My (Merlin) Rock Lobster 853 is the best hardtail frame I have ever ridden. Maybe the Explosif 853 is second, but it is heavier than the Rock Lobster (fatter tubes) and slightly less fun to ride.
With all due respect, to call it tat is a bit silly. Firstly, Reynolds 853 is just about the best steel tubeset you will find. Secondly, the geometry (which was originally specified by Sadoff apparently) is spot on what I want. Thirdly, Taiwanese frames are built in a few huge factories, all to similar (and high) standards. Cotic, On-One, Genesis, Charge, Rock Lobster etc are made in the same factories as the big brands and to the same standards. Except that the big brands don't make steel frames, so if it wasn't for 'tat' brands, there would be virtually no new steel frames on the market now.
Basically the huge resources of the taiwanese industry mean that somebody like Brant Richards or Cy Turner can design a bike just as he likes and have it built to a high standard and delivered to a UK factory. I can't see what is wrong with that - isn't it how brands like ParkPre operated? I think they were made at Fairly, which is where some Kona frames are made. They weren't tat.
Incidentally, the last time I went to a southern area xc race, there were only two steel frames being raced and they were both Rock Lobster 853s.