Shoe-Trees for pricey leather shoes

M

Mockingbird

Messages
109
First of all, Happy New Year to everyone!

Couldn't resist the January sales, bought my first pair of 'premium' leather shoes: loakes and cheaneys.
After a little reading, seems like getting a shoe tree is a must. Is it better to pair them with same brand shoe-trees or will generic cedar ones do?

Loakes
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£29.95

Cheaney
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£39.95

Collonil Diplomat Cedar Wood Shoe Tree
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£35.95

Ebay find
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£18.00
 
Mockingbird said:
First of all, Happy New Year to everyone!

Couldn't resist the January sales, bought my first pair of 'premium' leather shoes: loakes and cheaneys.
After a little reading, seems like getting a shoe tree is a must. Is it better to pair them with same brand shoe-trees or will generic cedar ones do?
Click to expand...

I'd better inform my dad he's been doing it wrong for the last 40+ years :lol:

He's worn Church or Loake shoes for as long as I can remember - he doesn't possess any shoe trees at all, but what he has always possessed though : a sufficiency of shoes to enable him to wear for one day, then rest them two days... As far as I know he's never worn a pair out and they all still look exactly as bought.
 
I have three different types of shoe trees, however all were bought in the U.S. and not in the U.K. market.

Ones I'm most happy with are the Alfani ones, great value for money.
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Bought two pairs of Ermenegildo Zegna ones as well from that outlet stores 'village' just outside NYC but they're normally (RRP) much more expensive so no need to go that end.

The third brand I'm using is Bergdorf Goodman own ones. These are very nice.
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I personally would not buy the ebay ones you have shown.
Best is to get some if you happen to travel to the U.S. or ask a friend ever coming over if he/she has the luggage space of course.
All in all, I think what others have said re rotation is correct.
 
Why should I use wooden shoes trees for leather shoes?
For leather shoes, it is absolutely recommended to use shoe trees made out of wood. Wood can better absorb the perspiration of the foot which penetrates the leather in the course of wearing the shoe. The use of shoe trees can also counteract the development of creases due to wearing.
Click to expand...
-Collonil website

I've been using clark cheapies for years and never thought twice about chucking them after a year or so of daily use.

Shoe trees... so the solution is to buy more shoes to get a rotation going? :lol:
 
I wear a pair of those Loake boots (Burford) for work during the Winter months and very good they are too but I think a Dainite sole/heel unit will be fitted for next year.

I wear Alfred Sargent (Norwood) boots at the weekend; wonderful quality. Alf S. derby's in the Spring and Autumn and Sebago beef-roll loafers in the Summer

I don't use shoe trees at all. Polish, rest and rotation - that's the trick.
 
I have had my Loakes since 1987.
14 weddings (including my own)
23 funerals
19 christenings
and god knows how many Saturday nights out and they still look good.
Polish & rest not a shoe tree in sight.

My Hush Puppies on the other hand are just about buggered (but then they have been worn daily for 2 years)
 
"so the solution is to buy more shoes to get a rotation going?"

Pretty much yes. Once you've got say three quality pairs of shoes they'll last you up to 20 years (maybe more) provided you rotate/rest them, polish them regularly and re-heel/re-sole them on time.

Shoe trees if you're buying a pair of shoes for 'best' that are going to get worn once every six months. But what's the point of that.
 
Loakes are my mainstay. I buy a pair of Chelsea boots every two years. Wear them maybe 4 days a week and I use public transport in London. I walk maybe 3 miles a day to and from stations. They get new soles every six months or so, new heels every quarter. I only have to buy new ones every two years as I inevitably go through the inners eventually.

Great shoes and worth every penny.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Here's a short vid I stumbled on, a factory tour of Crockett & Jones:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfxrnWTpEcI&feature=related[/youtube]
 
Clarks do a decent shoe tree for like a tenner I think, I have 3 pairs. 1 for my formal shoes which are barely worn and the other two for everyday suede shoes. it definitely makes a huge difference for the shape of suede shoes though but they help draw your sweat out of leather as well as other advantages. I would definitely say get these if you are prepared to pay that much on a pair of shoes what's a tenner to keep them nice
 
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