Founded in 1989, Arc’Teryx has long been at the forefront of the technical outdoor clothing space. And while the Canadian company’s clothing often benefits from advanced materials and construction technique tech, it’s now pivoting to deliver a piece of outdoor kit that benefits from a decidedly different kind of technology with the Arc’teryx x Skip MO/GO exoskeleton pants — a movewear product that’s being touted as the world’s first powered clothing.
The Basics
Developed over the course of more-than-four-years, the MO/GO pants — short for “Mountain Goat” — were born out of a collaboration between Arc’teryx and San Francisco-based powered wearable technology startup Skip. Constructed around an exoskeleton frame, the MO/GO harnesses the power of built-in electric motors to augment its wearer’s quadricep and hamstring muscles, thereby allowing them to go further and longer with less effort — and while mitigating muscle fatigue and joint discomfort.
The Base Pant
Classified as what’s called a “movewear product,” the MO/GO uses Arc’s existing Gamma Pant (one of our favorite hiking pants) as its base, and as such is cut from the outdoor brand’s highly-breathable, proprietary Self: Fortius DW 2.0 construction. Intended for use in warmer climates and seasons, these powered exoskeleton pants are currently being offered across 10 sizes to ensure a more precise fit.
Capabilities
Functioning like a pedal-assisted ebike — boosting the power exerted by the rider (or in this case wearer) —the MO/GO pants feature adjustable carbon fiber cuffs and arms with integrated motors in each leg. Not only do these units weigh less than 2lbs per leg, but the pants manage to cancel out their own weight while simultaneously boosting power by 40% upon accents, making the wearer feel 30lbs lighter, and supporting the wearer’s knees while trekking downhill.
Battery Pack
Upon descents, the pants not only support the wearer’s knees, but they also transfer power back to the motors using a system that’s similar to regenerative braking in electric cars or ebikes. The entire system is powered by a module that snaps in or out of Arc’s Gamma Pant. This cell affords up to 3 hours of life per charge and can easily be swapped while in-the-field — a particularly easy task considering the small size and pocketability of the battery unit.
Controls
Despite the wildly complex and technical nature of the product, its user interface and control setup couldn’t be simpler. The exterior of the movewear item features a trio of buttons in the form of an off-and-on button, a “more power/assistance” button, and a “less power/assistance” button. Additionally, MO/GO can also link to a dedicated smartphone app that can be used to control it, or view real-time status and metrics like battery life.
Wearable Machine Learning
Comprised of a team that met while working at Google X, Skip wasn’t content with merely delivering a state-of-the-art movewear product, and instead opted to develop one that gets smarter and better acquainted with its wearer and their walking and hiking preferences as time goes on. The pants also feature a built-in software that allows it to adapt to real-time changes in activity and/or walking style.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Arc’teryx
Collaborator: Skip
Model: MO/GO
Pant Construction: Self: Fortius DW 2.0
Exoskeleton Cuff Construction: Carbon Fiber
Battery Life: 3+ Hours
App Connectivity: Yes
Available Sizes: 10
MSRP: $5,000
Scheduled Release Date: Q4 2025
Pricing & Availability
The Arc’teryx x Skip MO/GO Powered Exoskeleton Pants are available now with a special limited time price of $4,500 — a $500 discount over the eventual $5,000 MSRP. Currently requiring a deposit of just $99, these pants are expected to ship out in Q4 of 2025. The MO/GO Pants will also be available for rental in the Western U.S. and Canada at a price of $80 for 8 hours.
Recap
Arc’teryx x Skip MOGO Exoskeleton Pants
Engineered to take you further with less effort, the Arc’teryx x Skip MO/GO is a cutting-edge pair of powered exoskeleton pants that make their wearer feel 30lbs lighter, boosts power during accents by 40%, and supports their knees upon descents.
