OSRS Boots & Gloves: A Best-in-Slot Comparison | Tons of XP Blog

Q: What are the best all-around gloves in OSRS?

Barrows Gloves. They are the reward for completing the entire `Recipe for Disaster` quest line. They provide excellent bonuses for Melee, Ranged, and Magic, making them the best choice for the vast majority of activities in the game.

Q: What are the best melee boots?

The progression is `Climbing Boots` -> `Rune Boots` -> `Dragon Boots` -> `Primordial Boots`. `Dragon Boots` are the standard for any mid-to-high level player, while `Primordial Boots` are the expensive, best-in-slot upgrade.

Choosing the right boots and gloves is key to maximizing your DPS. Our guide compares the best options in OSRS, from Barrows Gloves to Primordial Boots.

Published on: August 25, 2025 by Tons of XP Team

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While your weapon and armour take center stage, the boots and gloves slots are home to some of the most important and cost-effective upgrades you can make to your character. Choosing the right pair can provide crucial Strength, Attack, or Prayer bonuses that significantly boost your performance.

This guide provides a clear comparison of the best and most popular options for your hands and feet.

The Glove Slot: The Path to Barrows

For the vast majority of players, the entire glove progression path leads to one ultimate item: Barrows Gloves.

Glove Type	How to Get	Key Stats	Why It's Good
Combat Bracelet	Enchanted Zenyte Jewelry	+7 All Attack, +6 Str	An excellent and cheap early-to-mid game option.
Rune Gloves	Recipe for Disaster subquest	+9 All Attack, +9 Str	A direct upgrade from the Combat Bracelet on your way to Barrows Gloves.
Dragon Gloves	Recipe for Disaster subquest	+10 All Attack, +10 Str	The final step before completing the quest line.
Barrows Gloves	Complete `Recipe for Disaster`	+12 All Attack, +12 Str	Best-in-Slot for almost everything. They offer the best balance of offensive and defensive stats for all three combat styles. A top-priority account goal.
Ferocious Gloves	Post-`Dragon Slayer II`	+16 Melee Attack, +14 Str	The true Best-in-Slot for pure Melee damage, but they have negative Ranged/Magic bonuses and offer little defence. Used by max-level players.

The Verdict: Your number one priority for the glove slot should be completing Recipe for Disaster. Until then, wear the best tier of RFD gloves you have access to, or a Combat Bracelet.

The Boot Slot: The Hunt for Strength

For Melee, the boot slot is another crucial source of Strength bonus. For Ranged and Magic, it's about accuracy.

Best Melee Boots

Boot Type	How to Get	Key Stats	Why It's Good
Climbing Boots	Fremennik Province quests	+2 Str	The best budget Strength bonus boots. You will use these for a long time.
Rune Boots	Monster drops	+0 Str, Good Defence	A defensive side-grade if you need more tankiness than Climbing Boots offer.
Dragon Boots	Slayer monster drops	+4 Str	The standard for all high-level Melee combat. A major and essential upgrade.
Primordial Boots	Combine Dragon Boots & Primordial Crystal	+5 Str, +2 Melee Attack	The expensive, best-in-slot upgrade for Melee.

Best Ranged & Magic Boots

Boot Type	How to Get	Key Stats	Why It's Good
Ranger Boots	Clue Scroll reward	+8 Ranged Attack	The long-standing best Ranged boots, though they can be expensive.
Pegasian Boots	Combine Ranger Boots & Pegasian Crystal	+12 Ranged Attack	The definitive best-in-slot for Ranged.
Wizard/Mystic Boots	Shops / Clue Scrolls	+2 / +3 Magic Attack	Simple, cheap boots for Magic accuracy.
Eternal Boots	Combine Infinity Boots & Eternal Crystal	+8 Magic Attack	The best-in-slot for Magic accuracy.

Conclusion

For maximum efficiency, your account goals should be clear:

Work towards completing Recipe for Disaster for Barrows Gloves.
Save up for Dragon Boots as your first major boot upgrade.

Securing these two items will provide you with a powerful and versatile foundation for all your future PvM adventures.

Ready to take on the challenge for Barrows Gloves?

→ Our OSRS Questing Services can help you complete the requirements. → Check out our Melee Gear Progression Guide to see how these items fit in your setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

+What are the best all-around gloves in OSRS?

Barrows Gloves. They are the reward for completing the entire `Recipe for Disaster` quest line. They provide excellent bonuses for Melee, Ranged, and Magic, making them the best choice for the vast majority of activities in the game.

+What are the best melee boots?

The progression is `Climbing Boots` -> `Rune Boots` -> `Dragon Boots` -> `Primordial Boots`. `Dragon Boots` are the standard for any mid-to-high level player, while `Primordial Boots` are the expensive, best-in-slot upgrade.

+Are there any good gloves besides Barrows Gloves?

Yes. For pure Ranged accuracy, `Black d'hide vambraces` are a cheap and effective option. For specialized Melee builds, the `Ferocious Gloves` (requiring `Dragon Slayer II`) are the best for Strength bonus, but offer no defence.

+What are the best boots for Ranged and Magic?

The best boots are `Pegasian Boots` for Ranged and `Eternal Boots` for Magic. Both are expensive upgrades made by combining a base `Dragon Boot` or `Ranger Boot` with a crystal dropped by the boss Cerberus.