I tried a cavalry exoskeleton at the world's largest technology fair.

It was a cold Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas, and I was running late for my last appointment at the event. There was no way to know how long an Uber would take, especially with thousands of CES 2025 attendees leaving the city and competing for space on the roads. "No problem," I thought. "I'm using my exoskeleton."

Pressing its single button, I activated hyper mode and began taking the longest strides possible. I walked a mile without sweating and arrived with plenty of time to spare.

Exoskeletons—robotic devices worn externally on the body to assist with physical work—have been part of CES for over a decade, generally in the context of preparing the world for an aging population with diminished physical capabilities. They've allowed paralyzed individuals to walk again, shown younger generations what aging is like, and helped health aides lift patients who cannot do so themselves. However, we'd never used one on the CES floor for more than a few minutes. This year, I saw an opportunity.

A new category of lightweight, recreational exoskeletons has emerged, targeting hikers as their first audience. They promise to add "more power to your steps" and extend your "outdoor adventures." I don’t usually have many of those adventures, but CES can be quite similar. The week-long conference spans extensive casinos and multiple conference rooms; the event requires so much walking that I always end up exhausted by the end.

When the Hypershell Pro X arrived at my home two weeks before the event, I was impressed by its sleek design. Although I couldn't wear it under my clothes due to its hip-mounted motors, the elegant metal clamps fit my legs and were secured with comfortable fabric straps. It looked much more refined than a similar model I had tried the previous year; with my jacket over it, several people told me they didn’t even notice I was wearing an exoskeleton until I mentioned it. Best of all: I didn’t need assistance from any representatives to put on the device. An app showed me how to adjust the width and straps in just a few minutes, and I was ready to go.

However, it's important to clarify that these exoskeletons don’t make you go faster, which was one of the initial misconceptions I had to dispel. Walking down the Las Vegas Strip didn’t allow me to do any more than I could already do. Climbing stairs or walking long distances required the same effort to lift my legs, and my feet ended up equally tired, as they had to bear the extra weight of the 5.3-pound exoskeleton. But my muscles didn’t exert as much. I didn’t feel as fatigued, as if I had acquired an extra energy tank in a Metroid game. A padded belt sits on my hips. It can be hidden under a jacket, but not the metal bar on the back.

Using the exoskeleton is straightforward: just hold down a button to turn it on, tap once to activate or deactivate the assistance, double tap to increase assistance, and triple tap to decrease it.

I quickly discovered that the best way to demonstrate the power of an exoskeleton is to turn it off. You feel the effort immediately when the device stops sending 800 watts of electricity to its two hip-mounted motors, which lift your legs with up to 32 Newton-meters of torque. Hypershell claims that their device reduces that effort by 30 percent, which I believed after using it for the second time on the event floor.

However, there are downsides to having a 72-watt-hour battery strapped to the lower back. I couldn’t sit in most chairs or taxis I took to move from one casino to another, as the device pressed against my spine. My tall backpack bumped into the battery until I adjusted the shoulder straps. When a restaurant that looked appetizing was too crowded to offer me a table, I was glad to be able to sit on a backless bar stool during dinner that night.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Hypershell moves smoothly as I walk, even when it’s turned off. I walked parts of the exhibit floor with it off, and my legs moved almost as easily as if I weren’t using the device. Not all exoskeletons work that well. I also spent an hour trying the MO/GO pants from Arc'teryx and Skip Robotics, which present a similar idea but in a different way.

These pants allow robotic knees to be attached externally, and they feature hidden carbon fiber clamps that conform to the legs, turning them into a robotic-assisted joint. They are less conspicuous than the Hypershell, will be available in various styles, and feel more powerful and protective. The design really supports the knees, offering up to 42 Newton-meters of torque and can slowly regenerate its own battery when descending hills, according to their designers.

Although I think I would prefer the MO/GO pants for climbing stairs with the additional power, when walking around or going down stairs, I definitely preferred the Hypershell. The first MO/GO pants didn’t move as smoothly, and their powered joints were predictable but sometimes restricted my movements in subtle but strange ways. Both manufacturers claim that the more you use their products, the better they will anticipate your movements and support your steps, but the Hypershell, being a finished product, seemed to understand me from the very first moment. (Both manufacturers plan to eventually move away from fanny-pack-style batteries, integrating them into the leg components.)

When I returned home from CES, I decided to try the Hypershell on my road bike, something I hadn’t done in years, and I found it required much less effort compared to my previous attempts. The motion detection was good enough that I soon felt safe pedaling without using my hands, without fearing sudden movements that could make me fall.

Beyond the bike, I haven't felt much temptation to wear the Hypershell again. I'm trying to lose weight, so I don’t want to burn fewer calories. Although I've tried its exercise mode that inverts the motors to add resistance, I can imagine receiving curious glances from other parents when dropping my daughter off at school. To be fair, TSA made no comments when I carried it on a plane, nor did the security staff at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

I also wish it could mount on my body in a more natural way, like what Arc'teryx seeks to do with the MO/GO pants. The Hypershell does not account for pants pockets or men's belts, assuming I will be willing to let its waist strap sit over my hips like a backpack. After the first few days of use, I began to hear a slight creaking noise coming from the plastic parts, which makes me question its durability if used for weeks. However, I'm curious to know if older family members could use one when we visit Japan this spring, as some of those temples have many stairs, and I might consider spending $1,000 on a unique experience. But I'm concerned that when they want to sit down, the battery might be a nuisance. The leg clamps are easy to put on and adjust, but I also noticed some noises coming from the pivot point where they meet the metal leg.

We might also need to carry extra interchangeable batteries, as they drain faster with higher assistance levels. A 90% charge ranges from under two miles of walking with full assistance to about 13.5 miles with light assistance, according to the app's estimates. While I am perfectly comfortable walking with the device off, it is a bulky apparatus to carry.

By the time I arrived at my last appointment on the final day of CES, I may not have felt tired, but those last moments had drained my exoskeleton down to just 14% power.