Semi-solid oil based stain hands down. Latex Solid stains and paint can peel. The solid stains in particular are prone to chalking and can fade fast. A good semisolid oil will soak in and give some nice color. You'll never have to scrape it and it's likely a 1 coat application. Use a brush to work it in instead of spray. You'll get about 250-275sq ft per gallon on bare wood. A quick power wash and recoat every 8-10 yrs is all it'll need