GoSk8ing,

The simple answer is, if you are having the problem, you must decide. Other people's responses are just their opinion and won't help you fly either mode. Obviously, if you needed tuition, then you would be better off choosing the mode that your tutor(s) use - unless buddy leads allow the teacher/student transmitters to be on opposing modes (I've never experienced buddy leads myself), in which case I refer you back to my first sentence.

I would also ask, why not have two txs? I keep 2 in my Tx bag (Mpx 3030 and Mpx 4000, if you're interested), one I use for flying smaller models and combat, using a rubber duck antenna (yep, I still fly 35 MHz!) and the other, my bigger and scale stuff - with full length aerial. I don't even need to change model memories when I change aircraft. It's no problem to keep two Txs and nowadays they're relatively cheap. (Long gone are the days when even a mere servo was a week's wages!)

I fly (almost exclusively slope) on mode 2 but believe there is no benefit or detriment to flying either mode. There are champion flyers on both! I even fly with a guy who, when he started flying, used a crappy old 27 MHz RC car Tx with split sticks (mode 1, if you will, but each stick only moved in one axis) because that’s what he had. When he subsequently got hold of a flying wing (a Zagi) he didn't have elevon mixing so he spun the RH stick unit through 90 deg and used both sticks fore 'n' aft, both fwd for pitch down, both back for pitch up and one forward & one back for roll. He's been nick-named "Tank" ever since. He can fly mode 1, mode 2 AND 'tank' mode - I'm jealous of anyone with that level of both flying talent and lateral thinking!

EloyM says, "With Mode One you have separation between the two most important controls, pitch and roll" - IMO that doesn't matter; if you are after precision aerobatics your rudder is just as important as any other control. If you're not, it makes little difference. And top flyers will be top flyers whatever mode they learnt on.

I believe mode 2 is more common, especially in RTF/Tx bundled planes which, if you are interested in that sort of thing, may sway you that way.
Now... the coup de grace in favour of mode 2 as far as I am concerned... if you fly mode 2, you can fly with one thumb - with mode 1, you need to use both. So, all you mode 1 flyers - how the heck do you guys hold your pint?