Arc'teryx and Skip Launch MO/GO Powered Exoskeleton Pants for Hikers

TapTechNews August 1st news, outdoor equipment giant Arc'teryx has teamed up with Skip, a spinoff company of Google X Lab, to launch a powered exoskeleton pants named MO/GO. This pant has a lightweight electric motor built into the knee, which can enhance the leg strength of hikers when climbing mountains and can also absorb shock when going downhill.

The MO/GO (an abbreviation for goat) pant weighs about 3 kilograms along with the power module and the rechargeable battery with a three-hour battery life. The power module is fixed on the hiker through the carbon fiber bracket hidden under the Arc'teryx Gamma climbing pants, which is convenient for putting on and taking off.

This product is positioned as a mobile device that can expand the activity range of hikers, rather than a medical assistive device for those with limited mobility. Skip claims that the MO/GO pants can make users feel like they have lost 14 kilograms. The degree of assistance is adjusted in real time according to the user's gait and leg movements, and users can also manually adjust the assistance magnitude.

Due to the built-in battery in the pants waist and the power module attached to the legs, the MO/GO system is not very concealed. But this exoskeleton is not to let hikers cheat, but to allow those with insufficient physical strength to also enjoy the fun of climbing.

High-end outdoor equipment usually comes with a hefty price tag, and the MO/GO pants are no exception. Its official retail price is expected to be $5,000 (TapTechNews note: currently about 36,239 Chinese yuan), but the current early bird price is $4,500 (requiring a $99 deposit), and it is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025. For consumers who want to try it out first, Skip and Arc'teryx offer an 8-hour rental service in some parts of the western United States and Canada at a price of $80.