Question about shoe trees

[Rusty Blade]

I have been buying new dress shoes lately...after not buying new shoes for a long time. It was just time to buy new shoes. You know what I mean. I have only recently started using shoe trees, since I am buying expensive new shoes. I have purchased the kind made of unvarnished split cedar. The spring loaded type by Moneysworth and Best.

Question: do you insert your shoe trees immediately after you remove your shoes? do you let your shoes air out for a while before you put the trees in? do you leave the trees in until the next time you wear those shoes? or do you remove them after leaving the shoe trees in overnight? Do you store your shoes with shoe trees inserted?

How do you use your shoe trees?

 

[cleanshaved]

I insert the shoe tree as soon as I remove my shoes. I figure that it's best to have them in, as the shoe cools down. They just stay in until I wear the shoes again.

 

[Lmarkow]

When I remember, they go in immediately, and stay in until they need to get out of the way of my foot.

 

[BSAGuy]

Remove shoe, insert tree.

 

[vacman]

I concur. Put them in as soon as you take your shoes off and leave them there until you wear the shoes again.

 

[Rhody]

Remove shoe, insert tree.

+1

A good cedar shoe tree will absorb moisture

In reality I don't always practice thus. But the shoes do look worse for it.

 

[alaskamcghee]

I put the trees in when I take my shoes off. I have more that one pair of dress shoes and only one set of shoe trees so I just rotate them every time I take a pair off.
Johnny

 

[oc_in_fw]

I have a shoe tree question, if you can pardon a slight derail. I am going to buy a second part of Red Wings so I can rotate them. Should you have two trees for two pair of boots, that way the one for the boots being worn can air out, too?

 

[The Knize]

I have a shoe tree question, if you can pardon a slight derail. I am going to buy a second part of Red Wings so I can rotate them. Should you have two trees for two pair of boots, that way the one for the boots being worn can air out, too?

Good question re should the shoe trees themselves ever be outside of the shoes so that they can air/dry out. I do not really know. I pretty much have a pair of shoe trees for each pair of shoes that I put shoe trees in. So each shoe tree pair airs out while I am actually wearing the shoes. They seem inexpensive enough.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Good question re should the shoe trees themselves ever be outside of the shoes so that they can air/dry out. I do not really know. I pretty much have a pair of shoe trees for each pair of shoes that I put shoe trees in. So each shoe tree pair airs out while I am actually wearing the shoes. They seem inexpensive enough.

Yeah, not going to break the bank.

 

[cleanshaved]

Having a pair for each would save the hustle of swapping trees around when taking your boots off.
I think over time they may gain a higher than optimum level of retained moisture, so airing them out while wearing sounds like a good idea. How long that time would be I have no idea.
With that said there gents who own just one pair of shoe trees and use them for a day per shoe when taking them off.

Now Owen, if you want to know for sure you could weigh your brand new pair of shoe trees, use them for say a month as a rotating pair, then weigh them again to see if they have indeed gained any weight.
You will need a very accurate set of scales, that may cost more than a pair the shoe trees.......
Then again you could just get the extra pair and call it a day.

 

[Rusty Blade]

When I get home I take my shoes off and put shoe trees in. (I have shoes trees for each pair I own). I leave them out of the box until the next morning. Then I put those shoes back in the box with shoe trees in and take out the next pair, remove shoe trees and wear all day and repeat the process. Never the same pair two days in a row. So while I am out the shoe trees can dry (if there is any moisture in...which I doubt).

 

[oc_in_fw]

Having a pair for each would save the hustle of swapping trees around when taking your boots off.
I think over time they may gain a higher than optimum level of retained moisture, so airing them out while wearing sounds like a good idea. How long that time would be I have no idea.
With that said there gents who own just one pair of shoe trees and use them for a day per shoe when taking them off.

Now Owen, if you want to know for sure you could weigh your brand new pair of shoe trees, use them for say a month as a rotating pair, then weigh them again to see if they have indeed gained any weight.
You will need a very accurate set of scales, that may cost more than a pair the shoe trees.......
Then again you could just get the extra pair and call it a day.

Too much work, I will just have dinner dedicated trees. Anyhow, it may come down to the soaking wood before smoking meat argument. They make boats out of wood for a reason- wood doesn't absorb much water.

 

[Cuttingboard]

I have a pair of shoes trees for each pair of shoes that I own, including dress boots and cowboy boots. I've had many shoes for 5 or more years that have very minimal creasing in the toe box because of this. This is due to shoe trees, the quality of the leather and attention to moisturize/condition the areas where a shoe bends and flexes.

 

[Lmarkow]

I also have trees for each pair of shoes, and then some. I consider trees as part of the price for a new pair of shoes.

 

[MntnMan62]

I insert the shoes trees right after taking them off. I don't think there is a need to air them out since the wood can help do that by absorbing some of the moisture. Many shoes trees are made of cedar exactly for that purpose as well as odor control.

 

[Doraemon]

If you are buying truly "good" shoes, they should come with trees. I put the trees in my shoes as soon as I take them off. The wood absorbs the moisture, and prevents the warm and damp leather from shrinking, and showing creases.

 

[MntnMan62]

Allen Edmunds don't come with she trees and they are the finest shoes that have ever been on my feet. I too use she trees as they are essential for your shoes to maintain their form and eliminating odors and moisture. The best ones are made from cedar.

 

[tsellati]

I have several pairs of Allen Edmunds and Johnston & Murphy dress shoes and loafers and all have their own cedar shoe trees. The tree is put in place as soon as I take the shoe off after work and remains in until I wear that particular pair of shoes again.

They also suggest that you periodically use very fine sandpaper and go over the surface of cedar shoe trees to "rejuvenate" their scent and moisture wicking ability. Is this something my fellow badgers have heard as well?

I myself have not done this yet, but I would be interested to learn what grit sandpaper is best to use.

Tim

 

[musicman1951]

I also put them in immediately after taking off the shoes. I can't imagine the trees are full of moisture after sitting in the shoes for a couple of days or more, but I'm only guessing.

I've never sanded the trees, but it couldn't hurt. I would use pretty fine sandpaper if I were to bother (which I will not).

I have quite a few pair of shoe trees, but not one for every pair (that would be around 30). I occasionally take the trees out of a pair that have been sitting for days and use them in the freshly worn shoes.