When is a Shoe Tree too big?

I took a pair of AE Cliftons I won on ebay to my local department store to get some Cedar shoe trees. Unfortunately they do not carry AE shoes let alone their shoe trees, so I have to live with the generic cedar brand which still smells ok.

The lady who served me suggested a larger size where she really had to use elbow grease to get the thing into the shoe and on the right shoe she couldn't get the back part to slide into the back of the shoe and instead allowed it to hang out.

Her point was that the main job of the shoe tree was to keep creases out from the front while whether it fitted the back was negligible and that I was better off with the larger size. The next size down fitted in properly however not as tight at the front as the larger version

Maybe I did the wrong thing but I went with the proper fitting size. I was interested in knowing whether what she said was correct about the shoes tree serving no purpose other then keeping the creases and shape of the front part of the shoe.

She seemed to be a mens shoe enthusiast and loved the AE's.

Bump. I also want to know.

If you can't put the shoe tree in, it is probably too big.

pushing out the toe creases is only 1/3 of a shoe tree's job. the other 1/3 is keeping it dry, and the last 1/3 is to put some pressure between the heel and the toe to keep the sole from curling up.

I use the woodlore trees that correspond to my shoe size, and they do their job. You wouldn't buy smaller shoes than fit your foot comfortably, so why do the same for trees?

uhh, the trees should fit the shoe, otherwise it is the wrong size.

If you can't jam the shoe tree in the shoe then it's too big. The problem is that if you keep trying, you'll eventually be able to, as shoes stretch. A shoe stretcher is really just a sort of adjustable shoe tree. I am particularly careful to use the correct-sized tree -- or even a size down -- with shell as it seems to be more susceptible to stretching to me.

Originally Posted by teddieriley

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uhh, the trees should fit the shoe, otherwise it is the wrong size.

Yes, obviously. But oftentimes a shoe can accommodate trees that are one size smaller and one size larger than its size. The latter produce a tight fit and I always wondered if tight fitting shoe trees risk stretching the leather. Most most my trees are from Nordstrom and are tagged as size 10-11 and I have this theory that using these trees stretched a pair of AEs I have by as much as a half size.

does this mean that unsized (one-size-fits-all) trees are total rubbish?

on a similar note, when putting shoe trees in my loafers, I dont put them all the way in, I leave them hanging out the back. Otherwise, I can feel them stretching too much.

i just say use common sense. if you have a choice between two trees where one you have to use a lot of elbow greese and an elbow drop to get the back part in the heel and the heel stretches significantly, then you have the wrong size. If what you have appears too big, nothing wrong with leaving the back part out.

Sometimes you need a little finesse to get trees in - insert at an angle, push forward while twisting and slide the back part down.

While ideally the instep of a tree should fill in the shoe, not all of them do if they are not lasted or are not made specifically for a maker's line of shoes, so best to find the right brand in the first place. I've had no problems with the ones from Nordstroms.

The tree should put pressure on the shoe, so don't go too small ofcourse.

Originally Posted by brittain

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on a similar note, when putting shoe trees in my loafers, I dont put them all the way in, I leave them hanging out the back. Otherwise, I can feel them stretching too much.


That doesn't sound correct... sounds like the wrong size.

Unless the trees are lasted, there should be a sufficient gap between the springs connecting the heel and vamp.

Originally Posted by Tarmac

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---pushing out the toe creases is only 1/3 of a shoe tree's job.


---the other 1/3 is keeping it dry,


---and the last 1/3 is to put some pressure between the heel and the toe to keep the sole from curling up.



---unless the trees are custom/bespoke to the shoe, crease reduction capabilities are minimal

---keeping shoes dry with trees is a myth that's perpetuated. Sounds reasonable, but facts do not support that

---I heartily agree with your last assertion.

Often shoe trees does not come in half sizes. So if your shoes is size 8.5 - should you buy a shoe tree in size 8 or size 9? Of course you want it to just stretch out the creases, but not to stretch out the shoe as such.