Introducing the latest backcountry tech: $5000 hiking pants!

News and Adventure from Glacier National Park

Canadian apparel company, Arc’teryx, in partnership with Skip, a spinoff of Google’s X Labs, have just launched a new outdoor product category called “powered exoskeleton pants”.

Their product introduction into this new category is known as the “MO/GO,” which are hiking pants that feature a lightweight electric motor at the knee. Arc’teryx and Skip claim the “MO/GO” can boost a hiker’s leg strength while going uphill. It also absorbs the impact of steps during a descent. Skip also claims the MO/GO pants can make the wearer feel up to 30 pounds lighter.

The MO/GO includes rechargeable batteries that last for 3+ hours of continuous uphill walking on maximum assistance. The batteries automatically recharge during downhill walking.

The Skip website claims their goal is “to give you the confidence to push your limits because you have the peace of mind knowing you’ll make it back safely.”

As we’ve seen with other high-tech gadgets, technology isn’t infallible. What happens to a person if the device and/or battery somehow malfunctions while on the trail? Moreover, this device will likely encourage those without mobility issues to purchase the pants to simply allow them to travel deeper into the mountains, even though they may not be physically prepared such a trip under normal circumstances. To me, and I may very welll be in the minority here, this flies in the face of what hiking in the backcountry is really all about.

Full retail price for the MO/GO is set to be $5,000. However! If you act now, you can preorder a pair right now and receive a discount that will bring the price down to “only” $4,500 – with an expected ship date of December 2025.

Here’s a short video about the MO/GO:

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