Aero Shoe Trees

Shoe and boot trees come in all manner of kinds: principally the hinged shoe last and the three part ankle and full boot last; although the three part last can also be made for shoes. Traditionally, they are all made out of mahogany but, with the advent of air travel, they are now frequently hollowed out in the fore part and might even be made out of a lighter (but stable) wood, such as Obeche. One extreme example of a lightweight last is the one known at John Lobb as the hollow, hinged, wax-polished, extra-hollow aero, which is made out of Obeche, and even has holes drilled through to lessen the weight even more. An example is shown above. Since bespoke shoes are often as light as a feather (you feel as though you are floating on a cloud), when you really are floating on a cloud, just think of the advantages of an extra-light last.