Nothing, from your definition scene tax is the extra cost tacked on “as a direct result of it’s reputation”

You can easily apply that to Northface (for instance) but I doubt (given that few have ever heard of them) that you could apply it to McNair. The cost is probably almost entirely relatively transparent; materials, small production batches, manufacture in the UK etc.

You seem determined to dismiss them as fashionable hipster wannabes but I’m lost as to why? 😕

I dont think in this case McNair is the scene. The scene will be the beardy hipster tattoo types. Likewise Northface isn’t the scene, the outdoors is. I don’t think in this case the manufacturers reputation is the source of the inflated price, just that they are tapping into a scene reknowned for people who will pay over the odds to be a part of it.

Compare to VW vans where the scene and the product are the same, McNair is not like VW (although I’m sure they wish they had the longevity of their scene tax).

As far as I’m aware, none of those brands charge £375 for a woollen shirt.

As far as I’m aware McNair aren’t changing their colours every year to fit into the whole annual sales cycle.

they are tapping into a scene reknowned for people who will pay over the odds to be a part of it.

What if I just want (and can easily afford) a nice merino wool over shirt that’s well cut and made in the UK? Do I have to sign up for anything? Get a tattoo? Start wearing a beanie hat indoors?

If outdoors, then cheaper and more versatile would seem to be a better option, surely?
Ever seen a duvet jacket in a climbing hut that didn’t have Gaffa tape holding it together?
And exactly how versatile is a down jacket? It’s very good at a) keeping you warm when you still and it’s cold and dry and b) keeping you warm when you’re active and it’s extremely cold and dry.

Not cheap either!
How versatile is any outdoor jacket, if you really want to start getting pedantic; really waterproof jackets can get hot if you’re involved in pretty active pursuits, you end up a boil-in-the-bag human, lighter weight waterproofs don’t tend to keep heavy rain out for very long, and both generally need other layers.
There are serious, and expensive down jackets which are waterproof, but for average British wear an ultralight down jacket can be as versatile as any other, they’re easily packed into a small bag, and some, slightly more expensive ones have treated down which doesn’t clump, and along with a treated outer shell can keep a fair amount of damp out.
I’ve got a NF Nuptse that I bought with a £250 work lottery win fifteen – twenty years ago, that doesn’t get worn so much because winters just aren’t that cold now, but is in perfect condition, a couple of Uniqlo ultralight down jackets, about £65-70, that get worn lots over tee shirts on cool days, a similar Decathlon jacket for work that cost £40 and a Jottnar Fenrir, which costs £200, but I got mine through an end of season sale for £139, and I wore for several hours in persistent rain without it soaking through except a bit across the shoulders, and which I think is a perfect jacket for most of the year in the UK, with just a cheap PU waterproof chucked over the top if it got really wet.
https://www.jottnar.com/uk/mens/down-insulation/fenrir/
Oh, and Jottnar are a small British company not aimed at beardy hipster types who wear their sister’s jeans, tweedy waistcoats and bow ties.
😀

s.u.r. – agreed on normal icebreaker tops. I’ve got one that’s lasted better than others, though.

These are a bit different, we’ll see what they’re are like when they get here:

http://uk.icebreaker.com/en/merinoloft-helix-reversible-shirt/102666002M_WS.html

Availability didn’t last until the evening, and a medium arrived today from Germany & will be retained; thanks again for the link. No beard required.

Nice, is it then? Mine arrived at work today, but I wasn’t in. I’ll have to wait till Monday.

Yup; has WAF and even one of the two teenage daughters was eyeing it up, although “it does look a bit Euro” in the non-plaid aspect. Almost cold and wet enough to wear it today!

Fwiw, Mr McNair himself is a mate of a mate and is a very well regarded snowboard guide who lives in tignes and is reportedly a very nice chap and not “hipster” at all.

The mountain shirts are really very nice in the flesh and I’ve heard good reports of them in use for spring snowboarding but I too would struggle to justify the cost. £200 maybe

And to think of the stick some of us take for buying Arcteryx or Apple or rimless glasses.

I’ve just opened a new victual experience tavern.

Check out my cutting edge menu here!

The water croquettes with fennel toss sounds lovely. 😆