If you look around you're going to see a lot of gear with the bushcraft label. From knives to underwear. From gloves to hats. Marketing has laid a big claim to the hobby and it can be a little numbing to sift through it all. Leather and canvas or modern synthetic materials, old school steel on a knife or super steel. Titanium or aluminum cooking gear...
Does any of it really matter? No.
I see guys using old heavy canvas tarps, oil lanterns, eating their food from a slab of wood, wearing 1800's style boots and or clothing, but having to have the latest knife steel.
On the opposite side of that spectrum I see guys using ultralight or more modern gear but only carrying a Swiss Army Knife which is a pretty classic knife in old school steel.
Does either matter? Nope. Not one little bit. But it is a solid topic for discussion.
I will admit, I have scratched my head many times when I see someone in a campground using an old style canvas wall tent but running a generator to power a TV. Or using an ultra light tent and using an old fashioned oil lantern. There's nothing wrong with either set up. We all do bushcraft a little different and it's not the gear, but the skills we have that should matter more. Magnacut or 1095 should mean nothing if you have knife skills. Canvas or poly for a tent or tarp means nothing as long as your shelter keeps you dry.
Most of my gear is sort of newish. I like lighter tents and I have a few lightweight tarps. I still have and use the old big box store heavy tarps too. My tents are modern materials. My knives range from tactical to classic in look, but I don't think I have any in a super steel. My cookware is either stainless or titanium these days as carrying cast iron is a bit heavy and I got away from aluminum decades ago. I got rid of the ALICE gear to opt for lighter packs and pouches. I use battery operated lanterns instead of gas. I do have a a few gas stoves that get used, but not often. I live in an area where fires are not permitted on the local public land, so I do use a solid fuel stove pretty often. Due to some health stuff most of my camping is car camping these days, and I still prefer the lower weight of more modern gear.
The only point here is the materials of your gear don't matter. Using your gear and developing wood skills is what matters. So go out and have an adventure with your chosen gear and enjoy the time in the woods. Trust me when I say the woods don't care if it's canvas and leather or poly or silnylon or AUS8 or AEBL.
