Why do I need shoe trees?

Perhaps more important than maintaining the shape, shoe trees also play a crucial part of wicking away leather-damaging moisture from the inside. This is especially important when shoes are worn without socks, as our feet sweat the leather and shoe lining absorb all of the moisture. This can cause the liner to rot, stinky feet, and the leather to crack.

How a shoe tree works:

A shoe tree holds a shoe in its proper shape so it dries out correctly, and keeps the leather from cracking by wicking away moisture. The absorbent wood also helps dry out the lining of shoes so that they don’t rot from the inside out.

Bottom line, shoe trees are a whole lot cheaper than a new pair of nice shoes, and will keep your current pair in excellent condition for years.

Types of shoe trees:

Not all shoe trees are created equal. There are three categories of shoe trees.

Higher quality shoe trees are made from solid wood, usually cedar, which helps control odor and absorb moisture. Other materials include beech, and alderwood. Many feel that cedar is the superior choice.  The most important is the wood is unfinished.  Note: when the cedar smell starts to fade, grab some sandpaper and lightly sand the tree to bring back that cedar smell.

Cheaper shoe trees generally don’t have full wooden heels. Instead, a nob or a piece of thin wood helps stretch out the shoe. These will help with odor and leather cracking, but they won’t hold the shoe shape quite as nicely as more expensive options.

Shell out for nicer trees if your shoes cost more than $200. Quality shoe trees will have ventilation slots at the toe to help dry any moisture, a longer, crafted heel, and contain more wood for better drying and odor control. They will also ensure the closest possible fit between the shoe and tree.

The three categories of shoe tree:

The cheapest are wooden shoe tree without a full heel. Although they help with odor, and will help preserve the original shape at the front of the shoe, the narrow knob on the heel puts excess pressure on one section of the heel and prolonged use may deform the shoe.

Mid-range shoe trees have a full articulated (usually rounded) heel and sometimes have ventilation slots in the toe to help moisture evaporate. These are usually made of 3 parts: a heel, a head, and a smaller toe piece. These approximate the shape of your feet, so they are better at maintaining the structural integrity of your shoe compared to generically shaped shoe trees.

At the highest range are lasted shoe trees, which accompany the shoes for which they have the same last.

When to use a shoe tree:

You should insert shoe trees once you take your shoes off so that they can absorb the moisture from your sweat and dry out your shoe in the correct shape. This will prevent lining rot and creases from taking hold of your leather. You should also insert shoe trees if you wet your shoes so that they can dry out faster.

Do I need a shoe tree in every pair of shoe?

While some recommend having a pair of shoe trees for every shoe, others believe they are unnecessary once they have done their job of absorbing moisture, typically after 24 hours of ‘rest’.

Shoes need a full 24 hours to dry before the next wearing, and the best way to properly dry them is to insert a shoe tree. If you have a few pairs of nice shoes that you rotate, ostensibly you need only one or two shoes trees to keep in your most recently worn pair of shoes.

The vital time for using shoe trees is the hour or two after you’ve removed your shoes from your feet to best draw out moisture and help the shoe return to its natural shape. After that, the shoe trees merely retain shape and help with odor control.

But if you’re a huge fan of all your shoes and have a vast collection of expensive footwear, then buy a shoe tree for every pair. Some shoe collectors swear by them. But most men can get away with using a single set of shoe trees on their most recently worn shoes

Boot trees

Boot trees are shoe trees for boots. Creases that form in the calves of boots can eventually cause zips to break, and a zip replacement can be an expensive repair. By investing in a pair of boot trees a repair like this can easily be avoided.

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