If you're not getting decent power out of V's you're doing something wrong. How to fix 'em properly
I run V's on my commuter and I can lock the FRONT wheel at speed. (Yes, I found this out the hard way)
To be sure, I am a vocal advocate of discs and I do love my Avid BB7's, but in no way can a properly setup V brake be viewed as "****ty"

Unless it says Tektro or Promax, then you're on your own.

In truth, I'd rather have one of those then the stamped pot metal CRAP "V-brakes" they stick on X-mart bikes.

I was referring to brakes. You are referring to variable friction devices.

You should do the marketing for X-mart.

not all tektro v's suck.

tektro quartz. gunn-rita dahle uses them.

I must agree. I stuck with rim brakes on all my rides until this summer. Now I have 2 bikes rim brakes and two with discs.

the rim brake in the wet is a dangerous thing.

I am currently switching over to all front disc in order to feel comfortable in all conditions.

I don't find rim brakes in wet conditions that bad. Obviously braking characteristics are different and you have to modify your braking technique accordingly. It was pretty wet here this summer; a lot wetter than normal. Plus I have a lot of creek crossings on my regular ride, and my only braking issue was that the pads wear out much faster when they are wet/muddy. And that is including going down some pretty steep descents into the valley. Other than that, I haven't had any issues.

I will add a follow up.

I think my main problem now is that since I have fronts discs on some bike and not on other, I expect the same amount of braking force on the v's as on the discs in XC conditions. When its dry I have no problems. When its wet I sometimes forget to add addtional stopping time to my braking efforts.
Before this summer, I never thought the V- brakes were short on stopping power wet or dry.

Also, I got tired of cleaning the brake soup / sludge off the rims after wet rides . and like never said, the quick wearing pads when its wet.

Yeah, I've only ever really used V-brakes. My only regular experience with discs has been with my recently finished Major Jake (so about a week!). It has a Hayes HMX-1 up front and I haven't been overly impressed with it. I bet if I rode a bike with a quality disc setup for a while, I probably wouldn't want to go back to V-brakes.

And here is another truth of the matter. A good biker doesn't really need disc brakes on the rear. If you're upgrading, disc on the front is all you will need.

She probably runs them because she has to. Given her racing record, I doubt she ever uses them.

I've only owned Hayes disc brakes: HFX-9 DH w/8" rotors, and the MX-1's with 8" rotors. I can only barely tell any difference between the two in stopping power, BUT the mechanical's are FAR easier to keep-up.

Maybe I don't know what I'm missing, huh?

I've had the special ability to make even X-Mart brakes work great.

My bike has ProMax V-brakes on the rear, discs on the front. They work supurbly. Though I did put Kool Stop MTB brake pads on the V's.

Hmm. I've had to do exactly zero maintenance (other than occasionally truing the rotors) since I put my HFX-9's on a few months ago. What have you had to do?