Has anyone tried these brake pads?
 

I'm looking for decent brake pads for the winter/off-season that will still offer decent bite and stopping performance, but be reasonably priced. Ive been using carbotech xp10 for track season, and I'm reasonably happy with them.

So I'm considering:

1. Raybestos SP1539XPH $60
2. Powerstop PST 1539 $90
3. Carbotech 1521 $180 fronts.

Has anyone used either the Raybestos or Power Stop? There are plenty of reviews on the carbotechs, but none on the two above. But they're twice as expensive as the other two.

The carbotechs XP10 squeal like a pig, and dust like crazy, so it would be nice to use something less antisocial for the off season.

Bonus points for Carbotech 1521 is that they can share rotors with their track pads (XP series).

I run OEM pads for street and have separate track rotors (with G-Loc R10 pads), so can't comment on anything else.

I've had Raybestos before and found them to be extremely tepid on other cars, they felt like OE pads that'd come on an economy car but dusted a lot. Power stop isn't bad, but I don't have ownership experience with their pads. I would buy them over Raybestos just because they're an elevated market brand that at least has some performance in their history

Food for thought.
You might consider Stoptech Sport pads. I enjoy them.
They never squeal, don’t dust too badly and last. Don’t tailgate as the first cold stop will be delayed a second like any high temp pad but then they are excellent for DD and Lapping (short sessions). I don’t drive the car in winter so freezing cold may exasperate the cold delay as I’m sure most compromise pads would.
Plus, they’re dirt cheap in comparison to most.

Raybestos Element3 are my current "go-to" for street pads, they're low dust, plenty of bite, they hold up to pretty extreme abuse. I sold my last autocross/track car to a friend who promptly did SCCA's Time Trials Nationals on the Element3 pads, besides making a hell of a lot of dust on track, they did "ok"


I had 1521s on my first gen with AP Sprint kit and hated them, the stock pads felt better. YMMV

Raybestos sponsors NASCAR and makes the ST series of compounds that many track rats swear by.

That's great! My experience with normal pads was poor, glad they make something nice :)

I was happy with 1521 on the street. Quiet, low dust, great wear. But I was on AP sprint kit

I will 2nd the Raybestos Element3 pads. I run them on my Impreza, good initial bite, don't seem to dusk excessively and no rotor deposits.

I’m on 1521 in standard calipers and I hate them. Faded them on “The Dragon.” The appeal of marrying up to the same rotors as the XP10s I currently run on track was not worth the squeeze. I should be receiving Project Mu HC+ tomorrow, which so far have been my favourite street pads ever, from my previous experience.

Good to hear man! Bedding compatibility is overrated since when you come back from track the xp10 will wipe all the transfer layer off anyway.

I run Stoptech Sport during the autoX/track season then change to Raybestos E3 Hybrid for the fall/winter.
I really like E3 Hybrids for the street. Nice firm pedal and good bite. I have them on my wife's Kia Soul as well.

Thanks for those who said the 1521 are not worth it. I was considering the G-LOC equivalents GS-1 for the street and R6 for autoX but I guess I'll save money on the street pads and keep running E3 Hybrids or Akebono Performance pads.

I've used the Powerstop Track Day pads on the track, and they had pretty decent bite and feel, but MAN were they dusty!

On the street, I run the Powerstop Z23's and they're pretty near zero dust, with decent enough feel, bite and fade-resistance for daily driving and the odd canyon run.