PackWise

Problem: Generic packing checklists don't account for where you're actually going — leading people to pack shorts for Ladakh's cold, thin air, a heavy sweater for desert-hot Jaisalmer, or the wrong bag for humid, monsoon-prone Alleppey. The team's core insight: "Pack for the place, not the category." Solution — PackWise: A tool that builds a list that's: Forecast-aware — pulls real-time weather for the traveler's exact dates Terrain-aware — accounts for elevation and landscape Activity-aware — adjusts for what you'll actually be doing (trekking, beach, business, food trails, snow sports, etc.) Bag-aware — fits what you're carrying (e.g., a daypack gets a tighter, curated list) How it works (~2 minutes, 3 steps): Tell Us — destination, dates, activities, transport, bag type We Pull — live forecast, elevation, and terrain data Get List — a tailored packing list, nearby places, and SOS option Transport mode also changes the checklist — e.g., flights enforce the 100ml liquids rule and cabin-vs-checked split; road trips add license/permit reminders; bikes add helmet/gloves/load-balance items. Architecture: Fully client-side — trip details go in, external APIs (Open-Meteo for weather, Open-Elevation for terrain, OpenStreetMap for places/geocoding) are queried directly from the browser, app logic processes it, and the packing list + SOS render straight in the page. No server, no database. Tech stack: HTML5, CSS3, vanilla JavaScript, built in VS Code, versioned on GitHub, with Claude used as an AI pair-programmer. Built and run on the IBM watsonx (BOB 2.0) hackathon platform. Known limitations (honest trade-offs for a hackathon build): India-only scope (terrain/elevation logic isn't tested internationally) No accounts/saved history — every session starts fresh Requires an internet connection (no offline mode) SOS needs an SMS-capable device and isn't a real emergency service substitute Roadmap: Mobile app (Android/iOS), offline mode, AI personalization based on what users actually pack/skip, cloud sync across devices, international expansion, and smart pre-departure reminders.