So you would rather fish out of a Bay Runner than a one man flip over?
never fished out of a bay runner. makes me skittish on super windy days that i might be inside a kite i can't get out of.
i do have shappells dx3000 and don't like how the walls blow in so i made wind bars to help stop it. i do like being on a carpeted floor and having my things on the same floor. the problem for me it when there is a floor it limits how i have to use the preset floor plan and i don't like the time it takes to set up compared to a flip over. flips are much more versatile and fast to deploy.
the bay runner seems like a problem to free style fish where it becomes just a sled to bring your things and use them on the fly like you do with sleds. my flip over is hardly ever used as a shelter and needing deployed to get to my things seems like a hassle and stepping in and out of the tub onto a slippery plastic floor seems like injury waiting to happen. then amplify the situation with winds.
a flip over is way more low profile and designed to be in wind with a sloped back that faces into the winds and short so it has less wind loads. think about the design differences and you'll understand it better. if it's your first, then maybe you don't get it, but wind it a key factor with no leaves on trees to help reduce wind speeds in winter.
being basically a box your in using the bay runner, think of of how to anchor it to ice and if you move how much effort do you want to put into re-anchoring it. will it dampen willingness to move more or scout for fish. compare that now to a flip over design.
for what its worth i quit using my dx3000 cabin shelters for these reasons, but at least it has a carpeted floor.
much of this will matter more based off of your style of fishing ice. if you like to sit a lot, then maybe the bay runner is good. it may be better than loading a sled with a hub and things and then go set up with your things in the sled that you don't bring inside the shelter. i have two hub shelters and don't like using them either. only when i want to bring some one or provide shelter for others do i bother with any thing other than my flip. i am on my forth generation fx100. they keep making it better, so i keep buying new ones and selling older ones as they come out. currently running with shappell fx100 insulted. for you if i had to recommend a shelter with a growing family, i would say the shappell fx200 insulated. the shappell fx150 is the same weight and tub size (they just install the bars on the long sides of the tub so they don't have to be extended) so may as well go to the fx200 for fishable area and because they offer it in the insulated version and it only weighs 4 pounds more than the non-insulated version. if having to extend bars sounds like some thing you don't prefer to do then the fx150 will get you buy until you need more room for the youngster. bring foam anti fatigue squares to help with his feet from getting cool fast. kids boots are junk.
a few tips for no matter what you buy, use the augers ice shavings to make a "bed" where your tub/sled will be parked on. this is crucial on bare ice or ice with little snow cover. this also helps with wind getting in from under the tub.
use your auger to throw the rope over for an emergency ice anchor or drag if it gets loose. drill a partial hole and lean it into the wind at an angle to make the contact at ice stronger than drilling straight down.
use eskimo ice anchors, if you need ice anchors. i like using thier anchor driver on my auger drill. so i don't want to use a plate of any kind on my drill.
i feel we need to call and request they add the carpet to make it safer and i will probably do just that for those who want to get into one.
got to thinking about using ice cleats in thing. not good.
shappell/eagle claw
720-941-8723
http://shappell.com/you mention a 2 year old tho, that changes things up a lot. he won't stay 2 for long and then there's his safety around open holes and his little feet and your ability to keep him from harms way 100% of the time. i know i wouldn't want him on a slippery plastic floor with open flame and gas with wet snow covered boots.
being you wanted a cabin type of shelter it sounds like you jig fish and not sit waiting on flags which means the 2 year old will be near the holes your jigging from. as i mentioned the bay runner version 1 has two hatches, so if your still leaning that way, i'd suggest the bay runner 1 for your sons safety as far as limiting where he can place his feet, but only for that reason.
update: i called and they have no plans in the near future to add carpet to the bay runner floor, altho he said they have talked about it. he said maybe in a few years it will be included.
he did say they are making the frames sturdier, so you may want to hold out until they do that if your set on getting one.
