Peter's Quasi-Daily Blah-g

Who wants to complete their robot cosplay and simultaneously feel more capable of climbing cliffs? Hypershell, the company that brought us the original, relatively affordable sports exoskeleton, now has a few new metal suits for runners and hikers who need a little extra help on the trail.

There are three new models of exoskeleton, a $1,000 Hypershell X Pro S, a $1,500 Max S, and the $2,000 Ultra S. The Pro S was designed for “lighter” outdoor activity, while the Ultra S and Max S have access to up to 1,000W of max power output with 22N of torque with up to 15 mph (25 kph) max speed. The Ultra S also has the largest battery of the three, promising an 18-mile (30-kilometer) range per battery. The package comes with multiple batteries you can swap out when on the road.

The surprising thing about the Hypershell exoskeleton is that it works at all. The apparatus is centered around an armature of carbon fiber bars (the non-Ultra models use aluminum instead) that hugs your tailbone and legs just above the knees. Motors inside the back part of the exoskeleton follow your movements, so if you lift your leg, the Hypershell kicks in and pushes or pulls your limb, aiding your steps.

Hypershell’s new “S” series is still the same basic design as the last generation of exoskeletons. The main difference is how the device tracks body movement. The company told Gizmodo it had improved its AI motion detection to cut down on the delay between when you move your leg and when the motors kick in.

I personally had the chance to walk around with the device and climb several flights of stairs with different settings. There’s a very, very fine difference between the responsiveness of the new model and the old one. It overall adapted to my body faster and seemed a little more subtle than previous versions of the exoskeleton. That’s helped by its slightly slimmer design. Now, each bar that connects to your legs fits closer to your limbs. You still look like a cyborg who forgot their upper limbs, but some things can’t be helped.

The new Hypershell X Ultra S includes an automatic mode that supposedly uses AI to detect what kind of activity you’re doing and the terrain you’re running on. You can also use an app to manually select whether you’re running on a flat plane or tackling a steep cliff. The “S”-model Hypershell seemed to quickly guess when I was merely walking or facing an incline.

When I reviewed the original Hypershell Pro X, I thought it was an odd contraption despite how well it helped me tackle a moderately difficult hike. The device is built for and marketed to those who are already athletic. Hypershell likes to refer to its exoskeleton as a kind of “range extender” that will help push you to go even further than your body was previously capable of. Instead of doing a 15-mile hike or run, why not do 30 miles?

That means you lose out on some of the burn you hoped to achieve from your workout. Hypershell does not claim any of the new “S” models are medical devices. Gizmodo spoke to several Hypershell spokespeople, and they all reiterated that while it may help you with specific struggles with your leg, it won’t necessarily help you fix a knee injury or let a person with arthritis return to climbing mountains like a spry youth. It may help some people with certain types of leg or health issues, but Hypershell isn’t making any claims in that regard.

If you’re a backpacker going out on a miles-long, multi-day hike into the wilderness, the Hypershell might sound appealing. The thing to remember is that you’ll need to carry extra batteries around with you. The old adage that ounces become pounds on the trail holds true. If you run out of juice, you’ll be lugging multiple extra pounds of weight around with you.

Those who suit up in a Hypershell will inevitably feel more capable, so much so you may miss the exercise you could have gotten without an exoskeleton strapped to your legs.