I'm happy with Continental. As chombi pointed out, the consistency is good for spreading with one finger and getting a not-too-thick layer.

For 'cross racing I apply 3 layers to the rim, spaced a few hours apart, and 1 layer to the tire. I use about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 tubes per tire for 'cross where tires are subjected to a season of mud, ice, and all sorts of unfriendly surfaces at around 25 to 30 psi. For road I use between 1 and 1 1/4 tubes per tire.

Brent