The difference in one table
| Soft-shell | Hard-shell | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Fabric pressure bag, zip entry, internal frame | Steel or acrylic vessel, sealed door, viewing ports |
| Maximum pressure | 1.5 ATA (FLOW Recline 70, FLOW Seated 80) | 1.9–2.0 ATA (all other Oxivity models) |
| Chamber weight | 30 kg | 300 – 1,450 kg |
| Portability | Two people can move it; packs down | Positioned once; moved by professionals |
| Entry | Zip, lying or seated | Door the occupant opens, seated, reclined or upright |
| Noise | ≤20 dB inside, ≤50 dB at the engine | ≤20 dB inside, ≤50 dB at the engine |
| Room | Any closed room, 3.0 × 2.4 m | Treatment room 3.0 × 2.4 m up; floor loading check on upper floors |
| List price inc GST | A$11,776 | A$21,015 – A$74,886 |
When a soft-shell is the right call
- →The chamber will move: a sports team that travels, a mine camp on a rotating roster, a mobile recovery service.
- →The budget is under A$20k and the room is a spare bedroom or a demountable.
- →Nothing may be fixed to the building — a rental, a strata property, a leased clinic room.
- →Wheelchair users transfer at floor level more easily than through a raised door (see our aged-care page).
When a hard-shell is the right call
- →You intend to run sessions at 2.0 ATA.
- →The chamber is a visible, bookable feature of a commercial floor — clients will photograph it, and it needs to look like equipment, not camping gear.
- →Turnaround matters: a door that opens in seconds beats a zip and a frame between back-to-back bookings.
- →You want two people in one session (CORE Duo, CUBOID Duo, AURA Duo).
Things both types share
Every Oxivity chamber, soft or hard, runs from the same TRIAD engine: compressor, PSA oxygen generation to ≥93% ±3%, and cooling in one cabinet on a standard power point. Neither type uses gas cylinders. Both are ≤20 dB inside. Both are delivered, commissioned and handed over with operator training. The difference is the vessel, not the plant.
A middle path: the capsule and the mini
Two models sit between the bands. The FLOW Capsule 85 is a sealed hard-shell capsule at 1.9 ATA for A$21,015 — hard-shell pressure at close to soft-shell money. The CUBOID Mini is the smallest 2.0 ATA hard-shell we stock, in a 1.4 × 0.8 m footprint for A$29,012, built for gyms with a corner rather than a room.
A 2.0 ATA chamber is holding one atmosphere of gauge pressure — the same as a vessel 10 m under water. That is why hard-shells are heavy and why we check floor loading on upper floors. It is also why pressure-equipment rules can apply; see our ATA guide.
Questions people ask
Can a soft-shell reach 2.0 ATA?
No. Soft-shells in this range are rated to 1.5 ATA. Higher pressure needs a rigid vessel and a sealed door.
Is a hard-shell louder?
No. Both types are ≤20 dB inside the chamber and ≤50 dB at the engine, because the engine is the same cabinet.
Which is easier to clean between clients?
A hard-shell: wipe-down surfaces and a door. Soft-shells have fabric and a zip, which take longer to turn around in a commercial setting.
Can I start with a soft-shell and upgrade?
Yes, and many do. The FLOW unit then becomes the travelling or overflow chamber alongside the hard-shell.
Sources
- Oxivity chamber specifications and list prices — All 21 models, inc GST, as published on this site
- Safe Work Australia — model WHS laws and plant registration — Pressure equipment may need design and item registration depending on its hazard level
Oxivity supplies hyperbaric chambers and related equipment as wellness equipment and makes no therapeutic claims for them. In Australia, a device supplied for a therapeutic purpose must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), and advertising of therapeutic goods is governed by the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code. Whether either applies to your intended use is a question for the Therapeutic Goods Administration and your own advisers. Nothing on this page is medical, legal or financial advice. See our disclaimer.
Related: Compare all chambers · 2026 prices · 1.3 vs 2.0 ATA · Book a walkthrough