Frameless Bypass Tub Door
2 sliding panels

http://designashower.com/en/catalog/door_fronts?door_front_id=516&door_model_id=gemini-plus-tub-bypass-66-h

The quote I received for that type of door is out of my budget. I am choosing between the 2 that I mentioned.

Semi-frameless has a wider opening 30" and opens on both sides (which is a plus). It will be easier to bathe small children. That's my vote.

i agree, save the glass til your children have all reached showering age. especially really little ones who can wriggle away and not be reachable.... slippery fishes...

Save money and your back and buy a nice washable shower curtain. I hated bathing kids at inlaws houses with those stupid doors. And the ones on our stand alone showers are just a cleaning nightmare. there is a reason most hotels don't have those on tubs. Imagine scrubbing the tub, it would be harder than bathing bouncy boys. just the opinion of mom sending her third off to college. BTW ease of cleaning is more important when nagging teens to do it.

Thank you all for your comments!
My hesitation around a shower curtain is that every shower I've seen with them ends up with pools of water on the floor (especially when it is kids showering)

jef78

You posted "I am choosing between the 2 that I mentioned" in response to the link I had posted. That link is for one of the types you were choosing from. It is a sliding frameless door where both sides open, but unlike other sliding doors it is a complete bypass which makes the door opening wider than other models. That model is only available for 60" tubs and I just realized it wouldn't have worked out for you anyway.

Another option - only partially closed.

http://designashower.com/uploads/door_model/spec_pdf/97/Evolution_Monaco_Square_Tub_Shield_Gen_Specs_05-2017.pdf

Thank you, definitely a good idea. Any idea how well these types of doors retain heat during a shower?

No, I'm sorry I don't.

"Any idea how well these types of doors retain heat during a shower?"

They don't............

I don't think you can count on any of them to retain heat. Are you kids old enough to bathe themselves or are you still in the reach-over-the-edge-of-the-tub phase?

I have all types...1 kid in the "reach over the edge", 1 kid in the "bathe herself", and 2 who shower.
I would imagine a fully closed door would keep out the draft more than the half-door?

For now, at least until kid #4 can bathe themselves, I'd do an adjustable rod with a shower curtain and liner. If that time isn't too far away, decide if you can live with reaching over the tub. A sliding glass door tub is going to keep out the drafts better than an open shower door. And go semi-frameless, it'll hold up better to the kids' abuse.

We have no small children to bathe but we put glass by pass shower doors on our tub/shower. Thought it might make the bathroom seem bigger. Wrong! It was so hard to keep clean and the doors kept coming off the track, so gave up and now have a cloth shower curtain with a plastic liner (liner has magnets on it that stick to the inside of the tub). Much better for us and as long as the liner is inside the tub when showering, there is no water on the floor.

"I would imagine a fully closed door would keep out the draft more than the half-door?"

Obviously, but you specifically asked about heat...............

Poor choice of words. I meant to say "feeling warmer during the shower".

jef78, I hate when DH opens the bathroom door while I'm in the shower to get something and then leaves it open. Talk about a draft!