🥾 TrailSync User Guide

🚀 Getting Started

Creating Your Account

1. Download TrailSync from the App Store
2. Tap Sign Up
3. Enter your email and create a password
4. Verify your email address
5. Complete your profile with your hiking experience and preferences

Setting Up Your Profile

A complete profile helps trip organizers plan appropriately for the group.

1. Tap the Profile tab at the bottom
2. Tap Edit Profile
3. Add a profile photo (optional but recommended)
4. Fill in:
   • Display Name: How you'll appear to other participants
   • Experience Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Expert
   • Fitness Level: Low, Moderate, or High
   • Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, WFR, Navigation, etc.
   • Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, etc.
   • Emergency Contact: Name and phone number
5. Tap Save

🎒 Setting Up Your Personal Gear Library

TrailSync includes a library of common backpacking gear, but you'll want to build your own personal gear closet with the items you actually own.

Browsing the System Gear Library

1. Go to the Manage tab
2. Tap Gear Library
3. Browse through 251 pre-loaded common items organized by category:
   • Shelter
   • Sleep System
   • Cooking
   • Clothing
   • Navigation
   • First Aid
   • Tools

Adding Gear to Your Personal Library

Method 1: Import from System Library

1. Browse the System Gear Library
2. Find an item you own (e.g., "Tent - 2 Person")
3. Tap Import to My Gear
4. The item is copied to your personal library
5. Edit details like:
   • Actual weight of your specific tent
   • Season tags (3-season, 4-season, summer)
   • Personal notes or brand info

Method 2: Create Custom Gear

1. Go to Manage → My Gear
2. Tap the + button
3. Enter gear details:
   • Name: e.g., "MSR PocketRocket 2"
   • Category: Select from dropdown
   • Weight: In pounds
   • Description: Brand, model, notes
   • Season Tags: When you use this gear
4. Tap Save

📝 Creating Gear Templates

While TrailSync doesn't have formal "templates," you can use a smart workflow to quickly set up gear for similar trips.

Strategy: Use Past Trips as Templates

1. Complete a trip with your gear list fully set up
2. When creating a new similar trip, reference your past trip's gear
3. Manually add the same items to your new trip
4. Adjust quantities as needed

Quick Setup for Common Trip Types

Weekend Trip (2 days, 1 night)

Essential gear to add:

• Shelter: Tent, stakes, groundsheet
• Sleep: Sleeping bag, sleeping pad
• Cooking: Stove, fuel, pot, utensils
• Hydration: Water bottles, filter
• Navigation: Map, compass, GPS
• Safety: First aid kit, emergency shelter

Week-Long Expedition

Add to weekend essentials:

• Extra fuel canisters
• Repair kit (duct tape, patches, needle & thread)
• More comprehensive first aid
• Personal hygiene items
• Additional clothing layers

🏔️ Creating a New Trip

Basic Trip Creation

1. Tap the Trips tab
2. Tap the + Create Trip button
3. Fill in trip details:
   • Trip Name: e.g., "Mt. Whitney Summit"
   • Description: Brief overview of the adventure
   • Start Date: First day of trip
   • End Date: Last day of trip
   • Location: Optional trailhead or general area
4. Tap Create Trip

Your new trip is created with status Planning and you're automatically set as the Organizer.

Understanding Trip Roles

• Organizer Full Control
  • Can edit all trip details
  • Can delete the trip
  • Can invite/remove participants
  • Can change trip status
• Participant Contributor
  • Can view all trip info
  • Can add gear, meals, expenses, messages
  • Cannot edit core trip details
  • Can leave trip voluntarily

👥 Inviting Participants

Sending Invitations

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Participants tile
3. Tap Invite Participant
4. Enter the person's email address
5. Tap Send Invitation

Accepting an Invitation

When someone invites you to a trip:

1. Open TrailSync
2. Go to the Home tab
3. Look for the Invitations section
4. Tap on the invitation card
5. Review trip details
6. Tap Accept or Decline

Managing Participants

Viewing Participant Profiles

1. Go to Participants screen
2. Tap on any participant's name
3. View their:
   • Experience and fitness level
   • Certifications
   • Dietary restrictions
   • Emergency contact (if shared)

Canceling Invitations

Organizers can cancel pending invitations:

1. Go to Participants
2. Scroll to Pending Invitations
3. Swipe left on the invitation
4. Tap Cancel

Removing Participants

Only the Organizer can remove participants:

1. Go to Participants
2. Swipe left on the participant
3. Tap Remove
4. Confirm removal

🗺️ Route Planning

Setting Your Trailhead Location

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Route tile
3. Tap the search bar at the top
4. Type your trailhead name (e.g., "Whitney Portal")
5. Select from the search results
6. The map centers on your location

Adding Waypoints

Waypoints define your route. TrailSync supports several types:

• Start (S) - Where you begin
• End (E) - Where you finish
• Campsite (N1, N2...) - Overnight stops
• Water - Water sources
• Lunch/Dinner/Break - Meal stops
• Exit - Emergency exit points

To Add a Waypoint:

1. Tap anywhere on the map
2. Select waypoint type from the popup
3. The waypoint appears with a numbered marker
4. Optionally tap the waypoint to:
   • Add a name (e.g., "Guitar Lake")
   • Add notes
   • Lock it to prevent accidental deletion

Generating Your Route

After adding waypoints, TrailSync calculates the route between them:

1. Add at least 2 waypoints (Start and End)
2. Tap Generate Route
3. TrailSync calculates:
   • Distance between each waypoint
   • Elevation gain/loss per segment
   • Total trip distance and elevation
   • Estimated hiking time
4. Blue route line appears on map

Viewing Route Details

Expand the waypoint panel to see segment-by-segment breakdown:

• Distance: Miles per segment
• Elevation: Gain and loss in feet
• Terrain Profile: Steep, Moderate, Gradual, or Flat
• Cumulative Stats: Total distance, total elevation gain

Reordering Waypoints

On iOS:

1. Expand the waypoint panel
2. Press and hold the drag handle (≡) next to a waypoint
3. Drag to reorder
4. Release to drop
5. Tap Regenerate Route

On Android:

1. View waypoint list (drag-to-reorder not available)
2. To reorder, delete and recreate waypoints in desired order

Trip Duration Calculation

TrailSync calculates trip duration based on campsites:

• Campsites = Nights
• 2 campsites = 3 days / 2 nights
• This helps with meal planning

⛺ Adding Gear to Your Trip

From the System Library

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Gear tile
3. Tap Add Gear
4. Browse the System Gear tab
5. Tap items to add them to the trip
6. Tap Done

From Your Personal Gear

1. In the Add Gear screen, switch to My Gear tab
2. Select items from your personal collection
3. These items use your saved weights and details

Adding Multiple of the Same Item

Need 3 sleeping bags? TrailSync uses individual records:

1. Add the sleeping bag once
2. In the gear list, tap the item
3. Tap Copy
4. A duplicate appears in the list
5. Repeat as needed

Assigning Gear to Participants

1. View your trip's gear list
2. Items are grouped by name (e.g., "Tent (2 items)")
3. Tap the group to expand
4. For each individual item:
   • Tap Assign
   • Select a participant from the list
   • Checkmark appears next to their name

Filtering the Gear List

Use filters to see specific views:

• All Items: Complete gear list
• Unassigned: Items needing assignment
• By Participant: See what each person is carrying

Viewing Pack Weight

TrailSync automatically calculates pack weight:

• Filter by a participant
• Total weight shown at top
• Helps balance load across group
• Identify if someone is carrying too much/little

🍽️ Planning Meals

Browsing the Meal Library

TrailSync includes 22 backpacking meal recipes:

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Meals tile
3. You'll see a day-by-day calendar view
4. Tap Browse Meals to explore options

Adding Meals to Your Trip

1. In the meal calendar, find the day you want to add a meal
2. Tap the Add button for that day
3. Filter meals by:
   • Meal Type: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack
   • Preparation: Freeze-dried, Dehydrated, Fresh, No-cook
   • Dietary Tags: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free
4. Tap a meal to see details:
   • Calories per serving
   • Preparation time
   • Weight per serving
   • Ingredients
   • Instructions
5. Tap Add to Trip

Assigning Meal Responsibility

1. After adding a meal to your trip
2. Tap on the meal in the calendar
3. Tap Assign To
4. Select who's bringing/preparing this meal

Viewing Nutrition Summary

TrailSync shows calorie totals to ensure adequate nutrition:

• Total calories for the trip
• Calories per person per day
• Meal count breakdown

💬 Messages & Communication

Viewing Messages

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Messages tile
3. All trip-related conversations appear here
4. Messages show:
   • Sender's name and avatar
   • Timestamp
   • iMessage-style bubbles (your messages on right, others on left)

Sending a Message

1. Type your message in the text field at bottom
2. Tap the send button (→)
3. Message appears immediately (optimistic update)
4. Syncs to server in background

Unread Message Badges

TrailSync tracks which messages you've seen:

• Home screen: Green badge shows trip has unread messages
• Trip dashboard: Red badge on Messages tile shows count
• Opening Messages marks all as read

✓ Managing Action Items

What Are Action Items?

Action items are tasks that need to be completed before or during your trip. They help ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Creating an Action Item

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Action Items tile
3. Tap the + Add Action Item button
4. Fill in:
   • Title: e.g., "Get wilderness permit"
   • Description: Optional details
   • Priority:
     • Critical (!!!) - Red badge, must do before trip
     • Important (!!) - Orange badge, high priority
     • Normal (!) - Green badge, standard priority
   • Assign To: Select a participant (or leave unassigned)
5. Tap Create

Marking Items Complete

1. View your action items list
2. Tap the checkbox next to a completed item
3. It moves to the "Completed" section at the bottom

Viewing Action Items on Home Screen

The Home tab shows all pending action items across all your trips:

• Collapsible section labeled "Action Items"
• Grouped by trip
• Quick overview of what needs attention
• Tap any item to jump to that trip

Common Action Items to Create

Here are some typical pre-trip tasks:

• 🎫 Permits: "Reserve wilderness permit for Mt. Whitney"
• 🚗 Transportation: "Book shuttle from Lone Pine to Whitney Portal"
• 📄 Documentation: "Print map and elevation profile"
• 🥾 Gear Prep: "Check tent poles and repair as needed"
• 📦 Supplies: "Buy fuel canisters and freeze-dried meals"
• 📱 Communication: "Share trip itinerary with emergency contact"

💰 Tracking Expenses

Adding an Expense

1. Open your trip
2. Tap the Budget tile
3. Tap + Add Expense
4. Enter details:
   • Description: e.g., "Wilderness permit fees"
   • Amount: Dollar amount
   • Category: Permit, Transportation, Food, Gear, or Other
   • Date: When expense occurred
5. Tap Save

How Expenses Are Split

TrailSync automatically splits expenses equally among all confirmed participants:

• 4 participants, $80 permit = $20 per person
• Only confirmed participants count (not pending invitations)
• Split calculation updates when participants join or leave

Viewing Settlement Summary

The Budget screen shows who owes whom:

• Green cards: Money owed to you
• Red cards: Money you owe
• Settlement amounts optimized to minimize number of transactions

📊 Changing Trip Status

Understanding Trip Lifecycle

Trips move through different stages:

1. Planning Initial

• Default status when created
• Still figuring out details
• Participants may not be confirmed
• Dates might change

2. Confirmed Locked In

• Dates are final
• Participants committed
• Permits secured
• Final planning underway

3. In Progress Active

• Trip is happening now
• You're on the trail
• Enables offline mode preparation
• Real-time updates

4. Completed Finished

• Trip has ended
• Appears in "Past Trips" section
• Read-only for reference
• Can be used as template for future trips

5. Cancelled Ended

• Trip won't happen
• Moved to "Past Trips"
• Preserves planning for future reference

How to Change Status

Organizers and Co-organizers only:

1. Open your trip
2. On the dashboard, tap the status badge at the top
3. Select new status from menu
4. Confirm the change

📥 Preparing for Offline Use

Why Prepare for Offline?

Most backcountry areas have no cellular service. Downloading your trip data ensures you can:

• View route maps and waypoints
• Check gear assignments
• Review meal plans
• See action items and messages
• Access participant info and emergency contacts

When Can I Download?

The "Prepare for Offline" button appears when:

• Trip status is In Progress
• You have internet connection
• Trip hasn't been downloaded yet

Downloading Your Trip

1. Ensure you're connected to WiFi (downloads can be large: 100-350 MB)
2. Open your trip (must be status "In Progress")
3. Tap the green Prepare for Offline button
4. Confirm you want to download
5. Progress modal shows current step and percentage
6. Wait for "Download Complete!" message (1-3 minutes typical)

What Gets Downloaded?

TrailSync caches 9 types of data:

1. Map Tiles: Mapbox vector tiles for your route area
2. Trip Details: Name, dates, location, description
3. Waypoints: All route points with coordinates and notes
4. Route Segments: Turn-by-turn geometry and elevation profiles
5. Participants: Names, roles, experience levels, emergency contacts
6. Gear: All assignments and pack weights
7. Meals: Full meal plan with recipes and instructions
8. Action Items: All tasks and completion status
9. Messages: Last 50 messages

Managing Offline Trips

View and manage downloaded trips:

1. Go to Profile tab
2. Tap Settings
3. Tap Storage
4. Tap Offline Trips
5. Delete individual trips by tapping the trash icon
6. Or tap Delete All Trips to free all storage

✈️ Working Offline

Recognizing Offline Mode

When you lose internet connection, you'll see:

• Orange banner at top of screen: "Offline Mode"
• Banner appears across all screens
• Automatically disappears when back online

What You Can Do Offline

If your trip is cached, you have view-only access to:

• ✅ View route maps and waypoints
• ✅ Check all gear assignments and weights
• ✅ Review meal plans and recipes
• ✅ See action items and their status
• ✅ Read last 50 cached messages
• ✅ View participant profiles and emergency contacts

What You Cannot Do Offline

All write operations are disabled. You'll see an "Online Required" alert if you try to:

• ❌ Add/edit waypoints
• ❌ Assign gear
• ❌ Add meals
• ❌ Create/update action items
• ❌ Send messages
• ❌ Add expenses
• ❌ View weather forecasts

Returning Online

When you regain internet connection:

1. Orange "Offline Mode" banner disappears automatically
2. All write operations re-enabled
3. Data syncs from server