ATA Pressure Explained For Hyperbaric Chamber Buyers
What 1.3, 1.5, 1.9 and 2.0 ATA mean in practice, and how to pick the pressure band before you shortlist a chamber.
Buying Guide · updated 2026-09-18
ATA Pressure Explained For Hyperbaric Chamber Buyers
What 1.3, 1.5, 1.9 and 2.0 ATA mean in practice, and how to pick the pressure band before you shortlist a chamber.
On this page
- ATA is total pressure, not added pressure
- The four bands Oxygen Times builds
- Higher is not automatically better
- Configurable pressure
- What pressure does not tell you
- A note on use
ATA is total pressure, not added pressure
ATA stands for atmospheres absolute. It is the total pressure inside the chamber, including the atmosphere that is already around you at sea level. 1.0 ATA is normal air. A chamber running at 1.5 ATA holds one and a half times sea-level pressure, which is roughly 7 psi of gauge pressure - the number a pressure gauge on the chamber shows, because a gauge reads the difference rather than the total.
This is the first place buyers get confused. A supplier quoting 7 psi and a supplier quoting 1.5 ATA are quoting the same chamber. A supplier quoting 1.5 psi is quoting something very different.
The four bands Oxygen Times builds
| Pressure | Gauge equivalent | Typical setting | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 ATA | About 4.4 psi | Gentle daily use | OTL15 configured at 1.3 ATA |
| 1.5 ATA | About 7 psi | Home, studio and spa programmes | Eight models across soft and hard shell |
| 1.9 ATA | About 13 psi | Deeper sessions without a rigid room | OTL19, OHL19 |
| 2.0 ATA | About 14.7 psi | Clinics, recovery centres, performance | OTS20, OHC20, OHE20 |
Higher is not automatically better
Raising pressure increases how much oxygen dissolves into the body during a session. It also makes pressurisation and depressurisation more demanding, which matters when the same person sits several times a week. Home and studio buyers who start at 2.0 ATA because it is the biggest number often find their clients prefer the 1.5 ATA unit, and the higher-pressure chamber sits idle.
The more useful question is who uses the chamber and how often. A home user running daily sessions and a clinic running protocol-driven programmes are different purchases, and the honest answer for a mixed client base is often two chambers or a configurable one.
Configurable pressure
Two models avoid the decision entirely. The OTL15 is ordered as either a 1.3 ATA or a 1.5 ATA configuration. The OTL19 runs an adjustable 1.1 to 1.9 ATA under fully automatic control, so the operator sets the level for the session rather than for the life of the chamber.
What pressure does not tell you
Two chambers at the same ATA can be very different purchases. Interior diameter decides who fits. Build type decides whether it can be moved. Control type decides how much operator attention each session costs. Pressure is the first filter, not the specification.
A note on use
This page describes equipment. It is not medical advice. How a hyperbaric chamber may be used, and by whom, is set by the regulations of the country it is installed in, and meeting them is the buyer's responsibility.
Buyer questions
Questions On This Topic
Is 7 psi the same as 1.5 ATA?
Which pressure sells best to home buyers?
Can a chamber be upgraded to a higher pressure later?
Chambers Mentioned In This Guide
OTL15 Lying Chamber
Ø800–900 × 2000–2200 mm · Lie down, 1 person · Versatile lie-flat soft-shell chamber in three diameters, switchable between 1.3 and 1.5 ATA.
OTL19 Premium Soft Lying Chamber
Extended lie-flat interior · Lie down, 1 person · Premium soft-shell chamber reaching 1.9 ATA (13 PSI) with automatic pressure control and an external frame.
OTS20 2.0 ATA Soft Sitting Chamber
Foldable TPU sitting chamber · Sit, 1 person · Professional portable sitting chamber delivering a true 2.0 ATA in high-strength TPU with a foldable design.
OHE20 Hard-Shell Sitting Chamber
Stainless-steel sitting cabin · Sit, 1 person · Premium stainless-steel 2.0 ATA sitting chamber with intelligent automatic pressure control and a zero-gravity cabin.
Keep Reading
Soft-Shell Versus Hard-Shell Hyperbaric Chambers
Build type decides installation, duty cycle and resale far more than pressure does. Here is how the two families actually differ.
How To Size A Hyperbaric Chamber For Your Users
Diameter, length and entry height decide who actually fits. A dimension-by-dimension guide across all seventeen models.
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