If you wish your dress footwear to last, trying to take care of them is essential while you don’t wear them. Spending on a pair of the best shoe trees is one of the best ways to maintain your shoes.
Trees keep footwear in shape to prevent them from cracking and creasing during storage. The most popular trees consist of wood, such as cedar.
What is a Shoe Tree?
Shoe trees are wooden inserts that you place inside your shoes to keep them in their original shape. It holds your footwear’s form even after your nine-to-five work commute or a walk in the park.
Any shoe collector needs trees for their closet, whether it’s expensive dress shoes. It will make them look fresh out of the box each time.
Top 5 Best Shoe Trees Reviews
1. Stratton CEDAR Shoe Trees for Men
One of the highest-rated trees is the Stratton Cedar. It has 100% red cedar that grows in the US. Also, It resists natural odors in shoes.
This product comes with two vented slots on each toe. Also, an adjustable spring coil remains in the footwear center to provide mild tension inside the footwear.
This tension can retain the lengths. So, you do not need to disintegrate them again if they remain stored for a few weeks.
The back of the tree has a grab-notch. So, it makes it easy and quick to cut your shoes when you are ready to wear them.
It is available in various sizes to adapt to men’s sizes from 7 to 16. Further, men with bigger sizes will praise the xx-large size.
Features:
- American Red Cedar Wood.
- Adjustable design.
- Crisp cedar aroma.
- Long-lasting.
2. FootFitter Premium Professional 2-Way Shoe Tree
The brand has launched this item using high-quality ingredients. Its price is a little high. So, investing in this item might seem expensive to many.
Still, if you’ve recently purchased a pair of expensive leather shoes, investing a little extra as insurance in the form of a tree is best.
This model has a 2-way design. That means it extends both the length and width of the footwear. So, this design is a partial picture of trees and stretchers, particularly for inexpensive ones. The reason is finding a 1-way design will be possible for you instead.
The stretcher includes a wide handle. So you can adjust the position of the tree effortlessly and efficiently.
Features:
- 2-way design.
- Spot stretching plug.
- They are widening the handle.
- Compatible with both Left & Right shoes.
3. Moneysworth Shoe Trees
Now, let’s see something simple. It is not extravagant like some trees and does not bring a multi-pack. But if you intend to get a single, affordable pair of cedar trees, it’ll be an excellent alternative.
Considering the design, this pair is relatively standard. Indeed, it inserts a spring-loaded mechanism to preserve the shape of your footwear. Plus, it has a split-toe design to retain your footwear width intact.
Apart from those, the Moneysworth model has a hook heel that is used to hold the footwear or hang it somewhere when you plan to use it.
This design adjusts to all types of footwear without any problems. It may not be the most attractive stress on this list. But it works properly.
Features:
- 100% aromatic American red cedar.
- A blend of hook heel and expandable split toe.
- Brass-plated metal hardware.
- Ideal for all-footwear styles.
4. Allen Edmonds Combination Cedar Shoe Tree
Applaud for the split-toe design, Allen Edmonds’s product can adapt to many shoe widths. A spreader plate inside the split toe is adjustable to the width of your shoes.
Pick between cedar and natural wood. Both wood types imbibe odors from shoes so that they stay odor-free. You can easily bring cedar to life with a little sandalwood scent.
These Allen Edmonds Trees are available in sizes small to xx-large and sold in pairs. Get into the habit of utilizing a tree to keep your footwear alive. Further, it aids in keeping your shoes in shape when you do not wear them.
Features:
- Two-part construction.
- Adjustable split toe design.
- A lifetime warranty against any defects.
- Natural odor absorbing Cedarwood.
5. Woodlore Shoe Trees for Women
This Woodlore adjustable item features a split-toe design. It will accommodate the entire range of shoe widths with a spreader plate together.
The Woodlore utilizes steel hardware and nylon straps to build it. Cedar extends the life of your shoes. You will find these models for men and women.
Glorious with red heartwood, it is renowned for its moisture absorption and aromatic oils. Moreover, it helps keep your shoes dry, smell-free, and looking excellent for a long time.
When buying this model, you will get a lifetime warranty against mechanical defects.
Features:
- The best in the care.
- Odor eliminator.
- Enriched with red heartwood.
- Nylon strap for easy removal.
Types of shoe trees
Spring Tree
Spring trees likely won’t deserve as shoe trees. These items hold your footwear in shape and lead to a higher risk of deforming them.
The head of this type gets inserted. Also, the tail is inflected and clamped to the heel. Its back part is so slender rather than shaped like an ankle. So, it puts extra pressure on one point of the shoes. As a result, shoes deviate from the shape of the regular human foot.
These are only mass-manufactured in one size. So, the spring must be extra long. That means they almost always put too much stress across the shoe if you don’t have giant-sized feet.
Full-toe Tree
Full-toe types contain a spring mechanism along the length of the sole to cushion the sole and prevent some spots. The head features a simple solid block and doesn’t fulfill the foot box.
Full-size trees also remain multipurpose. So they are incapable of accommodating a wide range of different sizes. Its generic head shape doesn’t mimic your feet well. As a result, it can’t desiccate your shoes in the ideal condition.
Combination Tree
This combination shoe tree assembles split-toe and full-toe designs for a cheaper alternative to split-toes. It can flex and expand sideways to fill the front part of the shoe.
Similar to the full-toe type, they use a simple head that is simple to mass-produce. So stretching can distort the front of your footwear away from the shape of your foot.
Split-toe Tree
Split-toe types mean 3-part trees engineered to your foot shape without using generic symmetrical heads.
These trees use two spring mechanisms that apply biplanar stress. They simulate the pressure your foot exerts on the top.
Spring-loaded twin tubes shove an engineered heel and ergonomic head to expose your sole with even, distributed stress.
But, the split toe (also spring-loaded) extends the vamp of your shoe. At the same time, it keeps your shoes in proper shape. Plus, it resists creases without deforming your shoe shape.
Its head widths vary. Thus, split-toe trees can accommodate a wide range of shoe sizes. Plus, they deliver the next best fit after long-lasting trees.
Lasted Tree
Lasted trees mean the last copy of the shoe – the mold in which the shoe is made. It determines the size and shape of shoes. It means that a lasting tree will adapt to your shoes. But only for the pair it was made for.
This type can keep your shoes in their original shape without the split-toe mechanism. The reason is that all dimensions are produced to measure.
What to look for in the best shoe trees
Material
You can find trees in almost any material, from wood to plastic. But the best ones consist of wood, especially cedar.
Cedar works well to keep your shoes in shape and moisture out. As a bonus, it provides a fantastic smell.
Shoe Type
Most trees fit your exact footwear size and are available in various sizes. But focus on the shape and style of your footwear.
Boots will need a boot shoe tree, for instance, that characterizes more material up to the heel. If your shoes have pointed or almond-shaped toes, look for products that complement the shape.
Price
Depending on the quality of the plant and the materials used, shoes can cost a few bucks or a few hundred, as you may expect. What you expend on your shoe tree should reflect the investment made in your shoes.
In other senses, if you intend to extend the life of a casual pair of sneakers, you don’t need an expensive cedar shoe tree to do the job.
FAQ
Q: What types of trees are best?
Although it depends on your budget and requirements, these usually consist of wood. Cedar, especially, does fantastic work of wicking moisture out of shoes and retaining them smelling beautiful.
Q: Are trees best for my shoes?
The trees become helpful for your shoes. The reality is they can wick away moisture and maintain their original shape. That being said, they might become a reason for damage if you fail to use them properly.
Ensure you have bought the correct pairs. Also, abide by the manufacturer’s recommendations for use.
Q: Is a shoe tree worth it?
If you have spent on a quality pair of dress shoes or dress sneakers, trees can protect that investment by extending the life of your shoes.
If it happens, it is worth it. But less if you attempt to save on a casual shoe.
Final Note: Best Shoe Trees
If you opt for wood products, especially cedar, made for your shoe type, you will find dozens of high-quality trees, which will aid in preserving the life of your shoes.