Phil Geng

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Welcome to geng.co.uk v2.0

A source of information, opinion and ramblings from a (thankfully still) young, old hand in the outdoors. If you find the site is missing anything or you would like to suggest topics or items of gear for review then please let me know via the contact form.

Happy reading,
Phil

When was my map last updated?

A selection of OS Explorer maps pulled form a larger archive sitting underneath.

Not only is this one of the most asked questions for the Ordnance Survey (OS) Customer Service team, but also one of the most frequent for me when people realise I work for the very organisation "making" the by now iconic orange and purple outdoor maps. In short, the answer can be found in the OS Leisure product catalogue which is updated regularly. Especially where maps were recently reprinted due to logo changes and overall branding changes, many users believe the maps themselves were updated at the same time when this is not the case.

Image of Mexican Fried Rice in a camping pot simmering over a stove.

© Phil Geng

Camp Food: Mexican Fried Rice

Image showing a warming log fire against a brick wall background.

Keeping warm

Picture showing the familiar national trust plaque for Leigh Woods National Nature Reserve.

Right or Wrong?

Image of a variety of tube belay devices as used by many climbers in the UK.

A dangerous sport

Picture of two backpacks balancing on a railing in the foreground with a orange sunset sky illuminating the hills in the distance.

Tell me about it

The DMM Super Couloir mountaineering harness racked for a hard scramble.

© Phil Geng

The beginner's guide to harnesses

A pair of worn but still very much usable 6 year old Edelrid Typhoons.

© Phil Geng

Review: Edelrid Typhoon

Iconic image of a New York steel worker tightening bolts high above the streets of Manhattan, long before Health and Safety existed.

Health and Safety gone mad?

View of Ben Nevis behind the Carn Mor Dearg arete from the summit of Aonach Beag in stunning winter conditions.

© Phil Geng

Why

Picture of random outdoor paperwork scattered across a desk after an evening of updating risk assessments.

© Phil Geng

Paperwork Hell

Picture showing the author with Ben, the young border collie back at base after a successful afternoon of hide and seek.

© Phil Geng

It's all work and play

Picture showing the debris from the 2003 Columbia Shuttle disaster laid out in a hangar during investigation.

Why we shouldn't deviate

Mountain Rescue team evacuating a stretcher casualty off the mountain in snowy terrain.

© Saltanat Ebli

The 3 types of fun

Picture of a comparatively quiet day on Snowdon summit mid summer. View from the summit trig point along the railway line into the valley.

© Phil Geng

A challenging problem

Image of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team Landrovers parked up outside of their base in Nant Peris.

When luck runs out

Picture showing the set up Jetboil Zip next to a 1l Nalgene bottle on a wooden table at the back of the car.

© Phil Geng

Review: Jetboil Zip PCS

Scene of a lush green lower alpine grass slope with coniferous forest in the background and the faint peaks of the lower alps in the distance.

© Phil Geng

Happy new outdoor year

Picture taken out of the inside of a green and black tent of Sgurr Alasdair in the Cuillin Hills on the Isle of Skye.

© Callum Taylor

Call of the wild

Image showing a bowline and figure of eight - both without a stopper knot.

© Phil Geng

Best practice vs Common practice

Image of the Snugpak Jungle Hammock pitched in woodland with the integrated mosquito net suspended above and a sleeping bag inside..

© Vicki Parker

Review: Snugpak Jungle Hammock

Close up image of red dynamic climbing rope with a yellow cross pattern.

© Damien Ayers

The beginner's guide to climbing ropes

A Silva compass on top of a 1:25,000 OS Explorer map of South East Cornwall, aligned in West South Westerly direction along the measured nautical mile between Looe and Polperro.

© Phil Geng

Back to Basics

© Mountain Training & Phil Geng

Time to raise the bar

Side-on image showing the DMM Super Couloir being worn, clearly showing the quick release leg buckles, double back buckle waist closure and the simple waist attachment through the belay loop.

© Phil Geng

Review: DMM Super Couloir

Close up of the beautifully crafted OS Explorer map covering The Old Man of Coniston.

© Phil Geng

The secret life of maps

Close up image of a curious raccoon inspecting the camera with a friendly face.

© Paxson Woelber

It's OK - I'm an instructor

Image of a packed Deuter Guide Lite 32+ perched on the edge of the Cairn marking the base of the final ascent up Inaccessible Pinnacle.

© Phil Geng

Review: Deuter Guide Lite 32+

Close up of a pile of old style UK £20 notes.

© http://www.torange-it.com

The true cost of the industry

Image of a full set of DMM Alloy Offsets as used by the author, fanned out on a woven rope mat.

© Phil Geng

Review: DMM Alloy Offsets

Close up of the inflated Exped SynMat UL 7M and the packsack used to store it for comparison.

© Phil Geng

Review: Exped SynMat UL 7 M

Picture of the author descending a snow dusted and deserted Moel Hebog in western Snowdonia.

© Callum Taylor

Adventurous solitude

Close up image of the Petzl Nao 575L showing the light sensor at the top and the two lamps below. to the left of the picture the control dial can be seen.

© Phil Geng

Review: Petzl Nao 575L

Image of a partially packed Deuter Guide 45+ in red.

© Phil Geng

Review: Deuter Guide 45+

Some people may wish for a portaloo in the wild, but thankfully they are a rare sight.

For poop sake

Picture of a retied figure of eight with a correctly tied double fisherman

© Phil Geng

Stopper knot or not?

Picture of two knee support bandages with a pair of aggressive climbing shoes and a personal first aid kit spread out on a bouldering pad.

© Phil Geng

Keep calm and warm up

The picture shows a pile of climbing shoes of varying ages spread out on a bouldering pad.

© Phil Geng

The beginner's guide to climbing shoes

© Phil Geng

Review: La Sportiva Mythos

Picture showing an OS Explorer active map for the Lake District with a Silva Explorer 4 Compass and a tablet in its rugged case.

© Phil Geng

Go on - get lost!

Complete set of DMM Peenuts

Review: DMM Peenuts

Image showing a pair of worn Boreal Jokers on a woven rope mat.

© Phil Geng

Review: Boreal Joker

Picture of the MSR Whisperlite Universal with foldable Heat/Wind shield surrounding it in normal gas canister mode.

© Phil Geng

Review: MSR Whisperlite Universal

Picture showing the DMM Highball bouldering/soloing mat, chalkbag, La Sportiva Mythos climbing shoes and the all important multi-purpose bar towel.

© Phil Geng

(Un)justifiable risk?

Close up image of the ever popular DMM Highball bouldering mat.

© Phil Geng

To spot or not?

Review: Snugpak Softie Elite 3

Image of the east face of the Old Man of Coniston on a changeable and unsettled day in the western fells.

© Phil Geng

We'll weather the weather whatever the weather - but what will the weather may be?

Image showing the bright Orange Vaude Hogan UL Argon pitched next to the modest green MSR tent.

© Phil Geng

Review: Vaude Hogan UL Argon 1-2P (red)

Image of the author's Raichle MT Trail GTX boots perched on a flat rock just before another long day in the Brecon Beacons.

© Phil Geng

Review: Mammut/Raichle MT Trail GTX boots

A father is keeping a close watch over his climbing son on an outdoor boulder. He stands braced, ready to assist his child if needed.

© Narve Rio

Learning risk - why children need to be exposed to risk