Plastic Shoe Trees *gasp*

[Style Pontifex]

What is a ventilated shoe tree? Is it something like this:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...:0&tx=50&ty=70

 

[Kiwi Man]

Originally Posted by Style Pontifex

I have purchased from Cedarville. They still cost triple or quadruple the price.

If people can explain to me the superiority of wood over plastic when it comes to storage (as in, not wearing the shoes for weeks), then I'm all ears. I've read quite a few articles on the issue and most end up touting cedar for moisture absorption--which has no relevance when it comes to storage.

I myself would rather buy another pair or two of shoes than spend money on cedar shoe trees that have no practical advantage over plastic when it comes to storage.

I'm sorry to bring back this thread, but I'm concerned with the usage of plastic shoes tree. I have relatively high end dress shoes which I bought in the US for very reasonable prices.

Now, I'm in Bangkok and all we have for sales here is plastic shoe trees which can be purchased for 3 dollars. I have not yet seen cedar shoe tree for sales here, even if they do, they can be purchased for couple of hundred of dollars because of the import taxes here in Thailand is outragoues.

Should I use for something else instead of plastic shoe tree? If not, should I put old newspaper with plastic shoes tree so they can absorb the moisture?

 

[JDMills]

I loove cedar trees and only use them but can only get them in the states. Here in Canada they're 40$!!!!!!! Which is highway damn robbery.

 

[SirGrotius]

I use them when traveling for my shoes ($500 range). Haven't had any problems. The cedar trees can be a bit cumbersome on the road.

 

[Cary Grant]

Once again... wood shoe trees do NOTHING for "absorbtion of moisture".

So do not let that be the driver behind which trees you choose.

 

[intent]

Cedar trees smell better.

 

[NotoriousMarquis]

Plastic has a firmer hold, and after a shoe spends 24 hours on a wooden tree, its sometimes better to transfer it over. I don't do it with nicer shoes, however; those get their own cedar shoe tree.

 

[huskyzealot]

great for traveling because they are so much lighter

 

[ktrp]

Originally Posted by JDMills

I loove cedar trees and only use them but can only get them in the states. Here in Canada they're 40$!!!!!!! Which is highway damn robbery.

If you happy to be in downtown toronto, pick them up at novelty shoe rebuilders on yonge. The same trees everyone else has for $25 last time I was in there.

 

[12345Michael54321]

Originally Posted by Kiwi Man

I have not yet seen cedar shoe tree for sales here, even if they do, they can be purchased for couple of hundred of dollars because of the import taxes here in Thailand is outragoues.

I smell an opportunity.

Someone needs to buy a few tons of wood, and work out a deal with the principal of the local high school or vocational school to devote the wood shop class to turning out shoe trees for a few weeks. The trees could then be sold for 1/10 the cost of the imported ones (since there'd be no import tax), and still make a huge profit.

Sure, the presumably limited domestic market would shortly be saturated. But it'd still represent a modest potential windfall for the school, the principal, the students, the guy putting up the wood, the fellow doing the marketing, whatever government officials one would have to bribed, etc. And it could be used to teach valuable lessons to the students about real life business, economics, and government tax policy concerns.

(I got the idea after thinking about how Cowan rifle rests are made. They're some of the best rests money can buy, and they're produced by Joe Cowan and his students at the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center. Making them teaches the students some of the skills a machinist needs to learn, and the sale of the rests generates some nice profits - which are put back into the system.)
--
Michael

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Originally Posted by Cary Grant

Once again... wood shoe trees do NOTHING for "absorbtion of moisture".

So do not let that be the driver behind which trees you choose.

This is not true. Let me share a story. Before I knew better I would shove plastic shoe trees into this pair of chelsea boots I had years ago. I noticed every time I would revisit these shoes I would pull out the trees and see water droplets all over the plastic shoe trees. I paid it no attention, but this moisture caused the lining on the vamp to rot away and then moisture was getting trapped between the lining and the uppers. The vamps eventually gave in and there were holes in them all over. Basically the plastic traps the moisture against the leather and it will rot away. Wooden shoe trees will protect against this.

 

[isshinryu101]

The shape of the heel on those plastic shoe trees will really hurt your shoes over time. It stretches the leather in an unintended angle & causes creasing & changes the shoe shape.

 

[JLibourel]

I used to use plastic trees with some of my cheaper shoes before almost all of them gave up the ghost.

The big problem with plastic trees is that they are cheap, flimsy crap. At least all that I've seen or used are. A solid, well-made plastic tree should work about as well as a wooden tree. However, wooden trees can be had so cheaply, I don't know if it would be worthwhile to market them.

Never noticed any condensation problem with plastic trees when I did use them. The "moisture absorption" properties of cedar are I think mostly a myth to excuse the use of a cheap, unfinished softwood. They do smell nice when new, however. In the pre-WWII era, good shoe trees were varnished hardwood. I believe the best English and Continental trees still are.

That said, all my shoe trees are Woodlore cedar trees, and they have never given me cause to rue their use.

 

[JDMills]

Montreal im afraid

every cobbler and store I've been too sell them for 35 plus tax.

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

...good shoe trees were varnished hardwood. I believe the best English and Continental trees still are.

i prefer unvarnished. i have some vintage trees, which are varnished.

my beech wood trees are waxed or untreated. both works well and they absorb moisture. don't ask me how much. they are all custom made. this is the minimum attention i want to give to my shoes.