Autumn Edit

These are two different jobs and the boots are built differently for each.

Waterproof. Ottawa, Rocky, Rocky Winter, Alaska, Polar, Quebec and both Hudsons are built on a Wil-Tex™ membrane. Water does not get in, and because the membrane is breathable your feet do not end up damp from the inside either. Choose one of these if you are on wet ground, standing still in the cold, or out in the rain.

Wool-lined, not waterproof. Nebraska, Andalucia, Montana, Windsor, Highland, Lucianna and the Children's Bronx are warm and breathable but have no membrane. The Montana's description mentions a moisture-wicking membrane and the Bronx a breathable one — neither of those keeps water out. Treated leather will shrug off a shower, but these are not boots for standing in mud.

If you want one pair to do everything through autumn, the Ottawa in a short boot or the Hudson Storm in a long boot are the two we point people at most often.

High instep or a wider foot. The Quebec is the one to go for. It is our roomiest last, the full-length zip and elasticated ankle open right up, and the rear pull tab helps. It is also fully waterproof, so you are not trading weather protection for fit. The Ottawa is the opposite end — it suits most foot widths but the elasticated panels make it a tight entry over a high instep, so avoid it if you have ever struggled to pull a boot on.

Calf width on long boots. The Andalucia has a full-leg lace system giving up to 3.5cm of adjustment plus a rear stretch gusset, so it covers slim and full calves in the same boot. The Montana and Hudson Storm come in standard and wide calf fittings instead — you pick the fitting at the size dropdown. The Polar laces the full length of the leg too, which is why it works for slim calves that swim in a standard pull-on boot.

Autumn boots get worn with thicker socks, so the temptation is to size up. With several of these you should not.

• True to size: Ottawa, Rocky, Rocky Winter, Alaska, Polar and the Highland. Order your usual shoe size. The Highland is cut with a little extra room through the foot already.
• Runs slightly large: Quebec, both Hudsons, Nebraska, Andalucia, Lucianna and the Children's Bronx.
• Runs large: the Montana. Take the fit guidance on its page seriously and choose the calf fitting carefully as well as the foot size.

Every product page carries its own fit chip above the size dropdown. If you are between sizes and plan to wear merino socks, that is the one case where sizing up on a true-to-size model makes sense.

Genuine sheep wool or sheepskin is the warmest thing we line with, and it is breathable, so feet do not overheat indoors. The Alaska is lined top to toe. The Ottawa, Polar and Rocky Winter line the foot and ankle. The Quebec uses shearling with a plush wool thermal insole. The Nebraska insulates the full leg as well as the footbed.

Therma-tex is a moisture-wicking layer rather than an insulator. The Andalucia, Montana, Lucianna, Windsor, both Hudsons and the standard Rocky use it, usually alongside a sheepskin or Perlon footbed. Warm, but not as warm as a fully wool-lined boot.

If a boot you already own is not quite warm enough, our 4mm sheepskin or wool insoles drop straight in. The Ottawa, Rocky Winter, Alaska and Quebec all have removable footbeds too, so you can pull the original out and swap it rather than cramming a second layer in.

Autumn ground is the slippery bit of the year — wet leaves on tarmac, then churned mud in the gateway.

The Duratread® anti-slip sole on the Rocky, Hudson, Montana and Bronx is the hard-wearing all-surface option, and it sits properly in a stirrup. The Dual Grip outsole on the Ottawa and Nebraska is the one to pick if you are riding as well as walking. The Alaska and Quebec use an anti-slip PU® and rubber combination that is lighter underfoot. The Highland has a welted rubber outsole with deep cleats, which is the most aggressive tread in this edit.

Most of these also carry a moulded or steel shank through the arch, which is what stops your foot aching after a long day standing on uneven ground.

No, and it is worth checking before you order. Eight models are fully waterproof on a Wil-Tex™ membrane: Ottawa, Rocky, Rocky Winter, Alaska, Polar, Quebec, Hudson Storm and Hudson Mid. The Nebraska, Andalucia, Montana, Windsor, Highland, Lucianna and Children's Bronx are wool or sheepskin-lined for warmth but have no waterproof membrane. Every card above states it plainly, and so does each product page.

The Alaska, for the simple reason that it is lined with sheep wool from top to toe rather than just through the foot, and it comes up to mid-calf. The Quebec is close behind on shearling with a thermal wool insole, and is the easier of the two to get on. If you want a short boot, the Rocky Winter is the warmest — it is the fully wool-lined version of the standard Rocky.

Same boot, same Wil-Tex™ membrane, same Duratread® sole, different insides. The standard Rocky in Brown and Copper has a removable Perlon footbed with a Therma-tex moisture-wicking layer. The Rocky Winter in Mocha is fully lined through the foot with natural sheep wool and comes with a removable sheep wool footbed. Pick the standard Rocky for autumn and mild winter days, the Winter for genuinely cold ones.

The Quebec. It has a full-length zip, an elasticated ankle and a rear pull tab, and it is built on our roomiest last, so it is the one we recommend for a high instep, a wider foot or limited ankle mobility. The Hudson Storm and Nebraska also have full-length zips. We would steer you away from the Ottawa if this is your issue — it pulls on over elasticated panels and is a tight entry over a high instep.

Most of them do both, which is the point. The Nebraska has a 3cm riding heel, the Montana and Andalucia are long riding boots, and the Windsor is a laced jodhpur boot with side spur rests. The Ottawa's Dual Grip outsole was designed to work in the stirrup and on the yard. The Alaska, Quebec and Highland are country and walking boots rather than riding boots — comfortable all day, but not cut for the stirrup.

The Windsor Jodhpur Riding Boots and the Lucianna Tassel Boots are both on clearance. The Windsor still has a good spread from UK 3 to UK 10. The Lucianna is down to UK 3 and UK 4 only, in standard and wide fittings, and will not be restocked — check the size dropdown before ordering. Everything else in this edit is current-season stock.

Let them dry naturally away from direct heat — a radiator or hot air will crack the leather and can damage a waterproof membrane. Brush the mud off once dry rather than while it is wet. Waxed leathers like the Ottawa, Hudson and Rocky take a dubbin wax; suede and nubuck like the Polar's upper need a suede brush and a proofing spray instead. Re-proofing once or twice through the season keeps water beading on the surface, which is what stops the leather soaking through and getting heavy.