What I Learned From Testing All the Exoskeletons at CES

While covering CES , the major consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, I set myself an additional challenge: to try on every exoskeleton I could find. I kept seeing them at booths and events, promising to help me walk longer distances without fatigue or unlock my athletic potential when (judging by their commercials) I ran uphill. I ended up testing six of them—four in the hip area, one in the knee area, and one in the ankle area.

I first became interested in exoskeletons when reviewing products forthe Best of CES awards . I was helping evaluate “aging technologies”—devices designed to assist people in old age—and mobility aids, which were potentially eligible for the awards. But I was skeptical about whether consumer exoskeleton technology was mature enough to be safe and reliable, and whether people would actually find exoskeletons user-friendly enough. These questions remain open. Ultimately, we didn’t include any exoskeletons as finalists, though I wouldn’t rule out the possibility in the future.

Many exoskeleton companies market their products as fitness technology, and companies like Ascentiz and Hypershell use images of hikers and athletes in their advertising. My colleague James Bricknell of CNET took a Hypershell exoskeleton on a hike along a nearby canyon trail during CES and said it helped him easily keep up with more experienced hikers. (I borrowed his identical exoskeleton when we happened to meet in the CNET office and took it out for a few impromptu jogs in the hallway.)

First, since I know you’re all curious to see what they look like and hear how they feel, I’ll review the ones I’ve tried, ranking them from least to most favorable. Then, below, I’ll share my thoughts on whether I think exoskeletons are worth using, and what I learned from speaking with an expert who uses medical exoskeletons for physical therapy in rehabilitation centers.

Underwhelming: WiRobotics WIM-S ($1,905)

This minimalist exoskeleton from WiRobotics was the last one I tried before leaving CES, and unfortunately, it also finished last in my rankings. By that point, I’d already tested several other hip exoskeletons, which fit well and significantly improved my gait and stride. I loved the WIM-S’s slim profile and simple design—until I turned it on. I was led up and down the mini-stairs at the WiRobotics booth several times before it was time to hand the device to the next person in line. The WIM-S simply didn’t feel like it was doing anything.

WiRobotics’ design allows the device to be positioned entirely in front of the hips, applying pressure to the front of the leg. The sensation is somewhat similar to pressing your hand against your knee to stand up. The WIM-S is not yet available in the US, but it costs the equivalent of $1,905 in South Korea .

I’m Definitely Feeling Something: Sumbu ($1,199–$1,999)

I first tried out the Sumbu exoskeleton at CES Unveiled , a media event held a few days before the show’s official opening. For the first time that week, but not the last, they helped me secure the belt around my waist, and then tightened the cuffs on my legs just above the knees. As I walked, I felt the device help me move my legs; while running in place, I remarked that it would be nice to try it on stairs. Good news! The company’s actual booth will have stairs.

Later, I visited a booth in the Eureka Park area of ​​CES, dedicated to startups. I climbed up and down the mini-ladders provided and felt the exoskeleton help me climb with ease, even when I took the steps two at a time. I also climbed to the top of a flight of stairs while standing next to it—it seemed like three steps—which surprised people at the booth a little. But thanks to the exoskeleton, it felt effortless.

To be honest, this exoskeleton, like the next two on my list (Ascentiz and Hypershell), performed roughly the same. It’s difficult to compare them based on just a few minutes of testing, so take my conclusions with a grain of salt.

Sumbu sells three models of exoskeletons : the lightweight S3 ($1,199), the more powerful S3 Pro ($1,499), and the “ultimately powerful” S3 Ultra ($1,999).

I use Ascentiz (from $1,499) to help me with my workouts.

Ascentiz makes a modular exoskeleton that can assist both the hip and knee, but I was only able to test the hip module. Hip exoskeletons seem to be more popular; including Ascentiz, I tested four hip exoskeletons this week and found only one each for the knee and ankle (not counting the Ascentiz knee exoskeleton, which I did test; you’ll see it below).

Essentially, every exoskeleton treats a joint in your body as a hinge. The knee joint is a natural hinge joint; the hip can move in many directions, but when you wear an exoskeleton, it only assists you with forward and backward movement—hip extension and flexion, in the parlance of a physical therapist or fitness trainer. Hip-focused exoskeletons assist the gluteal muscles in hip extension and/or assist the hip flexors in lifting the leg in front of you.

Ascentiz thoughtfully placed its booth at the edge of the exhibition space, near the steps, and in a quiet area where I could walk and run. The exoskeleton helped me climb the stairs, then I ran up and down with it a few times and even attempted a sprint. It provided smooth, natural-feeling movements, and the power delivered just the right amount of power during each step.

Ascentiz is currently running a Kickstarter campaign and lists pricing on its website . The H1 (hip) module will cost between $699 and $999, with a suggested retail price of $1,499 to $1,999, depending on whether you choose the Pro or Ultra model. The knee module (K1) covers both knees and costs approximately $100 more. A complete kit, including both hip and knee support, will retail for between $2,499 and $3,399.

Runs the halls like a fool: Hypershell X Ultra ($1,999)

As I mentioned above, I borrowed my CNET colleague James Bricknell’s Hypershell X Ultra exoskeleton to take around conference rooms for a spin. I was impressed by how its “beast mode” helped me get up onto a chair, so I decided to see if it could help me jog… then run… then sprint. Then I’d try some sharp turns and stops to see if it could keep up. (This was the first hip-lock exoskeleton I’d ever run in.)

To my surprise, the feeling was amazing . To be honest, the Ascentiz was also quite comfortable to run in. The Sumbu, however, lacked room to run. The Hypershell kept up with my movements and supported me without issue. Other shoes sometimes thought I was taking a step when I was actually standing still; the Hypershell was less prone to such errors.

Unlike some of the other exoskeletons on this list, Hypershell is already commercially available , which is likely why its technology feels more mature. (It’s marketed as the first consumer-grade outdoor exoskeleton.) The Hypershell X Ultra costs $1,999, while the company’s cheapest model, the Hypershell Go, costs $899.

Knee-Friendly: Skip Mo/Go ($4,999)

I found Skip’s booth at AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative. There, I tried out a version of their Mo/Go exoskeleton , which is integrated into pants and operates at the knee. The pants conceal leg cuffs that somewhat resemble a medical knee brace. The motorized unit is attached to the outside of the pants, making it feel like you’re wearing regular hiking pants, but with a robotic joint at the side of the knee.

I had to change out of my jeans and into special pants, after which I was able to attach the motor and begin climbing stairs and doing squats. The sensation, as you can imagine, is different from that of hip exoskeletons. The motor essentially acts as an additional quadriceps muscle, helping straighten my knee and slowing me down when descending stairs.

I walked up and down the stairs. I did a few squats in place. I sat down on the low seat and stood up again. Having suffered from knee pain and knee surgery in the past, I immediately understood why this product would be in demand (and why it was rated one of AARP’s top products). Other exoskeletons try to slow you down when going down stairs, but this one actually works. When sitting down, the robotic knees helped me lower myself smoothly, without that “plop” at the end of the movement that probably happens to all of us without realizing it.

I only ran a few steps, but I didn’t enjoy running—it’s immediately obvious it wasn’t designed for that kind of movement, at least not yet. These exoskeletons didn’t feel as comfortable as others I’ve tried because the cuffs were inside the pants. This meant they were in contact with bare skin, causing sweat and the feeling of chafing. Putting the pants on wasn’t particularly easy either—if I had mobility issues, I probably would have needed assistance. The Skip representative mentioned that the exoskeleton can be removed from the pants and worn without them, which is what I probably would have done if I had these.

The Skip Mo/Go device isn’t available yet, but you can pre-order it now. The final price will be $4,999.

Gives me a boost: Dephy’s Sidekick ($4,500)

This was both the first and almost the last exoskeleton I tried at CES. I quickly tested it at the Unveiled booth, and later that week I visited the Eureka Park booth for a longer trial.

Dephy calls its exoskeleton a “powered motorcycle boot.” The Sidekick consists of two parts: a boot with a carbon fiber plate and a robotic arm that grips the lower leg just below the knee. Dephy collaborated with Nike, and both companies developed their own versions of the exoskeleton; Nike’s version, called “Project Amplify,” can be seen here .

These shoes can be worn without the straps, and they’re incredibly soft—I kept hearing people compare them to Hokas. They were definitely more comfortable than my own worn-out Nikes, which I wore while walking around showrooms. There’s a connector in the back that the robotic arm attaches to. If the arm detaches while you’re wearing the shoes, it will fall backwards instead of forwards.

The Dephy Sidekick device assists the calf muscles while walking. The assistance only begins to be felt after a few steps, but I felt them lift my heel with each step. The device doesn’t help lift the foot, but it does help flex the foot downward, propelling you forward as you walk. Dephy claims to target this movement specifically because the calf muscles are the “unsung heroes” of walking, providing the majority of the energy.

At the Unveiled event, I took a few steps and even jogged through the crowd. Running felt strange, but not necessarily bad. Later, during a longer walk through Eureka Park, I was definitely convinced that the Dephy ankle-mounted exoskeleton saved me more energy and reduced fatigue than the hip-mounted models mentioned earlier.

Overall, I found this design to be the most well-thought-out and comfortable of all the exoskeletons I’ve tried. It attaches to the body through shoes and a pad on the front of the shin—both elements are very comfortable and easy to put on over regular socks and pants. The device snaps into place quickly, and the battery packs are easy to insert and remove.

I was worried that the motor’s sudden movement might throw me (or, hypothetically, an elderly person with mobility issues) off balance, but judging by the device’s software, this seems much less likely than I thought. The motor only engages during forward movement and stops assisting when it detects a sideways, backward, or other unexpected step. At one point, I was making my way past someone’s dog in a tight corner of the exhibition hall, and the Sidekick stopped assisting me for a few steps, then started helping me move forward again.

The Sidekick will begin shipping later this month, and a starter kit including shoes, batteries, and a charger costs $4,500.

How useful are exoskeletons really?

Before I can say that exoskeletons are useful in the real world, I need to make sure that they work, that they are worth the money, and that they are suitable for those who are most likely to need them.

A trial run convinced me that they really do work. Five out of six (sorry, WiRobotics) provided assistance that I found useful and effective. I wasn’t sure they’d pass even this modest test, so I’m already impressed.

The problem, however, is cost. Who wants to spend $1,000 to $5,000 on a little walking or hiking assistance? Serious hikers and runners would likely prefer to train harder to tackle challenging terrain and spend the money on gear or a coach. People who don’t usually hike might enjoy keeping up with their friends, but who outside of hiking would spend that kind of money on a hiking exoskeleton?

I can certainly imagine exoskeletons being marketed for rentals—renting a Hypershell to hike up a scenic mountain on vacation, or wearing Dephy powered shoes to stay on your feet longer at a theme park (keeping in mind that the batteries would need to be changed once or twice a day).

After testing the devices and, to my dismay, seeing their high cost, I wondered whether exoskeletons could be useful for people with mobility issues due to disabilities or chronic illnesses. To better understand this, I spoke with someone who has been working with exoskeletons in the medical field for many years.

How do these consumer exoskeletons compare to medical devices?

Amanda Clark, director of Good Shepherd Creates, is a trained physical therapist. Good Shepherd is a rehabilitation network that has been using exoskeletons in physical therapy for over 10 years, including the Ekso Bionics robotic suit used for physical therapy sessions, the Trexo Plus for children, and the ReWalk personal device that patients can use at home.

These exoskeletons can help people who previously couldn’t walk independently, or those recovering from strokes or brain or spinal cord injuries. The more steps you take, the better your nervous system learns to maintain balance and walk.

Clark told me that models used in rehabilitation can cost a facility around $250,000, plus another 10% of that annually for maintenance. Typically, a person requires a device like a walker or crutches to use them, and they need assistance from someone—for example, a physical therapist at a rehabilitation center or a family member in the case of the few personal exoskeletons currently on the medical market.

Obtaining approval for use of an exoskeleton as a medical device requires a significant amount of time and money from the manufacturer, Clark explained. Medical devices must undergo an FDA approval process similar to that applied to drugs. The manufacturer must demonstrate the use of proper manufacturing processes and conduct clinical trials confirming the device’s safety and effectiveness for a specific condition.

This explains why the company representatives I spoke with were very careful to emphasize that they produce “consumer,” “recreational,” or “sports” devices, not medical ones. But consumer devices are typically not covered by insurance, which creates a significant barrier to access. People with disabilities and chronic illnesses—especially if they have difficulty working—typically cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on such devices.

Considering the models I saw were brand new, if I were me, I would also be concerned about whether the devices work as advertised, whether they are safe, and whether the company will be around for years to come to support them if problems arise.

But given the potential for development, there’s certainly a chance these devices could become useful and sought-after for people with mobility issues. Clarke said she’s pleased to see the technological advances being made to create devices small and lightweight enough to be worn outside the clinic.

However, she sees cost as a major obstacle. “My question for these companies is: How can we create something user-friendly, compact, that would truly facilitate these changes in independence and quality of life, but at a price or in a way that’s accessible to them?”

I think so too. The technology is promising, but at its current price, I’m not sure it will be accessible to enough people with mobility issues or useful enough for athletes. However, since the devices I tested are new to the consumer market, I’m eager to see if the price and technology improve in the coming years.

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