I slightly prefer the thumb studs overall, but it depends heavily on the design of the knife. For flippers, I tend to like it with both the thumb stud and the flipper (an example being the XM-18 flipper). If I were thinking about something like a Todd Begg Gent's Glimpse or an Ikoma Harrier, I definitely prefer just the flipper. Again, the overall design of the knife should dictate that. Sorry I'm not being much of a help.