Every hiker has a tale of a device that failed at the most inconvenient moment. Whether it's a GPS watch on a long trail, a phone in the cold, or a camera at the summit, the issue of a dead device has a big impact on how people use wearable technology. This anxiety is reasonable for a walking exoskeleton. If your fitness tracker dies, you lose data. If your watch dies, you check your phone. But if your walking exoskeleton dies on a trail, you're not stranded — you can still walk — but you've lost the assist for the second half of your day, and depending on how far you are, that can make your return much harder than you planned. The promise of the VIGX Pi Plus is that you don't have to worry about this. So, I decided to test it out.
The Specs: What VIGX Claims
The numbers are straightforward. With both batteries installed, the VIGX Pi Plus can track 24,000 steps. It also has two battery modules, which are hot-swappable, meaning you can replace one while the device is still powered.
VIGX doesn't make a specific claim about hours per charge. This is a wise decision. Hours-per-charge ratings are misleading for activity-assist devices because they assume a certain level of activity during those hours. Steps are a better metric. A step is a step, regardless of how fast you are walking.
That number equates to a long day for most users. The average daily step count for an active adult is approximately 8,000 to 10,000 steps. The VIGX battery can handle two to three of those days on a single charge.
Tests in the Real World
Numbers are one thing. Often, what you see on a spec sheet is not what you get...and it's almost always worse. However, in my experience testing the VIGX, whether out on hikes, on full-day excursions to NYC, or multiple days without hiking, I was routinely getting far more steps than the specs indicated. That was a pleasant surprise.
What About Cold Weather?
I used the VIGX in winter conditions, including snow walks in temperatures below freezing. The device functioned normally throughout. The battery system has large headroom, so cold-weather users are unlikely to encounter issues unless they engage in very long activities at very low temperatures.
One tip worth knowing: battery modules can be carried in an inside pocket where they stay warm against your body, ensuring that a fresh swap results in a warm battery. This is worth knowing if you're a winter hiker.
Batteries that Can Be Hot Swapped
"Hot-swappable" means you can replace a battery module while the device is still powered on. Your settings remain intact, and the AI's calibrated gait model is preserved. There's no need for screws, cables, or waiting for the device to recognize the new module. The entire swap takes only a few seconds, standing, sitting, or even mid-walk.
By carrying one or two spare modules in a pack, you effectively extend the device's range. For multi-day backpacking trips, you can carry enough spare modules to cover the entire journey without charging at any point.
Most devices like this may be limited by the battery they come with. As those batteries age, the device becomes less useful. The hot-swap system ensures the VIGX's lifespan isn't constrained by the lifespan of a single battery, which is means the device lasts longer.
This is the End of Range Anxiety
Range anxiety goes beyond battery life; it's about the mental burden of constantly worrying about it. You expend energy just thinking about the battery, checking the indicator, and planning your activities around it.
After six weeks of use, I don't really feel the need to check the battery level before heading out on a walk. I just put the device on and go. The best batteries are the ones we don't have to think about, in my view.
In or Out of the Drawer
Each unused device sitting in my drawer failed the same test, and it's not a battery test at all. It's a trust test. Do I trust this device when I leave the house? Will it be ready when I want to use it? Will it last as long as I need? If the answer to any of those questions is "I don't know," the device starts spending more time in the drawer than on my body. Eventually, it lives there permanently.
The VIGX is not in the drawer. It's by the door, charged and ready, and I grab it when I'm heading out, just like I grab my coat. That's a high bar to clear, and most consumer wearables don't clear it.
That's the real review of the battery system — not the numbers. The fact that I've stopped paying attention to the numbers because the device has earned the right to be left alone.
More on the VIGX Pi series at vigx.ai.
