In 1968, the explorer Ralph Plaisted and his crew became the first confirmed expedition to reach the North Pole overland, crossing 500 miles in 43 days. They did it in Sorel Caribou boots. Decades later, Ann Daniels reached the pole from land in Sorel too. I like that a boot with that résumé now turns up at the school run and the farmers market.

The story starts in Kitchener, Ontario, where the Kaufman Rubber Company introduced Sorel in 1962 as a line of winter sport and work boots. The first one was the Caribou: a rugged leather upper on a handcrafted rubber shell. That recipe is the point of the brand. Sorel boots are built like a piece of equipment first, and the good-looking part came later, which is why they still hold up in a slushy October commute. Kaufman went bankrupt in 2000, and Columbia bought the name with one rule for its designers: do not mess with the cold-weather reputation.

Which brings me to the Caribou section. The classic Caribou in buff is the one I would want for real snow, with the suede and nylon upper and that chunky lug sole. The Caribou Horizon GTX in red lodge and tobacco is the tall, shearling-collared version for anyone who wants GORE-TEX under the same silhouette. The Ona Ave Alpine Plus is the loud one, faux fur inside and out, and it looks great over black leggings and a long puffer. For something plainer, the Whitney III Mid in black reads as a sneaker-boot hybrid.

Before you buy, check two things: the felt liner should come out so you can dry it overnight, and the lug sole should feel stiff enough that it does not fold flat when you press the toe.

The Joan of Arctic is the Sorel boot most people picture, and it has a tidy origin. In 2005 Sorel's designers morphed the leather-and-rubber 1964 Pac into a tall leather lace-up with colors that were anything but utilitarian. Faux-fur cuff, rubber foot, done. That is the Joan of Arctic Waterproof Boot, here in black and quarry and in camel brown, both with a waterproof suede upper and a seam-sealed build.

The rest of this group is the Joan family spreading out. The Joan FRWD Tall Boot in black is the sleek leather one, and I would wear it over skinny jeans and under a long wool coat. The Joan FRWD Cozy Waterproof is the fleece-lined one for cold train platforms. If you want the look without the snow-boot bulk, the Joan Now Chelsea and the two Joan FRWD Chelseas have elastic gores and chunky soles that go with a midi skirt and thick tights. The Joan FRWD Harness boot adds a strap and ring for anyone who wants edge.

A quick fitting test: walk down a flight of stairs in them. The heel should stay put, and the shaft of the tall boots should not gap at the calf when you bend your knee. Suede needs a brush after wet days, so let it dry flat before you do.

What I would skip: the tall suede Joan of Arctic if your winter is mostly rainy, not snowy. A Chelsea will be easier day to day.

Sorel's own page lists waterproof duck-boot silhouettes, thick outsoles and triple-stitch craftsmanship as its hallmarks, and the lace-ups in this group show all three. They sit between a sneaker and a snow boot, which is exactly where most of us live from October to March.

The Explorer III NW Lace Waterproof in honey white and in black both have cream details and a rubber sole, and I would wear either with a cropped puffer and straight jeans. The Explorer III Joan NW in tawny buff is the warmer-toned option. The Revel RD Waterproof Lace Boot, in tawny buff or tobacco with a gum sole, is the casual leather one I would pair with corduroy trousers. The Ambler Fireside Chukka is born from the Caribou and has a fleece lining, so it is the one I would reach for on a weekend away. The Callsign Conquest GTX is the rugged hiking-style boot, and the Out N About IV Puffy in cream with a black rubber toe is the fun, quilted one.

Test the lacing before you commit: pull the laces snug and make sure your heel does not lift when you walk. Waterproof leather loves a damp cloth, not a soak.

What I would skip: the cream puffy boot for muddy trails. It is lovely for sidewalks and snowy city days, but cream shows everything.

The wedge is where Sorel shows its fashion side. A 2014 Elle Canada piece points to a Joan of Arctic wedge in leather with distressed hardware as proof the brand was leaning into style, and the idea has only grown since. A wedge gives you height without a thin heel, which matters on icy pavement.

The Joan Rhapsody Zip Wedge in dark auburn and in black has a suede upper and a gum lug sole, and it is the one I would wear with a slip dress and tights. The Joan Rhapsody Chelsea Wedge in velvet tan and in black swaps the zip for elastic gores, which makes it quicker to pull on. The Roam'n Chelsea in canoe has a platform and block heel with a rubber toe overlay, and the Roam'n Zip and Roam'n Side Zip are the same idea in red lodge and ceramic. The Evie Pull-On Suede Bootie in black is the simplest, with a stacked heel that works with a cropped trouser.

Do the tilt test in the fitting room: stand on the platform and rock forward. If your toes slam into the front, size up. A gum sole will mark light floors, so wipe it before you walk inside.

What I would skip: the gum-sole platforms with a long, wide-leg trouser that drags. They catch hems.

Kaufman Rubber was a Canadian maker of premium rubber boots before it ever launched Sorel, so it is no surprise the brand still makes a good rain boot. The Out N About IV Chelsea Rain in stone green and in black is a rubber-shelled Chelsea with elastic gores, and it is what I would put on for a drizzly commute with a trench and cropped jeans.

The Revel RD Chelsea Waterproof in stone green and in black is the leather one, with a lug sole and a casual cut that works with a knit dress and tights. The Daystorm Chelsea in red lodge has Vibram traction under a waterproof leather upper, so I would choose it for icy steps. For lace-ups, the Out N About IV Classic in caribou buff is the duck-style boot with a rubber shell, and the Charm version in snow has a leather upper. The Tivoli V Parc is a short lace-up with more insulation, good with wool socks.

Check the rubber shell by pressing it near the ankle. It should flex, not crack. Wipe it dry after a wet day and let it air out before you put on your next pair of socks.

What I would skip: the rain Chelsea in a deep-snow week. The shaft is short, and snow finds its way in.

Weather decides this one. If it snows, I would pick the Caribou or a Joan of Arctic. If it just drizzles, a Chelsea. If you want height, a wedge.

Then I would try them with the socks you really wear, and check the heel, the laces and the sole, and make sure the felt liner lifts out so it can dry overnight. Sorel began with a boot that crossed 500 miles of Arctic ice, and your commute is a lot easier than that. I would still want the Caribou on my feet, just on principle, and I would keep the Joan of Arctic by the door for the days the sidewalk turns to glass.