The Best Products for Shrooming Like a Pro

Everyone remembers their first mushroom trip. Mine was at a frat party in Isla Vista, California, watching my soon-to-be best friend turn into a Keebler Elf while a dude in a popped-collar Polo Ralph Lauren shirt broke a door with his face. And while it’s been a minute since I’ve gone down the road feelin’ bad on a full-blown trip, mushrooms have become a mainstay in my life, as I’ve recently begun microdosing psilocybin mushrooms a few times a day month, which some studies have shown to reduce anxiety, improve focus, and even make folks feel more creative and emotionally tapped-in. “In fact, it increasingly seems that pain—one of the most universal experiences in the human condition—is now the next frontier for psychedelics after mental health,” Mattha Busby recently wrote for VICE about the destigmatization of mushrooms in recent years, especially in the spheres of health and wellness. 

That’s just the tip of the mushroom cap when it comes to shroomies rising mainstream popularity in recent years. Remember how during pandemic lockdowns, everyone was suddenly growing their own non-psychoactive mushrooms at home with grow kits? Suddenly, it felt like everyone’s Instagram feed was a wave of Fantastic Fungi-inspired content and hobbies. “They’re the new succulents,” one of my friends said. “Remember how succulents used to be the Insta-plant?” She wasn’t wrong, and I wasn’t mad about it. 

Mushrooms are for everyone, whether they’re making a shiitake omelet, about to microdose for a day of mellow soul-searching, or about to shit themselves at a Phish show go on a full-blown cosmic voyage. The following are some of our favorite items for the shroom-obsessed hobgoblin in all of us, including cozy robes to cuddle up in, mind-expanding shroomy reads, and a bunch of other treats that will equip you for a trip that’s zero scaries, no Hail Marys. Let’s ride. 

Reading up on your mushroom and psychedelic lore is a great place to begin your fungi journey. Start off by learning more about the late Mexican shaman María Sabina, whose healing work with hallucinogenic mushrooms was publicized in the United States in the 1950s, and was the genesis of the States’ soon-to-be love affair with psychedelics. This book is a collection of her “religious-therapeutic folk poetry,” in the words of the writer Henry Mann, which was inspired by her experiences communing with the sacred fungi.  

Now this—this—is some Da Vinci Code-level shit. John Allegro was one of the preeminent 20th-century Dead Sea Scroll scholars and archaeologists, and he blew everyone’s mind with his theory about what he considered to be a glaringly apparent connection between early Christian cults and the worship of mushrooms. I mean, ahem, Jesus? It does get a bit dense and academic at times, but it’s the kind of read that will forever change the way you view Western history.   

Now this is the kind of book you could actually read and absorb while fully tripping, because 90% of it is just trippy, rad pictures. Mycelium Wassonii is one hell of a visual journey, and a graphic novel retelling the story of the lives (and trips) of R. Gordon and Valentina Wasson, “the pioneering scientist couple responsible for popularizing the use of psychedelic mushrooms.” Expect more than a few cameos from Buddha and the CIA.

Lighting is everything, whether you’re taking a cosmic voyage or just trying to create a more relaxing everyday environment. We speak from experience, traveler, when we say there’s nothing worse than coming up on shrooms in a room with sterile, cold lighting that puts all your demons on display. Instead, bring home a sunset lamp that will cast your space in a calm, honey-hued glow. We tried out the TikTok-viral lamp to see just how much of a game-changer it is for home ambiance, and the result was nothing short of buttery. You can cast the light in as large or small of a circle as you want, take hot selfies, make shadow puppets, and bask in the warmth like the child of the sun you are. 

Amber is the color of your energy, but so is a sunset lamp with a Slime Time Live green gradient. Perfect for a vibe that’s a little more Y2K-Lisa-Frank-alien-core.   

You are about to become best friends (or worst enemies) with whatever surface you’re sitting on. Do you peepers a favor, and make sure you’re roosted with a rug that brings the vibes and cool designs, whether it’s a tufted shroom mat or an outdoor rug that will transport you to a starry night in Joshua Tree. 

Not sure what to listen to before you skate across the Milky Way? Dip your sweet little toes into the best place on the internet, the Grateful Dead Reddit forums, for some guidance. “[What is the] best Grateful Dead album to trip to?” asked one Redditer, to which a stream of Jerry Time angels chimed in with recommendations. “LSD + Nitrous + Attics of my Life=... well, still trying to figure it out, but it's heavy, LOL” said one Deadhead about American Beauty, while others listed Terrapin Station as “untouchable in my eyes.” (Our very own Rec Room editor Ian Burke’s favorite Dead album deserves a shout out as well.) Amen, brethren. 

As you enter this new sensory experience, it’s not uncommon for texture, taste, and smell to feel heightened or altered. Some folks even experience synesthesia. Who knows what your ambitions may be on a shroom day, but whether you're microdosing or fully blasting off to space, it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re swaddled in something cozy, such as a plush robe. We love the idea of having a dedicated Shroom Time robe such as this one from Arlo Goods. Not only is it covered in chanterelles and other woodland staples, but its super -soft fabric is made out of recycled plastic bottles. Mama Earth will thank you.  

You know what else is gonna look REAL cool? This squiggly Dusen Dusen bathrobe. Let the benevolent, pink sandworms entertain you as your brain becomes a headlight on a northbound train.

This is so important, dude. Staying hydrated will help you feel better even when you’re not shrooming, improving everything from mood and energy levels to the health of your skin. There are tons of “smart” water bottles and hacks for remembering to stay hydrated, but we’re fans of this best-selling, rhinestone-clad water bottle. It even comes with a chain (and is available in over a dozen other colorways), so there’s less of a chance you’ll lose it as you go on shroomventures. 

More and more folks are integrating psychedelics into therapy, and some scientists think they could treat everything from cluster headaches to fibromyalgia. One thing’s for sure, mushies will have you feeling all the feels, and it’s always a good idea to have a notebook on hand for writing down all of your epiphanies, whether you’re experiencing revelations about your childhood or struck by the muse to “make everyone hold hands.” And when it comes to notebooks, nothing goes harder than a Moleskine, a.k.a. the smooth notebook beloved by Pablo Picasso. It’s also one of the best cult-fave items on Amazon, where it has accumulated over 10,000 reviews and a 4.8-star average rating. “I was suitably impressed,” writes one reviewer. “The sketchbook is great quality, sturdily bound, [and has] elastic to keep it closed and a ribbon to keep your place along with a nice little pouch in the back cover.” 

Look, at some point you might need to go out and commune with people who aren’t on the same astral plane as you. As with all altering substances, a choice pair of sunnies can help conceal your ~elevated~ state and blown pupils. (Until you start chatting up inanimate objects, that is.) Our ideal self falls somewhere between your crush at a Prodigy concert and The Dude, so these two pairs are just the ticket. 

See you on the other side, buddy. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.