Rune boots

“These will protect my feet.”

Rune boots are the standard mid-game melee boot: 40 Defence to wear, the best melee defence available in the slot until dragon boots, and a small +2 strength bonus on top. They cannot be smithed — every pair in the game comes from a monster drop — so in practice you buy them on the Grand Exchange.

Equipment bonuses

The defensive numbers are what you are paying for: +12 stab, +13 slash and +14 crush defence, the strongest in the boot slot at 40 Defence. The +2 strength is small but free, and the −3 magic and −1 ranged attack penalties are the usual metal-armour trade-off.

Attack bonuses
0
0
0
−3
−1
Defence bonuses
+12
+13
+14
0
0
Other bonuses
+2
+0
+0%
+0
Slot
Feet

Requires 40 Defence to wear · feet slot · members. Its standout numbers are the +12 / +13 / +14 melee defences and the +2 strength shown above.

Grand Exchange price history

Current guide price Live
7K
90-day high—
90-day low—
90-day change—
Live Grand Exchange history, refreshed every few minutes (source: prices.runescape.wiki) · tap the chart for any day’s price.

How to get Rune boots

There is no crafting route for these — they only enter the game as drops.

Ways to obtain it
Grand Exchange — the practical route for almost everyone. They are cheap and always in stock, with a buy limit of 70 every 4 hours.
Monster drops — the only way new pairs are created. As with all metal boots, they cannot be made with Smithing at any level.

If you are below 40 Defence and want the same strength bonus now, climbing boots give the same +2 strength with no level requirement — you just give up the defensive bonuses.

Are Rune boots worth it?

For a mid-game melee account, yes. They are inexpensive, they are the best melee defence in the boot slot until 60 Defence, and the +2 strength matches what climbing boots give while adding real armour on top.

They stop being the answer at 60 Defence. Dragon boots double the strength bonus to +4 and beat them defensively, and beyond that Primordial boots are the melee endgame. Do not overspend on rune boots on the way there.

Also note the −3 magic attack penalty. On a magic or hybrid setup they are the wrong boot — see magic gear for the alternatives.

Rune boots FAQ

What level do you need for Rune boots?
40 Defence. There is no other requirement and no quest attached.
Can you smith Rune boots?
No. Like all metal boots they cannot be made with Smithing — every pair comes from a monster drop, which is why they hold a price rather than tracking the cost of rune bars.
How do you get Rune boots?
They are a monster drop. Most players buy them on the Grand Exchange instead, where the buy limit is 70 every 4 hours.
Are Rune boots better than climbing boots?
For defence, yes — by a wide margin. Climbing boots give the same +2 strength with far lower defensive bonuses, and they need no Defence level, so they are the pick for low-Defence or pure accounts.
Rune boots or dragon boots?
Dragon boots, if you can wear them. They need 60 Defence and give +4 strength to the rune boots' +2, plus better defences. Rune boots are the step before them.
Do Rune boots have a strength bonus?
Yes — +2 strength. It was not there at release; it was added in a 2006 update.
Are Rune boots free-to-play?
No, they are members-only, despite being made of runite.
Are Rune boots worth buying?
As a cheap step up while you are between 40 and 60 Defence, yes. Once you reach 60 Defence the money is better spent on dragon boots, and later on Primordial boots.

Update history

27 Sep 2006Rune boots were given a +2 strength bonus.

Source: OSRS Wiki — Rune boots (Changes).