Published by Summit Oxygen, Inc. in Frisco, CO. Reviewed by owner Jeff Miller, Certified Respiratory Therapist, with over 25 years of experience in oxygen therapy and respiratory equipment.
If you’ve spent time looking into oxygen as a wellness tool or a travel aid in the Colorado mountains, you’ve probably run into two very different offerings. There’s the flavored oxygen poured at recreational oxygen bars at ski resorts and weddings, and there’s the Oxygen equipment people rent or buy at home, things like concentrators, oxygen tanks.
They both involve oxygen. They both get used in Colorado’s high country. But they’re built for different reasons. Here’s a clear look at how they compare, and how to figure out which one fits your situation.
A recreational oxygen bar is a wellness experience, not a treatment. Guests sit in a relaxed setting, breathe lightly scented oxygen through a comfortable nasal cannula, and walk out feeling refreshed. Sessions are short, usually 15 to 30 minutes, and the experience is designed for healthy adults looking to take the edge off altitude, recover from a long day on the slopes, or add something memorable to a private event.
The equipment behind an oxygen bar is straightforward. An oxygen concentrator filters nitrogen out of the room air and pushes concentrated oxygen into a diffuser, a small chamber filled with water and food-grade aromatic particles or herbal teas. The oxygen picks up a light scent, gets humidified so it isn’t drying to the nose, and then flows through plastic tubing to the guest’s cannula.
The flow is low, the experience is gentle, and it’s something people of all ages can typically enjoy. Anyone with a respiratory condition should still check with a respiratory therapist before a session, which is something guests at our Frisco location can do on-site.
Oxygen equipment is a different category entirely. This is the gear people use when they have a documented breathing issue, when their doctor has recommended supplemental oxygen, or when they’re visiting the Rockies and their body isn’t handling the altitude well.
Different conditions call for different equipment. At high altitude, anyone’s lungs become less efficient because there are simply fewer oxygen molecules in the air, which is why visitors from sea level so often struggle. And people with sleep apnea need equipment that supports their breathing while they sleep, since their bodies aren’t moving air properly on their own.
Summit Oxygen carries the equipment to address all of these situations:
Every piece of equipment we sell or rent is certified, tested, and ready to use, and every customer gets a full setup, with complete instruction. Rentals are available at daily, weekly, and monthly rates, which makes the equipment practical for both Colorado residents and visitors here on vacation.
The clearest way to think about it: an oxygen bar is a short, recreational session for a healthy guest who wants a wellness boost. Oxygen equipment is a longer-term tool for someone managing a real breathing concern, whether that’s a chronic condition or temporary trouble adjusting to altitude.
Oxygen bars use unpressurized, flavored oxygen delivered for a few minutes at a time in a hospitality setting. Oxygen equipment delivers oxygen or breathing support tailored to the user’s needs, often continuously, with the equipment placed in their home or carried with them throughout the day.
If your doctor has talked to you about supplemental oxygen, the right answer is oxygen equipment, not an oxygen bar. If you’re just feeling foggy from the altitude after flying in from sea level, an oxygen bar session may be exactly what you need.
Most oxygen providers do one or the other. We do both, and that’s not an accident. Our owner Jeff Miller is a Certified Respiratory Therapist who’s spent over 25 years in this field, and the company is built around helping people breathe better in the Colorado mountains, whatever form that takes.
If you walk into our Frisco location with a mild headache after a long travel day, a flavored oxygen session is probably the right call. If you’re visiting Breckenridge and you’re worried about how your body will handle the elevation, we can provide a concentrator rental, set it up, and show you exactly how to use it. And if you’re booking a wedding in Keystone or a corporate retreat in Copper Mountain, we’ll bring our mobile oxygen bar to the venue.
Having both services under one roof means you get honest guidance about which one actually fits your situation.
Is the oxygen at an oxygen bar the same as what’s in an oxygen concentrator?
The concentrator technology is similar, but the experience isn’t. Oxygen bar equipment delivers oxygen at a low, unpressurized flow with added aroma and humidity. Oxygen equipment delivers oxygen at specific flow rates suited to a user’s needs and can include pressurized delivery.
Can I use an oxygen bar instead of renting oxygen equipment for my Colorado trip?
An oxygen bar is a short wellness session and isn’t a substitute for the continuous support that oxygen equipment provides. For visitors who need oxygen at altitude, we offer short-term rentals with delivery and setup.
What altitude symptoms can oxygen actually help with?
Using oxygen at altitude can help ease the kinds of symptoms many visitors notice in their first day or two in the mountains, including headaches, low appetite, and poor sleep. Whether an oxygen bar session is enough or whether you’d benefit from a rented concentrator for your stay depends on how severe your symptoms are and your overall health.
Do I need to book in advance for an oxygen bar session?
Walk-ins are welcome at our Frisco location. For mobile oxygen bar service at a wedding, corporate event, or private party, we recommend reaching out well in advance so we can plan equipment and staffing.
What areas do you deliver oxygen equipment to?
We deliver throughout Summit, Eagle, and Grand Counties, including Frisco, Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Dillon, Silverthorne, Vail, Beaver Creek, Fraser, Winter Park, Granby, and Grand Lake.
Can I try a concentrator before I buy one?
Yes. Renting first is one of the best ways to find out whether a particular concentrator suits your lifestyle and health needs before committing to a purchase. We rent home units, portables, and oxygen tanks at daily, weekly, and monthly rates.
Whether you want a quick recreational oxygen session, you’re planning an event that calls for a mobile oxygen bar, or you need reliable oxygen equipment for your stay in the Rockies, Summit Oxygen has you covered.
Visit our Frisco, CO location for a walk-in oxygen bar session, book our mobile oxygen bar for your wedding or corporate retreat, or rent medical oxygen equipment delivered straight to your door anywhere in Summit, Eagle, or Grand County.
Call us at (970) 468-0142 or request a quote online. With over 25 years of respiratory experience and a Certified Respiratory Therapist on the team, you’ll get honest answers and the right equipment the first time.
