Five gadgets to turbo-charge your performance

Go full Cousteau

Underwater scooters (or diver propulsion vehicles, or DPVs) drag willing humans through the water by mechanical means – either to give them a speed boost, or to conserve their energy, or free up their hands for other tasks (most notably filming). Until fairly recently, these gadgets have either been bulky, pro-level affairs or fun-sized lightweight models that tend to run out of juice after a few minutes. That all changed with Lefeet’s S1 Pro, a unit launched in 2021 that successfully split the difference between the two. Matthias Lebo, a Swiss-based underwater cinematographer, described it as “revolutionary”. “It really felt as if I was using a large underwater scooter but with a very small footprint,” he says.

The P1, its newly launched successor, is more powerful but even more compact: the “standard” version, which comes with a 100Wh battery, is just over a foot long. The battery and two controller handles are easily attached to the aluminium body, and then it’s simply a matter of choosing your speed level (one to four with the standard model) and holding on. The larger XR model (equipped with a 160Wh battery) adds a fifth “hurricane” level that pulls you at around 6mph; this, according to Lebo, is “probably about three times faster than you could possibly fin”. But speed level one is perfectly able to haul you (plus drysuit) through the briny.

Any modern-day Jacques Cousteau will appreciate the rail for attaching an action camera like a GoPro, and because you’re effectively being towed instead of finning, videos are much smoother. “It normally requires a lot of practice and training not to introduce shaking into footage,” says Lebo, noting that you can also attach the P1 to your tank, or your leg, or even use two in tandem. “If I want to film a wreck that’s 35m down, this makes it much easier for me,” he says. “I’ll be conserving air, I’ll arrive more relaxed, and I can use that air to concentrate on filming.” The batteries are airline-approved and travel-friendly, opening up a whole world of assisted diving. 

Isn’t it bionic?

In the same way that e-bikes assist with pedalling, a new breed of exoskeleton can take some of the strain when it comes to walking, hiking and running. The velcro belt of the X1 wraps around your middle, with its two arms extending down your thighs and secured with clips just above your knees. Its motors can either be set to “Assistance” (which, according to the manufacturer, can make you feel 38kg lighter) or, for those who like to push themselves, “Resistance”, which makes you work a lot harder to move the same distance. Putting “Assistance” to the test over a 125m sprint, YouTuber and outdoor adventurer Stephen J Reid clocked 27 seconds without the X1, 22 seconds with. Bionic, but not demonic.

Flash drive

Sim games such as Forza Motorsport and EA’s F1 series aim to replicate the experience of racing, but that authenticity is dampened if you’re playing while sitting in an office chair. Playseat began addressing this back in 1998, when founder Fernando Smit ripped a seat from a car to create his first prototype; today, its Intelligence racing cockpit is sufficiently F1-like for drivers such as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc to use them. This new F1 Edition adds the official livery, improved monocoque design and an adjustable mount for a monitor. It’s effectively a shell to which you bolt peripherals – pedals, steering wheel etc – and it boasts compatibility with everything on the market.

Ground control…

As a short-sighted man with a fear of flying, I was never destined to become a pilot. However, first-person-view drones like the Avata 2 give a pilot’s perspective, with crystal-clear footage from the “cockpit” beamed directly to you via a mixed reality-style headset as you fly it about. Adjustable diopters and a bundled pair of corrective lenses dealt with my short-sightedness, while my nervousness was alleviated by a slow-paced Beginner Mode, a wonderfully simple point-and-click steering mechanism and a companion by my side to observe (a legal requirement in the UK). Expert flyers use DJI’s Remote Controller 3 (£139) to barrel roll at up to 42mph; I was delighted merely to glide, hover and gaze.

Ride ’em, cowboy

Cowboy is well-known for its comfortable e-bikes designed for urban cycling, but this is a beefier, more powerful prospect designed to take you out into the countryside and beyond. It has bigger tyres, sturdy pedals, a very powerful removable battery (up to 120km range) and is the first Cowboy to have suspension (both in the fork and the seat). Spinning around the Inner Circle at Regent’s Park, it felt like riding a fixie, with no switching of gears or power levels: the bike intuitively and transparently multiplied my effort. For turn-by-turn navigation you just clip your smartphone to the bike stem (using a standard quad lock) and the Cowboy app does the rest, in partnership with Google Maps.

@rhodri