Your truck may of just been ordered "cheap" if the brakes don't seem as strong as other simimlar sized trucks. Regardless if Ford, GM, or Dodge, there are several optional brake packages available when you buy a new truck. Brakes get bigger and stronger as the GVRW goes up - and much depends on exactly what you have. If you have small brakes, you're not going to gain much by changing quality of the brake pads and/or shoes.
In regard to price versus quality - and getting what you pay for? I don't believe it. A good friend of mine owns a NAPA store and we've had many discussions on the subject. Some of the "econmomy" NAPA stuff is excellent quality, and some of NAPA's highest price parts are crap. Price does NOT guarantee quality.
If you buy a longer lasting ceramic or metallic pad and/or shoe - the material lasts longer, some throw off less debris, have less fade under heat, but wear the metal parts out faster (disks and drums). Buy a soft organic-based lining - and metal parts last much longer - but the brakes glaze fast if you get them hot.
If you do a lot of serious towing, and your brakes make you nervous - you need a different truck - OR - and upgrade to a better brake system.
I recently upgraded my W250 Dodge diesel truck - but mostly because Dodge made it easy for me. It came OEM as an 8510 lb. GVRW truck. Rear brake shoes were 2 1/2" wide by 12" diameter - but . . . came with 3 1/2" wide drums. So, upgrading only needed larger-bore wheel cylinders and new 3" X 12" shoes. Worked nicely.
With your truck - check you GM RPO code-decal. It will tell you what brake system your truck presently has. Probably a JC4 of JC5 unless it's a real heavy rig.
J1F : BRAKE PROVISION SPECIAL TO SUIT FOREIGN REGULATION
J41 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
J42 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, ALUMINUM
J50 : BRAKE SYSTEM, POWER
J52 : FRONT DISC BRAKES
J55 : BRAKE SYSTEM, HEAVY DUTY
J56 : SPECIAL HEAVY DUTY BRAKE PACKAGE
J61 : DRUM BRAKES
J65 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
J81 : INDICATOR SWITCH, EXPORT
J85 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
JA1 : BRAKE, LIGHT WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA2 : BRAKE, HEAVY WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA3 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, WAGON DISC DRUM
JA4 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
JA5 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, SPORT COUPE DISC DRUM
JA6 : BRAKE, EXTRA LIGHT WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA7 : HANDLE, PARK BRAKE RELEASE, LEATHER
JA8 : BRAKE, MEDIUM WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JAF : BRAKE, PROVISIONS EUROPE
JB1 : BRAKE, MANUAL, DISC/DRUM, 4300 LBS
JB3 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 4600 LBS
JB5 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 6400 LBS
JB6 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 7200 LBS
JB7 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 8400 L85
JB8 : 8RAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 10000 LBS
JC4 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 5600 LBS
JC5 : BRAKE, VAC POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 7200 LBS
JC7 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 12000 LBS
JCB : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DISC, 20000 LBS
JD3 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM
JD5 : BRAKE, DUAL POWER, DISC/DRUM, 6400 LBS
JD6 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM, 7200 LBS
JD7 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM, 8400 LBS
JE1 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, EUROPE
JE5 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, ANTILOCK, FRT & RR WHL
JF9 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4 WHEEL DISC
JG1 : SHAFT, PROP, ALUMINUM
JH5 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 7200 LBS
JH6 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 9900 LBS
JL2 : BRAKE, FRT DISC, SINGLE PISTON
JL4 : ACTICE HANDLING
JL6 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, MAN, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
JL8 : FRONT & REAR DISC BRAKES
JL9 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, FRT a RR OISC, ANTILOCK, FRT W
JM3 : BOOSTER, BRAKE, 240MM TANDEM, HIGH FLOW
JM4 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON,
JM5 : BOOSTER, BRAKE, 200MM TANDEM, HIGH FLOW
JM7 : BOOSTER, BRAKE HYD HI PERF, DELCO-MORAINE
JM8 : BRAKE SYSTEM PWR, FRT DISC RR DRUM, ALUMINUM,