Shoe Trees are they Really Worth It?

Well, if you would like  

·        Longer life for your shoes

·        Your shoes retain their original shape

·        Your shoes maintain a wonderful aroma of cedar instead of sweat

Many shoes today are NOT leather lined. This means that the moisture from your foot will absorb into the lining of the shoe and break it down quickly. First, we recommend always selecting fully-leather lined shoes when at all possible. The life expectance is better. But, for those frugal ones out there, you can use the shoe tree to compensate for the lack of lining.

Which shoes are lined? Typically, you will not find a fully leather lined shoe under $100. (Although they do exist) So, use that as your guide.

big TIP: The average person’s foot perspires during the day. You knew that. But did you know that it amounts to about ¼ cup! Imagine the damage that much moisture (body sweat) could have on your shoes.

 Key Shoetree Features

All of our shoetrees are made of genuine cedar. Some people use pine or plastic. Although these materials will retain shape, they will not have these three benefits. We use cedar for three main purposes.

1.                  Cedar is a soft wood that absorbs the moisture fully from the lining of the shoe.

2.                  Cedar has a pleasant aroma that is absorbed by the lining in place of the sweat smell.

3.                 Combining and overhang heel with an expandable split toe, this highly functional tree is the perfect fit for all styles of footwear.

 After time, the cedar will become dull and the aroma decreased. Simply sand lightly with fine-grain sandpaper and you are back in business!

Which shoes need shoe trees the most? The ones you wear! In is fascinating that the majority of people will place shoe trees in their dress shoes, but NOT their Sport shoes! Which shoes get more sweat in them? Exactly. Have you ever wondered why your athletic shoes wore out so much quicker than your dress shoes? All of that moisture being left in the lining.

Another common myth is that you only need to keep the trees in the shoes you are wearing. WRONG. Keep them in all shoes 0 all the time.

 big TIP: The most important time to use the shoetrees is in the beginning of the shoe’s life. That is when the creases and wear patterns start forming.

Is there a difference in Shoe Trees?

Absolutely! The purpose of the tree is to help the shoe retain its original shape. So, obviously, the trees that have split fronts and are adjustable to the shoe are the best.

Also, select trees with cedar wood handles (see above) as opposed to plastic like the ones pictured below. Some may refer to the plastic trees as "travel trees" but why would you want to have one set for home and one set for travel? (Also notice the front of this shoe tree is not split!)

Rotation Rotation Rotation

Another great way to protect your investment and get longer life from your shoes is to make sure that they get the proper rest between wearings. Many people will wear the same shoe to work everyday (men especially.) This causes the shoe to break down up to 65% faster than normal. Meaning that you will have to come back and visit us a lot more frequently! (Wait a minute, what are we saying! That is good for us!)

If the average male who is 5’ 10” and weighs 170lbs wears a shoe for a day, then he should let it rest at least 2 days. (Exotics double that.) So what if you weigh 250lbs? Then your shoes need to rest even longer. Bigger guys, wider feet tend to be much harder on shoes. What does this rule tell you? Easy. Most men do not own enough shoes.

For women who typically own many more shoes than men, rotation is usually not an issue. But getting the right size is! Ladies make sure you get fit properly! And stopping cramming your toes into those shoes for "fashion!" We see some pretty messed up feet in the name of fashion.

big TIP: Calfskin needs about two to three days of rest between wearing. This allows the leather to “calm” itself and retain shape and last longer. For exotics, make it three to four days.

Shoe Tree Size Chart

For a terrific chart on selecting the right shoe tree size for your shoes, click here.