Are Shoe Trees Necessary

Yes, shoe trees are absolutely necessary to improve the lifespan of a shoe.

So long the purpose is to preserve the shape of the shoe and prevent the leather from creasing, then the answer is yes.

A shoe tree is a foot-shaped device put in shoes to protect them from creases, preserve their shapes, some even keep the shoes from stinking.

Their main function, however, is to prevent creases and preserve the shape of shoes.

An empty shoe will collapse into itself, causing the leather to form crease marks or wrinkles. A shoe tree is a wooden foot that fills a shoe to preserve the shape and leather.

Are Shoe Trees Necessary for Sneakers? 

Yes, shoe trees are necessary to keep the shape and integrity of sneakers as well.

Usually, after a long time in sneakers, the feet become heat and become sweaty. But whenever we pull out our feet, all of the water is gone! Where has the water gone to then?

The truth is that the water is never really gone, it hangs around in the sneakers, waits for you to take the sneakers off so you can perceive the life-threatening odor oozing from the precious sneakers.

But the odor is not the only problem the sneaker has to face. Many times, the sneaker will collapse into itself, causing the leather to wrinkle. The sneaker loses shape and looks like it was found at an excavation site.

Shoe Trees are important to sneakers as they are to any other shoe.

A shoe tree will hold the sneakers out from the inside the keep the shape, and restore the shape of the sneakers.

Many Shoe Trees come with slits that allow ventilation so the shoes don’t stink. Wooden shoe trees often absorb moisture in shoes to keep them dry and firm. Whether plastic or wooden, your choice of shoe tree depends on what you need them for.

Are shoe trees necessary for boots?

The answer to this question is yes, shoe trees are important in the life of boots.

Boots are great footwear; they look smart, mature and can inspire confidence in the fellow that wears them.

But creased boots can suck out what confidence is already there and throw it down the drainage. The same goes for a boot with a bad shape, rotten lining, and awful stink.

No matter how hard the owner of a creased boot tries, a part of his mind will always be fixated on the wrinkles on his boots. Good thing these creases can be prevented and even corrected to an acceptable extent.

Polishing your boot, shining it, using gloss and other such varnishes will help the shoe on the outside, but what’s to happen to the shoes inside?

How do you get rid of the moisture from feet, the stench, how do you prevent the shoe from losing shape and fit?

The answer lies in the usage of shoe trees. Yes, your boot needs shoe trees to improve its lifespan, protect the integrity from inside, and take out the stink and stench.

Cedar shoe trees (like the Stratton Shoe Tree) can be gotten for amazing prices on the internet. We advise cedar shoe trees because not only does it keep the shoe in shape, it also actively absorb the smell from it.

Should you put Shoe Trees in Loafers?

The answer is yes, absolutely yes. The essence of shoe trees is to preserve the craftsmanship of a shoe. To save the shape and structure of the shoe and ensure it fits nicely the whole time.

Loafers especially need this more. They usually have softer hide and tend to collapse more often than other shoes. The collapse means wrinkles on the fine leather, creases, and ruined soles.

The only time using shoe trees with loafers can possibly go wrong is when the shoe tree is longer or shorter than the loafer.

If it is longer, then the shoe tree will stretch the loafer and might ruin the leather instead of preserving it. If it is shorter, the shoe tree might not be able to keep the shoe in shape because it’s just not the right size.

So, as long as the shoe tree is the right size for your loafer, we believe that shoe trees should be used on loafers as well to keep them nice and in shape.

When next you get a nice-looking loafer with great shape and splendid leather, you should consider getting a shoe tree that fits the shoe perfectly as well.

Not only do shoe trees mean better shape for loafers, they mean longer life as well.

Why are shoe trees important?

Shoe Trees are important because they help preserve the shape of the shoe, absorb moisture, and improve shoe lifespan.

Think of shoe trees as wooden feet inserted in shoes to keep them working every time of the day. It is a device whose purpose is to replace newspapers and provide a more dedicated option for your shoe maintenance.

Some of the reasons why you need to get a shoe tree include:

• Keeps smell out
• Preserve the shoe shape
• For a longer lifespan of a shoe
• Make polishing easier
• To remove creases

Keeps the Smell out

You might want to argue that your feet never sweat, or that the sweat is always absorbed by the sock.

The feet do sweat even when it always appears dry after you take off the shoe, and the sweat that escapes the socks is absorbed by the shoe linings.

This moisture will cause the shoe lining to stink, terribly, and to also rot. Thereby reducing the lifespan of the shoe or rendering it unimpressive altogether.

Shoe Trees made of varnished wood and plastic do not absorb smell well enough. Varnished wood looks good and is painted which makes it waterproof to an extent, this reduces its water absorbing abilities significantly.

And plastic is, well, plastic. It does not absorb at all, although some have been designed to allow nature to take its course.

Some shoe trees come with special ventilation slits that allow easy drying of moisture. These options are usually a few bucks costlier, but in the end, they are worth it.

We advise that you buy shoe trees based on your needs and demand.

Preserves the Shoe Shape

A shoe tree keeps the shoe appropriately stretched and fit for use. It does not allow the top leather to collapse, or the sole to fold up. 

Many good shoes have been thrown out because they creased or their soles folded up.

This can be prevented by the simple use of a cedar shoe tree.

The shoe tree is the foot that remains in your shoe long after you are done with the shoe.

Good leather can, many times, stand on its own. But the time will come when they will need a little bit of support to protect their shape and integrity. Especially those times when they are stowed away for a long period of time.

If left on their own, they can cave in and begin to form new, undesirable shapes.

Many shoes hold well when worn, but the moment you take them off, they begin to squeeze and wrinkle in all unwanted places.

However, it is a bit possible to keep away a loved pair of shoes and leave your feet in them. That’s where the shoe trees come in.

They will fill up the shoe such that there is no chance for the leather to collapse or wrinkle at all.

Be careful though, you don’t want to use a shoe tree that is too long or big for your shoe. They can exert strain on the leather and cause it to tear or split.

Always get the exact size for your shoes to keep that favorite pair fit and in the same shape that you got them.

Longer Shoe Lifespan

While it is true that nothing lasts forever if certain issues are addressed on time.

The little issues are the ones that add up to become irreparable damages.

Take for example a shoe that is allowed to wrinkle at the same spit every time it is taken off. One day, it will be discovered that the shoe now has a permanent crease along that wrinkle line.

A shoe that is used frequently, especially one that absorbs moisture, will begin to stink considerably after some amount of time.

But the smell is not even the worst thing that can happen to the shoe; the smell is an indicator that something worse is about to happen.

Our bodily fluids contain living organisms, some of which include bacteria. Now, the interior of a shoe is both dark and damp, add a few drops of sweat to the mix and you’ll have a colony of shoe-eating bacteria ready to eat the leather up from inside.

The next thing is the rotting of the shoe’s inner linings. They rot, tear and become tattered, costing a fortune to replace, or becoming meaning the shoe itself can no longer be used again.

Some people are very conscious about the state of their footwear. The moment it begins to show signs of wrinkling and creasing, they begin to feel uncomfortable.

A shoe tree can save you the headache of needing to throw out precious pairs because they are creased or rot on the inside.

Make Polishing Easier

Polishing your leather shoes can be a lot easier if you have shoe trees inserted into the shoe.

The shoe tree will help hold the shoe in shape while you polish it. As a result, it is easier to polish shoes and get more impressive results than without a shoe tree.

Remove Creases

Shoe Trees typically prevent creases on shoes. In fact, that is the main reason they are used; to help keep the shoe in shape.

But say the shoe has already been allowed to crease before a shoe tree was purchased, then the shoe tree can come in handy.

It has about the same effect as ironing, only instead of clothes, we are doing shoes.

The shoe tree will straighten and stretch the shoe from inside, making the creases less noticeable. The crease will not disappear altogether, but it will be far less noticeable than if the tree was not used at all.

And it can also prevent further wrinkling of the shoe leather.

Those are some of the reasons why shoe trees are a must-have for people who want their shoes to last well.

In summary, a shoe tree keeps the shoes in shape, reduces creases, absorbs moisture and prevents shoe decay, eliminates shoe odor, and makes it easier to polish your shoes.

We advise that everyone should get shoe trees, preferably cedar trees because of their absorbent nature. Help your shoes last longer and look better all their lives.

Should you leave shoe trees in all the time

Yes, you should leave shoe trees in your shoes whenever they are not in use. This will help preserve the shape of the shoe and also improve its longevity.

If you have ten pairs of shoes, chances are you don’t have ten pairs of shoe trees for every shoe pair. So what should be done then?

The essence of a shoe tree is to keep a shoe firm and in shape. And more importantly, get rid of the moisture that leads to stink and causes the shoe linings to rot.

While the smell generally disappears after twenty-four hours or two days of shoe tree use, the shape might be another matter.

So, it is advised that the shoe tree should be rotated accordingly to help get rid of the possible creases and smell.

The first priority should be the shoe taken off a certain day; we want to get rid of the moisture and sweat before it turns to stink and rot.

So, the shoe worn that particular day has to get the shoe tree. Also, chances are the leather will become softer due to the heat and the sweat, hence, the shoe will be more prone to creasing than a shoe worn a long time ago.

Then again, the type of shoe involved might determine how long the shoe tree remains.

Take for example a pair of loafers versus a pair of sneakers.

The sneakers would probably need the shoe tree after they are worn to absorb sweat and moisture. And maybe to straighten them up for that day so they don’t crease.

Eventually, you don’t need to leave the shoe tree in them for too long.

But pair of loafers might require the shoe trees for a longer time. Their leather is softer and more prone to creasing and wrinkling.

So, if you have a pair of loafers and a pair of sneakers, we say you should fix the sneakers for a day but no need to leave the shoe tree in them. It’s the loafers that should get that attention.

Are there shoe tree alternatives?

As a matter of fact, there are some DIY shoe tree alternatives. Newspapers, clay molds, tee shirts with rags are cheap homemade Shoe tree alternatives.

Newspapers are age-long shoe tree alternatives. Especially for those who remain unconvinced about the need for a shoe tree.

It is especially easier to be unconvinced when the price of some shoe trees is considered.

Newspapers are plentiful, cheap, reusable, disposable, and have many advantages as a shoe tree substitute.

One more thing it does is that it absorb the moisture in a shoe, ridding it of the sweat, and smell that will ooze out if the shoe is left untended.

But when it comes to saving the leather from creasing and wrinkling like, well, an old newspaper, a newspaper becomes a terrible option.

The newspaper is not as suitable as a shoe tree when it comes to keeping the shape of your shoe leather.

Clay mold involves filling a plastic bag with some easy-mold clay, fitting it in the shoe so it takes the shape. The thereafter said clay is dried or frozen to help it retain shape.

Rags and rice are also great homemade alternatives. A piece of clothing, probably an old shirt is filled with rice and inserted into the shoe to keep it dry and standing.

All of the above listed are great options, but they are precisely what they are – alternatives. Always go for a shoe tree if you can afford it.