When I was a little kid, I remember playing with these foldable wooden shoe-shaped items that were lying around the house. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what they were meant for! The fact that you could brandish them like nun-chucks made me think they were some sort of weapon…
Later, I figured they had something to do with keeping the original “shape” of your shoes, but it turns out there’s more to them than just that. These funny looking wooden shoe contraptions are called Shoe Trees and one of their primary functions is to absorb the moisture that collects in the lining of your shoes.
I know… totally gross! But totally true. You may not know it but your feet can sweat out a whole lot of moisture. This is especially true if you live in a warm environment or you’re on your feet all day. Shoe trees are usually made of wood (often aromatic varieties like cedar) and work by absorbing all that perspiration and keeping your shoes dry and extending their life. This can be extremely helpful, especially for those who have a problem with foot odor or who wear shoes without socks. It also serves as an internal “skeleton” for the shoe when you’re not using them.
There a couple different types, but the one I see most frequently is the combination shoe tree which features an adjustable sliding handle that enables it to fit any nearly any shoe. The “toe” part of the shoe tree is often split and can expand slightly for wider shoes.
One of the most common brands of shoe trees you’ll find online are from Woodlore. I have seen others for cheaper in the stores, but often they aren’t adjustable or nicely made. These usually run under $30 from most online stores, which is not super cheap but if you feel like pampering your shoes (and feet), these shoe trees may be for you.
Interesting Fact: There is a whole separate phenomenon which you may have heard of called “Shoe Trees” in which people fling their used sneakers up into designated trees. This has been going on for quite awhile around the world, with standout trees being located in Balboa Park, CA and various places in the Mojave Desert.)
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Woodlore - Combination Shoe Trees for Women (Cedar) - Accessories Zappos.com $29.95 |
