I would go for one of these finishes from PPG

In CR's tests, no clear sealer wood stain performed well. Even the top-rated BEHR PREMIUM Transparent Waterproofing Wood Finish earned a score of 33; its appearance mediocre after only one year. Solid stains performed much better. The BEHR PREMIUM Solid Color Waterproofing Stain & Sealer -- available in 60 colors -- earned an 89 and still had a decent appearance after three years.

The product proposed by millworkman, if the same formula as when it was sold as Sikkens, will outlast pretty much any stain on the market. I would give it a shot!

Solid color stain , aka paint.

w0lley32: "The product proposed by millworkman, if the same formula as when it was sold as Sikkens, will outlast pretty much any stain on the market."

That product is PPG ProLuxe Cetol SRD RE Transparent Matte Natural Oil-Based All-in-One Stain and Finish.

Why would that product perform better than, say, penetrating-oil Olympic Wood Protector Waterproofing Sealant Clear which achieved the low score of 21 in CR's tests?

wdccruise:

Like I wrote, I don't know how that product has evolved, but 10-15 years ago, Sikkens was known in the industry to be the most durable product you can apply to exterior wood. My uncle built a cottage with cedar shingles all around, and he did two coats of Sikkens Cetol 23 on top of one coat of Sikkens Cetol 1. He was impressed by the results.

5 years ago, I stained my deck and my pool deck with their solid colour stain, and it still looks great. Only the areas least exposed to sunlight have mildewed, but a light scrub took care of that. I am not a professional, even though I am an active handyman, and I go by what has worked for me.

And I personally think CR is not worth the paper it's printed on.

w0lley32: "5 years ago, I stained my deck and my pool deck with their solid colour stain, and it still looks great."

"Solid color stain...still looks great" which is the type of product CR found performed best but "CR is not worth the paper it's printed on." Logic.