The way I see the balance is that you only ever have 4 spaces to equip things. So if you choose say 4 elven cloaks to be resistant to shooting there is an opportunity cost of crimson shade and map cap which makes you less effective in melee. Same with runes. Yes, crimson shade can give you the +1 movement, but your enemy can also use crimson shade and thus nullify the effect. Now if you have crimson shade and a rune that gives you +1 movement, you'll get the net benefit of being able to actually catch your enemy in close combat. Seriously the way it is today its comical in that you can just keep running from a dwarf and they will never catch you with their 3 movement. Since dwarves can't get Quick Reaction, there is also no penalty to simply move out of combat.
So perhaps skills such as Quick Reaction could be an option for a Rune item, as well as Ambush, emphasizing this again would be nice, and perhaps the one that rune of stealth that gives you that one skill that allows you to hide in double distance (can't remember the name atm).