The hardest part of a long hike is usually the way back, when the legs have already given what they had. The Hypershell X Max S is a motorized exoskeleton meant for that stretch, and it goes from $1,499 to $1,269 on Amazon with the exclusive Prime price, which is still a serious amount of money for something you strap to your legs.
A 1000W Motor Strapped to Your Legs
The X Max S runs on 1000W of power and uses what Hypershell calls HyperIntuition to time its assistance to your stride, responding in as little as 0.31 seconds with 97.5% gait synchronization. Timing is the whole game with a device like this, because assistance that arrives a beat late would feel like fighting the machine instead of being helped by it, so those two figures are the ones I’d watch most closely in reviews.
There are 10 modes covering walking, running, cycling, stairs, hills, mountain trails and gravel, and the AI adjusts the assistance in real time rather than applying constant force. In controlled testing, Hypershell says the X Max S reduced physical exertion by up to 39% and average heart rate by up to 42%, with a note that results may vary. Those are the company’s own best-case numbers, so I’d expect a smaller effect on flat ground than on a steep climb.
The included 72Wh battery is rated for up to 30 km in Eco Mode at 30% assist power under test conditions, and Hypershell is open about actual range varying. That means a full day on steep terrain at higher assist levels will likely get less, which is worth planning around if the hike is long and there is no place to charge on the way. Eco Mode at a low assist level is the setting behind the 30 km figure, so it’s the number to compare against the length of your usual route before deciding whether one charge covers a day out.
The frame is carbon fiber and aluminum alloy and the whole unit weighs about 2.57 kg, with an upgraded soft wearing system meant to let the legs move naturally. That is a lot to carry on your body for hours, and fit is the one thing a listing can’t tell you, so the free returns matter more here than they would on a pair of earbuds.
Weather protection is an IP54 rating, which covers dust and splashes and, in Hypershell’s words, light rain, so it isn’t meant for a downpour or for wading through a stream. Modes, assistance levels and device status can be changed from the Hypershell+ app or with the onboard buttons, so you aren’t forced to pull a phone out on a steep section. I like that the buttons exist at all, since an app-only control scheme gets annoying when your hands are full of trekking poles or the signal drops halfway up a ridge.
One notice from the listing deserves repeating: this is not a medical device. Hypershell says it is for outdoor and recreational use only and should not be used for diagnosis, treatment, therapy or rehabilitation, and it disclaims liability for medical use. The rating is 4.2 out of 5, but it comes from only 31 reviews, so there is little track record yet on how it holds up over time.
For someone who already hikes long distances and wants help on the climbs, the Hypershell X Max S at $1,269 instead of $1,499 on Amazon comes with free returns, and approved Amazon Visa applicants pay $1,219.