You may not have seen a shoe tree since hiding from your siblings in Grandpa’s closet during a game of hide and seek; but shoe trees are still an effective and crucial way to protect your shoes. Shoe trees allow your recently worn shoes to contract and dry out to their ideal shape; but, only if you choose the less decorative unvarnished ones. Varnished trees look posh, but they don’t properly draw moisture and sweat out of the leather.
Unfinished cedar models with a split toe and a fully shaped heel are an excellent choice. These ensure the closest possible fit between shoe and tree. Also, there’s no need to own a pair of trees for each pair of shoes. The vital time for using them is the hour or two after you have removed the shoes from your feet. After that, the shoes will be returned to their natural architecture and trees can be removed.