Best Brake Pads for Hope Brakes (2026)

You're halfway down a tech line on Fromme, dragging your Hope Tech 4 V4s through roots and rock rolls, and the stopping power feels off. The pads are toast. Time to find replacements, but Hope's naming conventions aren't exactly intuitive.

Hope brakes use 2 main pad shapes: V4 (4-piston) and E4 (twin-piston). Get the right shape, pick your compound, and you're back on the trail. Let's break it down.

Hope V4 vs E4 pad shape differences

This is the most important thing to get right. Hope makes two distinct pad shapes, and they don't interchange.

V4 pads, Used in Hope Tech 4 V4, Tech 3 V4, and the RX4+ caliper. This is the wider pad with 4 pistons in a row. It's Hope's heavy-duty option, designed for DH, enduro, and e-bikes. At Loam Goat, we sell a lot of V4 pads to riders in BC running these as their primary trail brake.

E4 pads, Used in Hope Tech 4 E4 and Tech 3 E4. Different shape entirely, designed for Hope's lighter 4-piston caliper (two pistons on each side). Popular with trail and all-mountain riders who want power without the weight of the V4 setup.

Before ordering, check whether your caliper says V4 or E4 on the body. If it says RX4+, that's the V4 shape.

Do Lewis brake pads fit Hope brakes?

This is something most shops don't know, and it's a question we get constantly. Here's the deal:

Lewis LHT and LHP+ brakes use the same pad shape as Hope V4. If you're running Lewis LHT or LHP+ calipers, our Loam Goat Hope V4 pads fit perfectly. Same dimensions, same backing plate, same spring. Drop them in and ride.

Lewis LH4 and AE brakes use the same pad shape as Hope E4. So our Hope E4 pads work in those calipers too.

Lewis is still relatively new to the market, and finding aftermarket pads can be tricky. The Hope cross-compatibility is a real advantage if you're a Lewis rider looking for compound options beyond what the OEM offers. We've been stocking these specifically because we know Lewis riders need them.

Best compound for Hope brakes on steep terrain

Hope brakes are popular with BC and UK riders. That means rain, mud, steep tech, and long descents. The compound you choose matters a lot.

Sintered, The classic choice for Hope riders in wet climates. Sintered pads bite hard when wet, resist glazing on long descents, and outlast organic by a wide margin in muddy conditions. If you ride the North Shore 3-6 months of the year in the rain, sintered is the baseline.

Gravity compound, Our recommendation at Loam Goat for most Hope riders. It gives you that wet-weather confidence of sintered but with noticeably better modulation. On techy, slow-speed sections where you need precise braking (think ladder bridges and skinnies), Gravity compound gives you more control than a pure metallic pad. It's what we run in our own Hope brakes.

Organic, Fine for dry summer trail riding and lighter XC setups. But if you bought Hope brakes, you probably ride in conditions where organic pads won't hold up. There's a reason Hope is the brake of choice for riders in the wettest places on earth.

For most Hope riders, Gravity compound is the move. Sintered if you're exclusively bike parking or riding in sustained heavy rain.

Hope Tech 3 vs Tech 4 pad compatibility

Good news here. Within the same caliper type, Tech 3 and Tech 4 use the same pads.

  • Tech 3 V4 and Tech 4 V4, Same pad shape. Any V4 pad fits both.
  • Tech 3 E4 and Tech 4 E4, Same pad shape. Any E4 pad fits both.

But remember: V4 and E4 don't interchange between each other. Tech 3 V4 and Tech 3 E4 are different pads, even though they're both "Tech 3." The caliper type (V4 or E4) determines the pad, not the generation (Tech 3 or Tech 4).

This is another common ordering mistake. If you're upgrading from a Tech 3 E4 to a Tech 4 E4, your old spare pads still work. But if you're switching from an E4 caliper to a V4 caliper, you need new pads.

Our Hope brake pad recommendations

See our full Hope brake pad collection for all available compounds and shapes.

FAQ

Do Hope V4 and E4 use the same pads?

No. V4 pads are wider (4 pistons in a row). E4 pads are a different shape. Make sure you match the right one to your caliper.

Can I use Loam Goat pads in Lewis LHT brakes?

Yes. Lewis LHT and LHP+ brakes use the same pad shape as Hope V4. Our Hope V4 pads fit perfectly.

Do Hope Tech 3 and Tech 4 use the same pads?

Yes, within the same model. Tech 3 V4 and Tech 4 V4 share a pad shape. Tech 3 E4 and Tech 4 E4 share a pad shape. V4 and E4 don't interchange.

What's the best compound for Hope brakes in wet weather?

Sintered or Gravity. Hope brakes are popular with BC and UK riders who ride in the rain. We recommend Gravity compound for the best balance of bite and pad life.

Need help figuring out which Hope pad shape you need? Shoot us a message and we'll get you sorted.

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