I used to love walking. When I was younger, my ideal afternoon was heading off into the woods and seeing where my feet took me. But now that I'm nearing 40, my knees aren't what they used to be and I find myself making that 'oompf' noise every time I stand up.
So, when I was offered the chance to try out an exoskeleton that would give my ailing joints a boost, I was intrigued, especially as I would be using it to hike the rugged landscape of Snowdonia, home to Wales’s highest mountain.
It would be a chance to reclaim the hobby that city-living and ageing limbs are taking from me, and – better still – I could do it by living out my sci-fi fantasy of becoming a cyborg.
Your legs, but stronger
The term exoskeleton conjures up images of bulky mechanical robo suits – think Ripley’s power loader in Aliens. So, I’m surprised to find that, despite being billed as an exoskeleton, the Hypershell X Ultra I’ll be testing looks more like a climbing harness.
It’s a lightweight contraption, weighing just 1.8kg (3.9lbs), that straps around my waist and to my thighs. Sensors throughout the £1,599 device monitor my movements, then an AI algorithm learns my gait and predicts when I’m about to take a step. When it thinks I’m starting to move, an electric motor pulls the brace around my thigh, taking some of the work of lifting my leg.
It took around 15 minutes to fit the device and learn how to use it, with an app to guide me through the process. At first, I felt like a marionette, with my legs being controlled by some invisible puppeteer, but it wasn’t long before I got used to the sensation.
The idea behind the Hypershell X Ultra is to help people to hike further and across more challenging terrain than they otherwise would, and there are several settings depending on how much mechanical assistance you need.
On its lowest setting, a single battery can give you a subtle helping hand for up to 30km (18.6 miles). If you’re taking on more demanding terrain, such as a steep climb, however, then the ‘hyper’ setting will give you a considerable boost, but dramatically reduces the range.
That’s why each exoskeleton comes with a spare battery pack. Weighing just 400g (0.8lbs), it’s easy to carry and can be swapped in moments.
There are 12 different modes for running, cycling, hiking uphill and so on. There’s even a workout mode that flips things around, resisting the movement of your legs to make you work harder.
Full power
We set out on the hike, blessed with glorious sunshine (far from a given on an autumn day in North Wales). As a walker, my greatest enemy has always been the climbs. Give me a flat landscape and I can walk all day, but even a subtle incline will leave my calves burning and my mood sour.
Today, however, I was happily walking up the initial long, uphill stretch, chatting to the person next to me without getting out of breath.
The route had been planned to put the X Ultra – and us – to the test, and soon I was faced with what seemed to be an almost vertical path of loose rock and scree.
Feeling the first waves of panic that I had bitten off more than I could chew, I set my robot legs to full power and prepared to climb. Even with the extra help, it was arduous, but although I was soon sweating, I never felt the burn in my thighs that I would normally expect from such a climb.
When I finally reached the top and emerged onto the Elidir Fawr plateau, I was treated to a spectacular view of the sunlight glinting off the lakes nestled between the peaks. The cool breeze and Sun on my face left me with a feeling of being utterly at peace in nature… until the X Ultra suddenly started jerking on my leg.
I’d left it on full power and every time I shifted my weight, it got overexcited and assumed I was about to take a step – it all felt a bit Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers. Turning the power back down put my legs back under my control.
Without the exoskeleton, I could never have made that climb. Or if I did, it would have taken twice as long and finished with me collapsed in a heap, regretting my life choices. Instead, I was able to stroll around the plateau, enjoying being surrounded by nothing but mountains and sheep for miles.
Which turned out to be a problem. Because when we came to the next steep section an hour later, I started to struggle, but couldn’t understand why. I didn’t feel tired and there was no burning sensation in my legs.
But the assistance of the X Ultra exosuit had given me a false sense of confidence and led me to make a rookie error: I had neglected to rest and refuel my body when I had the chance. Now I was paying the price.
I was lucky: I had a chocolate bar to give me the energy to reach the next rest stop. But people in this situation can get so tired that they require rescue. In cases like this, exoskeletons can be a massive help. There are already several search and rescue teams in the US and China using Hypershells to give tired hikers the help they need to get back to safety.
Exoskeletons can also help people with mobility issues. Someone on our hike had a knee injury and was able to adjust her device to aid her weaker leg. She hoped the extra help would allow her bad knee to keep up with her good one (although she worried she might be weakening the joint by not making it work so hard).
Help for your legs is at hand
One area the Hypershell was no real help with was the final stage of the hike – a downhill scramble through a region called Devil’s Kitchen. If anything, the exoskeleton got in the way; it got caught on the narrow pass and clonked against the rocks I had to scoot down.
We made it to the end just as the Sun was setting. All told, we’d been on the trail for nine hours, using the Hypershell the entire time. I know that had it not been for the exoskeleton’s help, I wouldn’t have made it back in time to see the mountain as the soft light of golden hour fell upon its peaks.
The goal of our hike was to push the X Ultra to see what it could – and couldn’t – do, but for me, the real hope is in what it could offer in the future.
I live in a walkable city, so my legs are my main method of transport and exercise. But that city is also a hilly one and home to the steepest road in England, which means whatever route I take home, I’m confronted with a massive climb to get to my house.
Having experienced the Hypershell X Ultra, I do find myself wistfully longing for my robot legs whenever I’m facing that long uphill walk.
Right now, I can manage the climb home under my own power, but my joints are getting noticeably creakier. Someday, I won’t be able to rely on my knees to get me up the slope anymore. It’s comforting to know that when that day comes, there’s an option that will help me.
Plus, I get to be a cyborg. Which is cool.
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