Hypershell's exoskeleton cut one reviewer's running heart rate by 24bpm, and the Halo adds powered knees

At a glance

Best for: downhill travel, stairs and sit-to-stand, the jobs Hypershell lists for Halo.

Skip it if: you need proof on a long loaded downhill; that account is still to come.

Price: US$2,299 pre-order on Hypershell's US store, read on 23 October 2026.

Status: unveiled at IFA Berlin in early September 2026; shipping estimated from late November.

In a July 2026 review for Expert Reviews, Jonathan Bray's average heart rate came out 24bpm lower on a treadmill run with a second-generation Hypershell exoskeleton than without it, an effect clearer than he had expected. He ran for 15 minutes at 10km/h, first with the hip-worn unit set to 100% in Hyper mode and again 24 hours later without it. His 30-minute walks at 5km/h differed by only 1bpm, so the gain showed up when he ran, though it rests on one reviewer and two short sessions.[1]

Hypershell's new Halo, unveiled on the Innovation Stage at IFA Berlin in early September 2026, adds powered knees to that formula, for four motors in all. Hypershell says hip-only exoskeletons mainly assist leg swing and leave landing and weight support to your muscles, which fits Bray's account of the hip model, where most of the assistance arrives as the leg lifts. It lists downhill travel, stairs and sit-to-stand among Halo's jobs. T3 reported a combined 1,490W of output, and Hypershell lists 2.6kg for the main structure without battery or harness.[2] [3] [4] [1]

Gizmodo's Kyle Barr, who has hiked in the Pro X and X Ultra S, was strapped into a Halo at IFA 2026 and wrote on 4 September that it pulls the thigh and lower leg together, making inclines and stairs feel easier. He also noted a cushioning sensation when jumping off a small ledge and a sit-to-stand function that takes little effort, and judged Halo the most feature-rich and fully realised exoskeleton of its kind.[5]

At Hypershell's IFA keynote, T3's Jon Devo watched a presenter fasten all five straps in 16.14 seconds from a cold start, consistent with a Hypershell footnote saying its 20-second figure starts after size adjustments. Barr says Halo needs several minutes of fitting, and that Hypershell has marketed its exoskeletons only to physically fit people. Devo was impressed by the range of motion in a company motion-capture reel, though his piece covers the stage show and doesn't describe wearing one.[5] [2] [4]

Earlier hip-only tests hinted at where the help is thinnest. In an October 2025 review, BBC Countryfile Magazine's Leonie Helm covered 12 miles of Snowdonia's Glyderau with the X Ultra on a press trip and finished without her usual muscle ache, though she found downhill mode less striking than uphill. In June 2025, Outdoor Life's Laura Lancaster tried a Hypershell Pro X and a Dnsys X1 Carbon: she had the most fun with the Dnsys in Boost mode, yet her heart rate barely moved and her calves tired first on a steep climb.[6] [7]

On Hypershell's US store, read on 23 October 2026, Halo is a US$2,299 pre-order with shipping estimated from late November, and the company states it isn't a medical device. Hypershell says the 40% lower knee-muscle activation comes from a lab sit-to-stand test using surface electromyography (skin sensors that read muscle signals), and the 39% oxygen and 42% heart-rate reductions from indoor cycling. The knee motors are built for descents, so a long loaded downhill with Halo on is the account to wait for.[4] [3]