Collaborative effort to develop powered hiking pants
02/09/2024
Inspired by the mountain goat, the device is said to provide a 40% boost to leg muscles on the way up and support the knees on the way down. Its battery-operated motor is connected to a series of sensors and a computer module that predicts and assists the user’s movements.
The carbon support structure is designed to “spread force from the motor across the leg ensuring comfort during extended periods of hiking”. Its relatively sleek design is said to feel like a “natural extension of the body, enhancing mobility without drawing attention to itself”.
Arc’teryx’s Advanced Concepts team worked with Skip, which was spun off from Google X in 2023. The system is integrated on Arcteryx’s Gamma Pant which offers breathability, abrasion-resistance and softshell stretch for active pursuits.
“When the Skip team reached out with their early MO/GO prototype, we were immediately intrigued. Through extensive testing, prototyping and pushing the boundaries of design, we’ve seen testers get back out in the mountains they love – scaling summits and challenges they thought were lost to them. That’s what it’s all about to us – creating space to share our love of the mountains – and we’re so excited to see the MO/GO out in the world,” said Katie Becker, Chief Creative Officer at Arc’teryx.
The product is now available for reservation and is expected to ship in late 2025.
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