# Boot trees vs. just shoe trees



## Loose On The Lead (Dec 28, 2007)

I own a pair of chukkas and a spare pair of shoe trees. Should I use the trees I already have, or should I buy boot trees? The cost of new trees isn't really the issue. I'm just trying not to be obsessive , and it's not clear to me from other threads how big a difference boot trees make.

I guess a side question would be, are Woodlore's boot trees appropriate for chukkas? I can't tell from the website photo how tall they are.


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## manton (Jul 26, 2003)

My three pairs of boots all have shoe trees. The uppers seem fine.


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## JayJay (Oct 8, 2007)

manton said:


> My three pairs of boots all have shoe trees. The uppers seem fine.


I use regular shoe trees for my chukkas and high boots. They seem to be okay.


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## skefferz (Jun 6, 2006)

My epic shoe trees have a high crown so they do well in boots as well as shoes.


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

I prefer the boot trees, but since they are so hard to come by, I have been making my own. I actually prefer dress boots over dress shoes because of foot problems I have and the boots seem to fit me better, provide better support, and are much more comfortable. I did sell my first, "test" pair that I made. I wanted to see how they would turn out so I started with a smaller size. I am now working on my own size, of course.

https://www.freeimagehosting.net/ https://www.freeimagehosting.net/


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## Scoundrel (Oct 30, 2007)

whomewhat said:


> I prefer the boot trees, but since they are so hard to come by...


If you do get boot trees, I commend you for going the distance. However, these days, it doesn't seem to matter


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## Loose On The Lead (Dec 28, 2007)

whomewhat said:


> I prefer the boot trees, but since they are so hard to come by


They're available from the Cedarville Store, linked here.


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

Loose On The Lead said:


> They're available from the Cedarville Store, linked here.


You may be right, but I only saw shoes trees at that site, not boot trees or ankle boot trees. And, even if they had them, I do enjoy making them. It just takes much longer than I wish it did.


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## Loose On The Lead (Dec 28, 2007)

whomewhat said:


> You may be right, but I only saw shoes trees at that site, not boot trees or ankle boot trees. And, even if they had them, I do enjoy making them. It just takes much longer than I wish it did.


Okay. For the record, though, the site does have Woodlore boot trees. Not surprisingly, so does Woodlore's own site.


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

Loose On The Lead said:


> Okay. For the record, though, the site does have Woodlore boot trees. Not surprisingly, so does Woodlore's own site.


Okay, I went back to the site and now see what you are talking about. Initially, I only looked at the pictures and all of them looked like shoe trees to me, not boot trees. Upon closer examination, one of them was labeled a boot tree. I think that is the problem, however. The boot tree looks like a shoe tree and does not appear to offer any support to the ankle area and would require you to place it all the way down into the shoe. I modeled mine after Lobbs bespoke boot trees, which do have an ankle area to them. I stand corrected. What I should have said is it is difficult to find boot trees in the style that I like.


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

whomewhat said:


> I prefer the boot trees, but since they are so hard to come by, I have been making my own. I actually prefer dress boots over dress shoes because of foot problems I have and the boots seem to fit me better, provide better support, and are much more comfortable. I did sell my first, "test" pair that I made. I wanted to see how they would turn out so I started with a smaller size. I am now working on my own size, of course.
> 
> https://www.freeimagehosting.net/ https://www.freeimagehosting.net/


I'm impressed - they look wonderful!


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## Leather man (Mar 11, 2007)

Loose On The Lead said:


> I own a pair of chukkas and a spare pair of shoe trees. Should I use the trees I already have, or should I buy boot trees? The cost of new trees isn't really the issue. I'm just trying not to be obsessive , and it's not clear to me from other threads how big a difference boot trees make.
> 
> I guess a side question would be, are Woodlore's boot trees appropriate for chukkas? I can't tell from the website photo how tall they are.


I had the same concerns and so spoke to the people at the Edward Green shop on Jermyn Street. They don't sell boot trees it turns out. The advice they gave me was that because the creasing takes place on the vamp and that is also where most of the wear takes place a "shoe tree" is fine to use for boots.

I don't think this is a case of " we don't sell boot trees so we'll try to sell you what we do have" because they didn't try and sell me another set of shoe trees and they don't generally seem to push their own accessories - in fact when I first went to them Valerie said that any make of shoe tree would work well as long as it was the right size for the shoe and seemed to fit well.


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## MarkusH (Dec 10, 2004)

Leather man said:


> I had the same concerns and so spoke to the people at the Edward Green shop on Jermyn Street. They don't sell boot trees it turns out. The advice they gave me was that because the creasing takes place on the vamp and that is also where most of the wear takes place a "shoe tree" is fine to use for boots.


Makes sense. I have actually never even considered using anything but regular shoe trees in my boots for that reason.


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## Ed13 (Mar 18, 2005)

I think the only difference between a "boot" versus "shoe" tree that appear the same is the amount you can bend the back piece. The boot trees I have all seem to have at least 90 degrees or more of movement so you can get them down into the boot. Some shoe trees have the same amount of movement but others I have don't. I no longer buy the labelled boot trees.


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

Leather man said:


> I'm impressed - they look wonderful!


I appreciate that. It was a lot of work. I recently purchased some vintage bespoke John Lobb button dress boots that come with boot trees, trees that appear to be vintage bespoke John Lobb. My hope, if true, is to use the trees as a model to improve on the ones I have already made. They have already been shipped by expedited services so I will know soon enough. I have started on four other pairs and it is too late to change them, but for future boot trees, I can think of no better design model than bespoke Lobb. I am also restoring two pairs of tall boot trees, one for C.V. Whitney and the other for Peal & Co. I used these as design models for the tall boot trees I had previously made. Now that that project is long done, I wanted to finish up the restoration of the design models themselves.


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## aportnoy (Sep 12, 2005)

Dasco make the nicest RTW boot tress that I've seen.

https://imageshack.us


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## jjl5000 (May 14, 2006)

Leather man said:


> I...in fact when I first went to them Valerie said that any make of shoe tree would work well as long as it was the right size for the shoe and seemed to fit well.


I have been told the same thing.


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

aportnoy said:


> Dasco make the nicest RTW boot tress that I've seen.


Those are quite nice. I had not seen them before. Thanks.


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## culverwood (Feb 13, 2006)

RM Williams boot trees are very much shoe tree in style.


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## Cordovan (Feb 1, 2008)

I have read that unfinished cedar is the best wood to use for shoe trees, Although I've noticed (in pictures - not my own shoes just yet - one day) that Church's, G&G, and others make finished wood trees made out of other woods.

Help?


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## Loose On The Lead (Dec 28, 2007)

Cordovan said:


> I have read that unfinished cedar is the best wood to use for shoe trees, Although I've noticed (in pictures - not my own shoes just yet - one day) that Church's, G&G, and others make finished wood trees made out of other woods.
> 
> Help?


Here's a recent thread that's both comprehensive and inconclusive.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=74714


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## Cordovan (Feb 1, 2008)

Thank you, it's proven very informative.

Cordovan


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## whomewhat (Nov 11, 2006)

I just came across this pair of ankle boots, advertised as in barely used condition. When I saw the below picture I was immediately reminded of this thread. I think this provides a different perspective on the use of ankle boot trees.

https://www.freeimagehosting.net/


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## Bishop of Briggs (Sep 7, 2007)

Cordovan said:


> I have read that unfinished cedar is the best wood to use for shoe trees, Although I've noticed (in pictures - not my own shoes just yet - one day) that Church's, G&G, and others make finished wood trees made out of other woods.
> 
> Help?


I bought Tricker's own shoe trees recently and they were made from lime wood. The salesman told me that they absorb moisture like cedar wood shoe trees.


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