Kool Stop makes the best brake shoes, and its salmon-colored compound is the most durable, grippy, fade-resistant of all. It's the same compound used for Mathauser shoes (they make them for Mathauser). Although KS makes other compounds (we spec a half-salmon, half-black compound on our Silver brakes), the Salmon is the best all-around, in our opinion. They say it's the best in wet weather, but it certainly works great in dry weather too, and you can consider these pads upgrades to any brake they'll fit on.

Two styles: POST, for cantilever brakes that require posts (not all do); and THREADED, for normal sidepulls and centerpulls that use threaded shoes. There you go.