I hiked the highest peaks in Britain with a robotic exoskeleton to see if it could supercharge my mountain-climbing here's what happened

Date:
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
There are 5 things I love about the Hypershell, and 3 I dont.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter I reach the summit of Glyder Fach in Snowdonia National Park at 3pm. Its the third Welsh peak over 3,000ft that Ive climbed today, but Im not even winded.

Im an avid hiker, but my superior energy levels are down to the assistance Im receiving from the Hypershell X Ultra, an exoskeleton that boosts my leg strength using AI-controlled motors on each hip. The X Ultra isnt a medical device; its the first exoskeleton certified for outdoor use and the Shanghai-based robotics company behind it claims it can reduce exertion by up to 39%. A TechRadar writer recently used one to try and improve his 5km run time on a track . Article continues below You may like '19 minutes and 31 seconds later, I had a new 5K PB one almost a full minute better than Id
ever achieved before': our writer tried a robotic exoskeleton and ended up setting himself a new running record This lightweight exoskeleton blends Tony Stark with artificial intelligence I swapped my phone for a running watch for a month here are 5 key differences for novices

Were trying to get past those preconceptions of what people think an exoskeleton is that its for hospital settings, says Toby Knisely, a representative from Hypershell whos flown in from China for the nine-hour hike. The robotic legs are helping him to keep up, despite his jet lag.

With 15,000 users across 40 countries, this futuristic hiking accessory is unleashing a cyborg invasion on mountains across the globe with a barely audible hum. Eli Whitman from Weber County Search and Rescue in Utah one of the biggest rescue teams to use drones in the world tells me his team has been trialling the X Ultra for the past year and sees it as a potential tool to help tired hikers stranded in the backcountry.

When people just need a little bit of an assist, we can fly [via drone] a couple of Hypershells up to a crew member on the ground and people can use it to walk themselves out, he said. People do better when they participate in their own rescue. Finding power in the mountains (Image credit: Future /
Julia Clarke) When I tested an earlier model of the Hypershell X to climb Ben Nevis, I trimmed a full hour off my usual time. The newer, lighter X Ultra
has more powerful motors, a superior battery life and comes with a more advanced AI system. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The device has three primary operational modes; Eco, the most subtle;
Fitness, which adds resistance for strength training; and Hyper, which ups
the assistance. In Snowdonia, my hike begins with a straightforward stretch
of road, so I open the app on my Google Pixel 9 Pro and set it to Eco.

Instead of my legs marching away Wallace and Gromit style, I feel a gentle lift of my knees with each step, so I move faster with less effort. When the trail gets steeper, I bump it up to Hyper which puts out 1,000 watts of power,enough to power a microwave and I barely feel like Im trying.

I prefer to hike under my own steam, but now Ive worn the Hypershell on some of the UKs highest peaks, Ive found five things I really like about it. Read on for my favourite parts of AI-assisted hiking, plus a few areas for improvement. What to read next I swapped running for the Japanese walking workout complete with a purpose-built high-performance walking shoe Wahoo KICKR Run Treadmill review: One of the most impressive indoor experiences money can buy if you have the budget 5 things I like about the Hydrow Wave smart rowing machine and 2 I don't 5 things I like about the Hypershell X Ultra 1. Its not just a placebo Hypershell claims the X Ultra can lower heart rate by up to 42%, and while I dont see quite such a big benefit, my Suunto Vertical 2 watch confirms the device is making a substantial difference in exertion.

My average heart rate in Snowdonia is 121 about 20 beats per minute lower than usual for a strenuous hike, or a 17% reduction. On a hike like this, Id expect to spend at least half my time in heart rate zones 2 and 3 and cross into Zone 5 on the final push, but I spent 74% of the hike in Zone 1 and only 10 minutes in an anaerobic state, despite climbing 1,300m over 16km.

In short? The device does what it says on the tin. 2. Its surprisingly comfortable These carbon fiber / titanium alloy robotic legs are more comfortable than they look. The X Ultra weighs 3.96 lbs / 1.8kg, the equivalent of carrying two extra bottles of water, but the well-padded, ergonomic design sits neatly on my hips and I soon forget Im wearing it.

The reduction in exertion makes me feel lighter, and my hiking backpack sits on top of the hip belt so theres virtually no weight on my shoulders either. Climbing over stiles poses no issue, and I can happily sit cross-legged on
the ground for lunch.

By the end of a long day, I do feel ready to take it off, but I don't feel
any differently about my sweaty backpack or hiking boots. 3. Its easy to use Ive already got a lot of hiking tech on my person, between my GPS watch,
phone and Garmin InReach Mini 2. Fortunately, the X Ultra is easy to operate, so I don't mind having yet another piece of gadgetry to fiddle with.

You can easily control the device from your phone or one of the best Apple Watches . After some initial trouble getting it to connect with my
exoskeleton via my Pixel, its smooth sailing. I follow the instructions to adjust the exoskeleton to my body, and once I get on the trail I can adjust how much assistance Im receiving, and see how much battery I have left.

I also try operating the device using the buttons on the hip belt, and though it takes a little more practice to become familiar with the system of long
and short presses, its all fairly accessible. 4. Theres no range panic When I tested the older model, I burned through two batteries and didnt quite make
it back to the trailhead before running out of juice, resulting in the same range panic Ive experienced driving electric cars not what Im seeking from a day in nature.

The X Ultra has the same battery as the older model, but more efficient
motors have improved its power so it now lasts up to 30km (18 miles).

In Snowdonia, I dont end up using my spare battery and still have almost half my battery life remaining by the end of the hike. This is partly thanks to my relying on the more efficient Eco mode for the majority of the hike, but Im confident I could get a couple of days of hiking in without having to find an electrical outlet. 5. Its (kind of) affordable The X Ultra hit the market at $1,899 / 1,599 / around AU$3,000, and its the first time this type of technology has been made available at this price point.

Its not cheap, but for perspective, the Garmin Fenix 8 I often wear strapped to my wrist while I hike costs $999 / 949 / AU$1,699. My watch can offer me the psychological boost of knowing how far Ive come, but only the robotic
legs can physically help me get up the hill.

If you need something cheaper, the Hypershell X Go retails for a much friendlier $799 / 789 / around AU$1,200. Its heavier, less powerful and wont get you past 17.5km without a battery swap, but it will still buy you an easier day out in the hills. One step forward, two steps back (Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke) One step forward, two steps back

Hypershell was only founded in 2021, so it stands to reason there are a few issues that still need ironing out. Here are three things about the
Hypershell X Ultra Im not sold on. 1. Downhill support isnt as useful What goes up must come down, and when its time to change direction, I find the X Ultra to be less valuable.

I enabled Hill Descent Control and detected a slight resistance, but the setting is not as consistent as uphill assistance and I sometimes find myself going too fast for comfort. Knisely tells me that HDC has now been updated to prevent downhill acceleration, but he also explains that the AI brain really shines at pattern recognition so its not as helpful on uneven terrain as it is on stairs.

The more variable terrain on hills kind of throws off the pattern
recognition.

For a long, gentle descent, the HDC will prove useful, but on rockier trails you may still want your trekking poles to keep your knees happy. 2. Rough ground is still tricky Another issue I face with the X Ultra being built around pattern recognition is that the device is also less effective on rough terrain, no matter whether Im going up or down.

As an outdoor device, its a good match for light rain, heavy sweat and a
wider range of temperatures than youll ever need (-20C to 60C), but it sometimes makes me feel a little unstable when the trail is very uneven underfoot.

In Hyper Mode, I occasionally find myself surging forward unexpectedly when what I actually want to do is slow down and take care over my footing. This wont pose a problem on straightforward paths, and keeping the device in Eco Mode helps, but its a reminder to keep my wits about me (and wear good hiking boots). 3. Strange next-day soreness The morning after my hike, Im both
elated to discover I have no soreness in my thighs, and surprised to find
that instead my calves are screaming at me.

This isnt an area I'd usually experience post-hike soreness, so I ask Carrie Eckenhoff, a physiotherapist in Colorado if she can explain why. Eckenhoff hasnt tried the device herself, but she thinks my newfound momentum could be behind it.

The device may be forcing you to move fast and with more power than you are used to, and you might be absorbing that extra oomph through your calves.

It goes to show that nothing happens inside a vacuum, and while a device like this may deliver on its promise, it wont be without consequences. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/i-hiked-the-highest-peaks-in-britain- with-a-robotic-exoskeleton-to-see-if-it-could-supercharge-my-mountain-climbing -heres-what-happened


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)