Originally Posted by Thunder

I'd like some experienced advice on which is actually better and why you prefer whichever.

Neither is better. Most better players lean to rebuys if they have time because of the deeper stacks

Rebuys mean you're not dead if you get beat but freezeouts should (in theory) cut out a lot of the maniac play of the rebuy period, thus limiting bad beats.

Dealing with 'maniacs' is a crucial skill but you should be happy to have them at your table during the first hour. Bad beats during the RB hour seem much better to me than the ones outside the RB hour. Choosing to play or not play based on the chance to take a bad beat is poor thinking at best. Be happy to get it in good and work on processing it when it doesn't hold

And when you have to budget for 5 - 10 rebuys, why not just enter 5 - 10 freezeouts instead?

Deeper stacks are the biggest reason. Stars and FT are now offering more deep stacks FOs but a year ago the deep stack tourneys were not as common and RBs were a place to find a bigger edge. I used to play almost all RBs but now I play about half and half if the schedule allows.

People will often play poorly during the RB hour and/or not adjust properly afterwards. Also, the play is generally bad compared to the cost because many players who can't afford them play them.

Also, it's fun to relax and play loose for an hour