Brake Controllers as of Nov 2008

There are a few good brake controllers on the market.

My opinion on brake controller selection is you should take into consideration how long you anticipate keeping your tow vehicle.  Short term, you may not want to make much investment.  Long term, you may want something better.

The most important aspect of a brake controller is how it determines how much braking to provide to the trailer.  They all basically provide output of 0-12VDC.

Brake controllers should apply brakes based on how hard the driver depresses the brake pedal.  There are only 2 after-market controllers that do this directly - BrakeSmart and MaxBrake.  They both tap into the master brake cylinder and convert fluid pressure into a 0-12VDC output for the brakes.  This is the same principle used by the Ford Integrated Brake Control system.  I believe GM now offers an Integrated Brake Controller but I dont know anything about it.

Another great controller is Jordan.  Jordan used a cable attached to the brake pedal.  It works very well - I currently have one.  However, their business is questionable at this time.  I believe Jordan sold out to another business.  Jordan indicates the controllers are not available at this time.

Tekonsha Prodigy and P3 both very popular and use inertia to determine how much braking should be applied.  This is based on the deceleration of the tow vehicle.  As you brake, the tow vehicle slows and signals the trailer brakes via the controller how much voltage to output.    There are other Tekonsha products, but with the little difference in cost, I wouldnt recommend them.

The Reese Brakeman and Activator II (sold under several other names) do not relate to braking other than when you touch the brakes, they begin output.  Their output is based on time and a preset amount.  It has little to do with braking needs.  I do not recommend them.

I believe the best brake controller on the market is BrakeSmart, MaxBrake second and Tekonsha third.  Prodigy and P3 are very similar with the P3 (newest) providing an amp reading to view the current draw of the brakes in total.    This aids in determing when a brake solenoid has become disconnected or failed.

Here are some related links to Brake controllers, harnesses and where you can buy online.
Links Related to Rving