Wes Cooper had just finished a 10-mile training run on the trails outside of Seattle when he got the call. Two hikers needed rescue. They’d attempted an ambitious 3-mile hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain and bit off more than they could chew. Darkness had set in before they made it down. Without headlamps and afraid of getting lost, they called Seattle Mountain Rescue (SMR) for help.
Cooper hadn’t expected the mission. He was already pretty cooked after his run. So, he grabbed one of SMR’s Hypershell Exoskeletons and jumped in the car. He put them on at the trailhead and started motoring up the steep trail.
“I didn’t feel fatigued at all. In fact, I was able to kind of bump up the power, and was flying up,” Cooper told GearJunkie. “It was like I hadn’t run at all that day, like I was coming out fresh.”
SMR is one of just a few search and rescue (SAR) organizations nationwide using exoskeleton technology to assist rescuers in the field. It’s part of the organization’s broader push to integrate new rescue technologies into its toolbox.
Last year, Cooper spearheaded a campaign to start using e-bikes on trails to cover more distance faster and more efficiently, and to carry gear more easily on rescues where the trail allows. So far it’s been very successful, he said.
However, in the Seattle area, many trails are too steep or technical for e-bikes. That’s why Cooper is now bringing exoskeletons into the fold. “They’re like e-bikes for your legs,” he said. “People are starting to call us ‘Robo-Rescuers.’ But, it’s really a ‘mechanized response.'”
Mechanized SAR Responses: ‘There’s No Cheating in Search & Rescue’
Exoskeletons have not yet taken off in the U.S. consumer market, though several brands have launched their own versions. Hypershell was the only one Cooper identified as currently shipping units to customers.
He reached out to see whether the brand would be interested in partnering with SMR to let the organization try the Hypershell exoskeletons in the field. Coincidentally, Hypershell was also seeking SAR partners to test its products and provide feedback. The timing was perfect.
GearJunkie covered Hypershell during its Kickstarter campaign. Essentially, the technology provides an electric-powered frame for your legs that makes walking, hiking, and running easier. It senses your movement, predicts what you’ll do next, and adds power to your stride.
For rescuers who often have to cover long distances, carry heavy loads, and traverse challenging terrain, Cooper said the exoskeletons are a massive asset. They can help you get there faster and save a huge amount of energy.
“With the exos, doing 4,000 feet of gain with a 40-pound pack on a search and rescue mission feels like you’ve only had to do 2,000 feet,” he said. “It makes it feel like you’ve climbed less.”
That allows them to approach a rescue with more endurance, clarity of mind, and strength for the extraction. Cooper said there’s been some resistance even among his own team, from people who think using exoskeletons for SAR is “cheating.” But to him, any tool that can better serve rescuers during a rescue is a welcome one.
“My philosophy is there’s no cheating in search and rescue,” he said.
He’s even been able to combine technologies. On some rescues, Cooper has donned the exoskeletons, hopped on an e-bike, and pedaled uphill as far as the bike could take him. Then he dismounts, turns on the exoskeletons, and pushes forward on foot.
Imperfect but Improving
While the exoskeletons are certainly a useful tool, Cooper acknowledges that they aren’t perfect yet. As part of the partnership with Hypershell, SMR is supposed to provide feedback to the brand to help dial in the design. He’s already identified several improvements he’d love to see in future iterations.
First, the Hypershell exoskeleton doesn’t fit very well on the body with large packs, he said. The exoskeleton pushes the bottom of the pack up, higher on the wearer’s shoulders. Cooper said the brand is already working to address this.
More importantly, though, he said the downhill function and stability could be significantly improved.
“It’s not designed to provide any kind of knee stabilization or support,” he said. “It excels on the uphill, but on the downhill, it really doesn’t provide much value.” If the brand could add hardware that stabilized the knee for descending, not only would that be a boon for rescuers, but it could also help the subjects being rescued.
“We could give a pair to our subject, and then it could actually assist in their walk down,” he said. “Because coming down can be just as hard.”
That’s the kind of feedback that Hypershell is hoping for and integrating into its design. Cooper has high hopes that future iterations will be even more dialed for SAR, and he seemed confident that SMR would continue to use the technology.
“If technology helps us reach someone an hour earlier, that can be the difference between a positive and a negative outcome. We want Seattle Mountain Rescue to be a national leader in outdoor safety, and that means pairing world-class volunteers with world-class tools.”
