lettings shoes "cool down" for 30 minutes before inserting the trees. I don't usually follow this and just insert them when I take them off.
 
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