Do I need shoe trees for desert boots?

[MattC Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MattC]

Or is that going a bit overboard/uneccessary?

[forbritisheyesonly Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close forbritisheyesonly]

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/f...n-Desert-Boots

[CJJ Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CJJ]

I am going to say it depends on the look you are going for. Some would say the more worn-in boots are the more character they develop (can an inanimate object develop character?). I've had my oily leather Clarks for a few years and they look like an elephant sat on them, they've lost their shape. If I had to do it over I would have gotten shoe trees.

[Chareth Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chareth]

For casual shoes with softer leather, I usually just keep the balls of tissue paper that the shoes come with and use those instead of trees.

[VespaMatt Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close VespaMatt]

If they're suede I wouldn't worry as much as leather. But like that Ask Andy post mentions, its not just for shape but also moisture absorption.


ALL of my shoes I put trees in after I've worn them and leave them in for at least a day - I figure it helps absorb any moisture, odors and stretches/firms up the shape after wear. I eventually will rotate the shoe tree out to another shoe I wear in the next couple days.


The only shoes that have trees that permanently live in them are some of my nicer dress shoes.

[Acousticfoodie Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close Acousticfoodie]

Unless you are on a budget, Just go ahead and do it. Shoe trees can be found for 12 bucks a piece. 12 dollars to prevent your leathers from looking more aged in years is well worth it. If the material is suede, as someone else mentioned, it's not as imperative cause creases are a little harder to see.

[nftmlk Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close nftmlk]

I have dark brown leather desert boots & taupe suede ones (both clarks) and don't put any shoe trees in them. The dark brown leather ones have creases but I don't really mind. They cost $60, I figure I'll just replace them if they wear down too much.


I kind of like the worn look

[JEH Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JEH]

@nftmlk - Do you mind me asking where you got yours for that price? I've been keeping my eyes on Clarks Desert Boots for quite some time now, and have not found them for that cheap.

[Acousticfoodie Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close Acousticfoodie]

@Jeh Clarks Desert Boots are typically 60 dollars at NOrdstrom Rack

[mdwsta4 Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdwsta4]

Suppose my desert boots are kind of my 'junk' boots (taupe suede). They're not beat up or anything, but the thought of putting shoe trees in them never crossed my mind. That'd be like doing the same with my Chucks. Don't really see the point.

[Tat Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tat]

I have the beeswax clarks desert boots, and I insert boot shoe trees in them. I also own 4 other boots and use boot shoe trees in all. Almost all my shoes have shoe trees in them except a few boat shoes. Damn now that I look at them all, I have a lot of shoes...

[kmarizo Member Find all posts View Profile Close kmarizo]

@Tat: May I ask what brand/where you bought your "BOOT" shoe trees? I have been using regular shoe tress in my chukka boots but find them to be a pain getting them out of my taller ankle boots (plus, they don't form around the top counter/ankle part of the shoe).


I found this ankle boot tree by Dasco on the AskAndy website by can't find them on-line:





I found this one by John Lobb but way too expensive:

[nftmlk Varsity Member Find all posts View Profile Close nftmlk]

@Jeh You can get Clarks Bushacre 2's at Nordstrom Rack for ~$60. These are identical to their desert boots except they have a synthetic sole rather than the crepe one. It has better grip in rain but isn't as soft to walk on.

[Tat Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tat]

I purchased my boot shoe trees from a store called "BootBarn". I don't shop there for cowboy boots, but went once to look for shoe trees, and instead found boot shoe trees. So I purchased about 5 to use for my boots. They were about 30$ a piece I think.