Updated
Updated · CNET · Jul 6
Hypershell Launches $1,999 X Ultra S as Reviewer Logs 12,000 Steps Without Cane
Updated
Updated · CNET · Jul 6

Hypershell Launches $1,999 X Ultra S as Reviewer Logs 12,000 Steps Without Cane

1 articles · Updated · CNET · Jul 6

Summary

  • 12,000 steps at the Grand Canyon left the reviewer able to hike and climb without his usual cane while wearing Hypershell’s new X Ultra S, though he still could not match his teenage daughter’s pace.
  • The $1,999 exoskeleton is built to extend endurance rather than add superhero-like strength, using hip motors, a sub-5-pound frame and a 5,000-mAh battery rated for about 30 kilometers.
  • Heart-rate readings during a 100-foot climb and a two-mile hike were only modestly different from his daughter’s, but his recovery lagged badly—27 minutes after the climb and 15 minutes after the hike versus about two minutes for her.
  • The clearest benefit came afterward: despite spinal stenosis and usually getting back pain from long walks, he reported no back pain the next day, suggesting incremental support rather than dramatic performance gains.
  • Hypershell also launched the $1,499 X Max S and $999 X Pro S, with the reviewer concluding the device is best suited to regular exercisers seeking reduced fatigue, not a shortcut to fitness.

Insights

At under $2,000, is this exoskeleton a breakthrough for mobility or a disruption that threatens the medical device industry?
Could long-term reliance on exoskeletons for daily support lead to muscle atrophy and create new health risks?