I prefer tearing.

Only torn.

I've never gotten anything torn (that I know of) but I've only ever heard good things about torn. So that's what I'd go with.

my vote is torn

Either. I always add extra to my order so I'm covered

My LQS tears the wide backs so I vote also for torn.

Torn. But if I'm piecing the backing it really doesn't make a difference one way or another.

On a backing .. TORN! It's a pain in the .. to try to straighten a backing any other way. So if you tear .. I know I am starting out ... straight.

I prefer to tear mine, they seem to hang better and the tearing follows the grain. I bought some backing fabric from Eleanor Burns site and it was torn so I figure if it is good enough for her then it sure is for me.

I don't want my 45" fabric torn, but YES on tearing the wide backing. That's what I do at home.