Arc’teryx’s new powered pants could make hikers feel 30 pounds lighter

Strength-boosting exoskeleton suits can help make jobs with physical labor feel less strenuous, but Arc’teryx has partnered with Skip, a spinoff of Google’s X Labs, to bring the technology to leisure time. The powered MO/GO pants feature a lightweight electric motor at the knee that can boost a hiker’s leg strength when going uphill while also absorbing the impact of steps during a descent.

The MO/GO (which is short for mountain goat) pants weigh around seven pounds with the power-boosting module and three-hour rechargeable batteries attached. That module snaps onto the hiker using a pair of carbon fiber braces for each leg hidden beneath a pair of Arc’teryx Gamma hiking pants to make the apparatus easy to get on and off.

Marketed as a mobility device that can help hikers extend their range instead of a medical device that can assist those with mobility issues (you can think of them as an e-bike but for walking), Skip claims the MO/GO pants can make the wearer feel up to 30 pounds lighter. The amount of assistance provided varies in real time by monitoring the wearer’s gait and leg movements to determine when they’re walking or climbing. At any time, the user can choose to increase or decrease the amount of assistance they’re provided with a simple button press.

With the battery integrated into the pants’ waistline and the powered modules hanging off each leg, the MO/GO system isn’t exactly discreet. But the exoskeleton isn’t designed to help anyone cheat their way up a strenuous trail. The goal is to make hiking — and challenging hiking trails — more accessible to those who may not have the necessary endurance.

High-end hiking gear rarely comes cheap, but the MO/GO pants are priced for those who are seriously devoted to the pastime. Full retail pricing is expected to be $5,000, but there’s currently an “Early Bird Discount” for those who preorder with a $99 deposit, bringing the price down to $4,500 with an expected ship date of late 2025.

It does take some time to get used to walking with an extra pair of mechanical muscles, according to Fast Company, which spent some time testing the MO/GO pants. For consumers who’d also rather test them first, Skip and Arc’teryx are offering eight-hour rentals of the exoskeleton on select trails in the Western US and Canada for $80.