Consumer exoskeletons ease the effort behind every outdoor step

As Ren He, 52, stood at the foot of more than 1,400 steps on the western slope of Changbai Mountain in Northeast China's Jilin province last month, his routine cycling gave him the confidence that he could make it to the top.

"But I also knew the muscle soreness would affect my trip the next day," he said.

Fortunately, for just 88 yuan ($13.1), he could scan a QR code, open a locker and take out a device that claimed to "cut physical exertion by 40 percent".

Despite having seen short videos about exoskeletons being used by the military and in labor-intensive jobs, this was the first time Ren had seen one in real life.

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With a staff member helping him into the device, Ren immediately felt the power assistance as he walked.

"I climbed to the top at Tianchi Lake, and came back down. The whole round trip felt surprisingly easy, and the next day I had no backache or leg pain," Ren recalled.

Such exoskeleton rental stations have been emerging at many scenic spots across the country, including the Badaling section of the Great Wall in Beijing, Taishan Mountain in Shandong province and Huashan Mountain in Shaanxi province, with rental costs ranging from 80 to 200 yuan.

Ren noted that the experience underlines how technological progress can bring convenience to everyday life at an affordable cost.

As a Beijing native, he sees the device's potential, noting that the city has many old residential buildings without elevators, where older residents who struggle with stairs could rely on the device for support.

Such equipment was once primarily the preserve of the military, the industrial sector and medical rehabilitation. However, with advances in lightweight motors, artificial intelligence systems and wearable technologies, assisted outdoor mobility has emerged as a promising new field.

And Chinese tech companies are leading the way.

Founded in 2021, Hypershell is a global pioneer in the sector. With the release of its Hypershell X series in 2024, the company was among the first to achieve mass production and commercialization of consumer-grade exoskeletons.

A recent surge has seen more domestic tech enterprises and outdoor sports brands jump onto the exoskeleton bandwagon.

On Sept 22, ULS Robotics released Viatrix X, its new-generation 2.58-kilogram exoskeleton, which is designed for outdoor exploration.

Xie Gongjin, president of marketing at the company, said exoskeletons have become lighter and more comfortable, while deeper AI integration enables more precise human-machine collaboration.

"As the robotics industry chain matures and core components are mass-produced, the price of consumer-grade exoskeletons has fallen into a range the general public can accept," he said.

Unlike industrial and medical exoskeletons, he added, outdoor exoskeletons target ordinary users and have huge market potential.

"Complex, open mountain and wild environments are where exoskeleton technology can create the greatest value," he said.

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Industrial exoskeletons, Xie said, are designed for standardized, repetitive tasks within a limited range of motion, such as bending, lifting and carrying. Outdoor use requires a dynamic system that responds to human movement in real time, he added.

Liu Yufeng, a trail running enthusiast in Chongqing, recently tried out an exoskeleton device from Chinese outdoor brand Toread during a running-club event in Wulong district.

"After putting on the exoskeleton, I found the assistance was especially noticeable when going up stairs, and on the descent I could feel the machine cushioning my steps," he said.

The 36-year-old regularly runs 150 to 200 kilometers a month, but as fit as he is, he still occasionally feels knee fatigue and reduced stability.

"As I get older, my athletic ability declines and my muscles weaken. If I want to stay comfortable and safe in the mountains, I would consider using an exoskeleton," he said.

Contact the writers at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn