Choose a hard-shell chamber if you want 2.0 ATA, a rigid shell with fixed windows and a door, and can plan the installation of a chamber of about 500–1,185 kg. Choose a soft chamber if a lighter, lower-pressure chamber fits: 1.2–1.5 ATA, 30–50 kg plus an 85 kg all-in-one unit, far easier to move and place. Neither choice says anything on its own about health outcomes — SkelundTech makes no medical claims.
What “ATA” means
ATA stands for atmospheres absolute. 1.0 ATA is normal air pressure at sea level. A chamber at 2.0 ATA holds about one atmosphere above sea-level pressure — roughly 1 bar, or 14.7 psi, on a gauge. At 1.5 ATA the difference is about 0.5 bar (7.3 psi); at 1.3 ATA about 0.3 bar (4.4 psi).
A pressure figure describes the equipment. It does not by itself decide whether a chamber may be sold, or used for a particular purpose, in your country.
Side by side
| Hard-shell | Soft | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating pressure | 2.0 ATA | 1.2–1.5 ATA |
| SkelundTech models | LUMEN, VISTA, ARC, ORION, ORION COMPACT | REST, DRIFT, COVE 80 / 90 / 100 |
| Postures | Seated or upright; reclining (ORION) | Seated (REST), seated or reclining (DRIFT), lying (COVE) |
| People | 1 person; VISTA 1 or 2 | Confirmed per model on request |
| Chamber weight | ≈ 500–1,185 kg, excluding the main unit | 30–50 kg, plus an 85 kg all-in-one unit |
| External size | From 1,450 × 830 × 1,450 mm (ORION COMPACT) to 1,850 × 1,400 × 2,000 mm (LUMEN, VISTA) and 2,005 mm long (ORION) | 140 × 110 × 115 cm (REST) to 210 cm long (DRIFT, COVE) |
| Main unit | 10L all-in-one: oxygen concentrator, air compressor and air conditioning; 20L + BIBS optional | 85 kg all-in-one unit, 1,500 W, with air conditioning; 10 L/min oxygen flow; two oxygen masks |
| Controls | Two touch panels and two intercoms, inside and outside | External pressure gauge |
| Installation | Planned route, suitable floor and a dedicated circuit; installed in one place | Far lighter; easier to move and place |
When a hard-shell chamber fits
- You want to offer sessions at 2.0 ATA.
- You want a rigid chamber with fixed windows, a door, integrated air conditioning and controls inside and outside.
- The chamber can stay in one place, and the route, floor and power supply can be planned for a chamber of about 500–1,185 kg.
- You want a choice of postures and options — two people in VISTA, reclining in ORION, or the option list of LUMEN.
When a soft chamber fits
- The pressure you want to offer is 1.2–1.5 ATA.
- Weight and space decide: the chamber weighs 30–50 kg, plus an 85 kg all-in-one unit.
- The chamber may need to move, or the building cannot take a heavy chamber.
- Budget matters more than the options of a hard-shell chamber.
Settle these before choosing
- The pressure you intend to offer, and what the rules in your market say about it.
- How many people use the chamber at once, and whether they sit, recline or lie.
- The route into the room, the floor loading and the power supply.
- Who will operate the chamber, and where the main unit will stand.
Then compare models: the hard-shell comparison or the soft chambers.
Questions
Which is heavier to install?
A hard-shell chamber: about 500–1,185 kg excluding its main unit, against 30–50 kg plus an 85 kg all-in-one unit for a soft chamber.
Do soft chambers have air conditioning?
Yes. Air conditioning is standard on REST, DRIFT and COVE, supplied from the 85 kg all-in-one unit.
Sources
- SkelundTech hard-shell model documentation and five-model optional configuration comparison, October 2026
- SkelundTech soft chamber documentation, version 2
