The maker is the largest US soft-shell chamber brand. Three of its lines — Vitaeris, Respiro, and Solace — anchor the US mild-HBOT market.
Competitors include Summit to Sea, Newtowne Hyperbarics, Macy-Pan, and several import brands. Sechrist Industries and Perry Baromedical sit in the hard-shell class — a different regulatory tier.
The honest comparison below treats them as what they are: 1.3 ATA chambers with FDA clearance for one indication. Anything beyond that is off-label.
This piece walks through specs, prices, and where the marketing exceeds the evidence.
What the FDA clearance actually says
All three lines fall under FDA product code CBF, per the openFDA 510(k) database (2024).
The cleared indication is acute mountain sickness. Other uses — including the wellness, recovery, and cognitive claims common in marketing — are off-label.
The FDA consumer update on HBOT (2021) is direct that 1.3 ATA devices are not approved for the conditions many clinics advertise.
That framing matters before any spec sheet comparison.
Vitaeris line — the clinical workhorse
The Vitaeris 320 is the most-deployed soft chamber in US wellness clinics. It outsells lines from Summit to Sea and Newtowne by a wide margin. The 320 in the name is the internal length in cm.
Internal diameter is roughly 32 inches. The frame is rigid fabric over a heavy zipper closure, with two pressure-relief valves.
Cost runs $18K to $22K new. A separate oxygen concentrator adds $1,500 to $3,000.
The 320 is the model most US chiropractic, recovery, and integrative clinics buy. It is also the model the Aviv Clinics evidence vs marketing breakdown examines, since 1.3 ATA wellness sessions sit at the heart of the wellness category.
Honesty point: nothing about the Vitaeris hardware changes the underlying pressure ceiling. It is a well-built 1.3 ATA chamber.
Respiro line — the home-oriented sibling
The Respiro 270 is built for home use. Internal length runs about 270 cm, with a slightly tighter diameter.
Build quality is closer to Vitaeris than to lower-cost competitors. Pricing runs $12K to $16K new — meaningfully less than the 320.
Two practical differences: the frame is lighter, and the entry zipper is on a different spec. Home buyers report the chamber is easier to set up and break down without help.
Operating cost is identical to the 320 once you account for the concentrator. The pressure delivered is the same 1.3 ATA. The clearance indication is the same acute mountain sickness.
The Respiro is the model many home users actually want when they think of a Vitaeris — same maker, same pressure, smaller footprint.
Solace line — the entry-level position
The Solace 210 is the maker's smallest and lowest-priced line. It competes directly with Summit to Sea's Shallow Dive and Newtowne Hyperbarics' entry models. Internal length is about 210 cm — meaningfully shorter than the Vitaeris.
The chamber works for one person of average height, but tall users may find it tight.
Price runs $9K to $11K new. Build quality is still well above the lowest-end imports.
The Solace covers the same pressure ceiling and clearance indication as the larger lines. The price difference is build, materials, and warranty, not capability.
In the field, the Solace is the model home buyers choose when budget is the constraint and the chamber will be used by one person rather than shared.
Where the marketing exceeds the evidence
Soft-chamber product pages — across OxyHealth's lineup and lines from Summit to Sea and Newtowne Hyperbarics — describe the chambers in clinical terms. Resellers stretch those into off-label promotion.
The pattern across the FDA's 2013 consumer alert on HBOT (2013) is consistent. Claims for autism, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and athletic recovery all run ahead of the controlled-trial evidence at 1.3 ATA.
For the long-COVID case, the Shamir 2023 RCT analysis used 2.0 ATA in a hard chamber. The result does not translate to a Vitaeris at 1.3 ATA. See detailed Shamir long-COVID RCT analysis for the full Shamir-RCT methodology analysis.
See our HBOT for ADHD review (2026) and HBOT for athletic recovery vs evidence (2026) for the detailed breakdown.
Side-by-side comparison
| Model | Length | Diameter | Pressure | New price | Used 5-year-old |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitaeris 320 | 320 cm | 32 in | 1.3 ATA | $18K–$22K | $7K–$10K |
| Respiro 270 | 270 cm | 30 in | 1.3 ATA | $12K–$16K | $5K–$8K |
| Solace 210 | 210 cm | 28 in | 1.3 ATA | $9K–$11K | $3K–$5K |
Pricing varies by reseller and includes the chamber only. Add $1,500 to $3,000 for the oxygen concentrator and $200 to $500 for setup accessories.
For the broader soft-chamber price landscape, see Macy-Pan vs Vitaeris: the price gap explained.
Operating costs that all three share
Once you buy any of the three chambers, the ongoing cost profile is similar:
- Oxygen concentrator: $1,500 to $3,000 every 5 to 7 years
- Zipper replacement: $200 to $500 every 2 to 4 years of regular use
- Pressure relief valve calibration: $100 to $200 annually
- Sieve bed replacement on concentrator: $300 to $800 at 5 to 7 years
- Electricity for the concentrator: $20 to $50 per month on regular use
A realistic 5-year cost-of-ownership stack runs $3K to $5K above the purchase price.
What the chambers will and will not do
At 1.3 ATA on ambient or supplemental oxygen, the chambers deliver roughly 1.4 times normal oxygen tension. That is real but modest.
The Mychaskiw 2014 review in Anesthesiology News (2014) frames 1.3 ATA as functionally below the threshold for most clinical effects established in hard-chamber research.
What 1.3 ATA can reasonably do is treat acute mountain sickness — the cleared indication. Anything else is off-label, and outcomes are mixed.
For the institutional perspective, see our institutional silence on HBOT (2026) analysis of what major medical centers do and do not endorse.
Warranty and support
The manufacturer's warranty is one to three years depending on the line and the reseller. Annual service contracts run $300 to $800. Sechrist Industries and Perry Baromedical offer longer warranty windows on hard-shell models, but the comparison is not direct.
Parts availability is solid for current models. Older chambers — past 7 to 10 years — can be harder to support, particularly on the concentrator side.
If buying used, follow our used hyperbaric chamber guide.
Related reading
- Aviv Clinics: evidence vs marketing
- FDA-cleared hyperbaric chambers: the complete list
- Macy-Pan vs Vitaeris: the price gap explained
- Sechrist vs Perry Baromedical: monoplace showdown
- The complete 2026 HBOT chamber buyer's guide
Frequently asked questions
Which model is best for a home buyer?
The Respiro 270 is the most commonly chosen home model. It balances size, build quality, and price. The Solace 210 is the budget option for a single user. The Vitaeris 320 is over-spec for home use unless the buyer expects clinic-level cycle frequency.
Do any of these chambers deliver real medical HBOT?
No. All three operate at 1.3 ATA and carry FDA clearance for acute mountain sickness only. Real medical HBOT uses hard-shell Class II chambers at 2.0 to 3.0 ATA for the 14 FDA-approved indications. Soft chambers cannot reach those pressures.
How long do these soft chambers last?
A well-maintained Vitaeris or Respiro typically runs 7 to 10 years before major refurbishment. Zippers, seams, and concentrator components are the first parts to need attention. The Solace usually shows wear sooner because the lighter build cycles harder per session.
What is the resale value at 5 years?
Used 5-year-old Vitaeris 320 chambers commonly sell at $7K to $10K — roughly 40% of new. Respiro 270 holds at $5K to $8K. Solace 210 at $3K to $5K. Resale below those bands usually signals concentrator end-of-life or zipper damage.
Can I bill insurance for sessions in any of these chambers?
No. Insurance coverage for HBOT requires hard-shell Class II chambers at FDA-approved pressures for FDA-approved indications. The Medicare HBOT coverage policy (2024) is explicit on this. Soft chambers cannot be billed under HBOT codes.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Soft-shell hyperbaric chambers carry FDA 510(k) clearance for acute mountain sickness only. Any other use is off-label, and the supporting evidence for off-label indications at 1.3 ATA is limited. Consult your doctor before pursuing HBOT for any condition.
-- The HBOT Finder Team