Would you prefer vine charcoal or compressed for gesture sketchs?

neither I ether use a soft conte stick or a soft pastel I find charcoal rubs off too easily and I don't want to carry around a fixative to keep my good ones. I use a vine charcoal for planned drawings though, sense it removes easily It's great for planning an extended piece.

Would you prefer vine charcoal or compressed for gesture sketchs?
vine
Reply:Depend on the surface texture of paper-I like vine on very smooth paper. Compressed I use only on rough surfaces--I am really digging Carbon pencils and preferring it to charcoal..I would love to get my hands on Red and Black chalk that Old Masters used.
Reply:Both. I especially like compressed (in a square stick) or conte because I can use it on its side %26amp; get bolder strokes as well as crisp lines.