26 Unique Gifts For Mushroom Hunters & Wildcrafters

Foraging for the perfect present? Don’t get lost in the woods; we’ve cultivated a list of must-have treasures for the fungi enthusiasts in your life.

By Justin Cooke Last Updated: August 28, 2023
Last Updated: August 28, 2023
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I dug deep for this list. 

I asked my fellow mushroom foraging friends, polled some of our readers, and combed the depths of the internet looking for the ultimate gift list for fellow myconauts — specifically the ones that like to tramp around in the forest looking for those elusive caps poking up through the leaf litter.

Whether they’re after chanterelles, truffles, or psychedelics, this guide is packed with treasures they’re sure to appreciate.

1. Mushroom Foraging Knife

A good knife is an essential tool for mushroom hunting. Any knife will work, but there are a few brands, like Opinel, that make knives purpose-built for harvesting and cleaning wild mushrooms. 

The Opinel No. 08 knife is my personal favorite. It has a folding blade with a curved shape, perfect for slicing the mushroom around the stock, and a small brush on one end to quickly remove debris after harvesting. The handle is made from beech wood and stainless steel blade that will resist tarnishing and rust over the years.

If you’re looking for a cheaper gift, the Wrenbury Mushroom Knife is another good option. 

An even more luxurious option is the Kellam Knives Mushroom Pocket Fixed Blade — made using a blend of birch and reindeer antler. 

2. Mushroom Collecting Basket

A solid collecting or foraging basket is essential for any good mushroom hunter.

A good mushroom collection basket is something that holds the mushrooms securely but allows the spores to fall out as you walk through the forest. This is an important part of harvesting mushrooms ethically — and your mushroom-hunting friend or family member will likely consider this important too. 

Look for a basket or bag made from wicker or netting. 

My favorite is the Fortem Leather Foraging Bag, which is made with canvas and leather and features a net bottom to help spread spores as you wander through the forest.

You can also find cheap baskets like this net foraging bag from Fochier on Amazon that work fold-up and fit nicely in another bag when not in use.

The most epic option for the serious mushroom forager is the Mushroom Foraging Bag by Haversack Bushcraft Bags

3. Mushroom Identification Guidebook

There’s nothing more useful than a solid mushroom identification guidebook when out in the field. 

There are many excellent guidebooks out there. The book I use is the National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. This book is, hands down, the best all-in-one identification guide for North America. But it can be a bit intimidating at first. There are other books that might serve as a better starting point that help users dial in on mushrooms specific to where they live.

For the West Coast, I recommend this book by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz

For the Midwest, check out this book by Bleu Sayles

For North East, check out this book by Teresa Marrone.

For the Southeast United States, I’ve heard great things about this book by Todd Elliott, but haven’t used it myself.  

4. Mushroom Brush

Mushrooms push up from below the leaf litter and soil at the bottom of the first floor. As they come up through the ground, they carry pieces of debris with them. 

A good mushroom brush is used to dust this debris off before you toss them in your bag. It’s also used to help uncover mushrooms from the leaf litter to help identify them before you decide to pick them.

I’ve met many mushroom hunters over the years and am surprised how few of them actually carry a brush with them. This is a perfect little gift for mushroom hunters because they’re cheap, and it’s something most foragers don’t know they need until using it for the first time.

A good mushroom brush is small to allow users to get into all the little cracks and crevices and has a soft bristle to avoid scratching or damaging the soft mushroom tissue. 

I really like the Chef’n ShroomBroom brush, which has nylon bristles that last FOREVER and a built-in mushroom coring tool. 

5. Foraging Journal

A good journal is useful for mushroom hunters to both track their findings and help jot down areas where they can find their favorite mushrooms again on future trips. 

I normally use a simple notebook for this, such as this vintage Mushroom Composition notebook, but you can also find purpose-built journals designed specifically for foraging, such as this Mushroom Hunter Log Book or the Gather Foraging Journal

6. Mushroom Grow Kits

It’s surprisingly easy to grow mushrooms at home — this includes gourmet edible species like oyster mushrooms, functional mushrooms like lion’s mane or reishi, and psychedelic species like Psilocybe cubensis.

For medicinal species, check out these ready-made grow kits from Planet Mushrooms. To grow them, all you have to do is poke some holes in the bag and mist them with water regularly. If you’re unsure which one to order… I’ll just say that lion’s mane is always a safe bet.

If you’d prefer to gift psychedelic species, I recommend ordering this all-in-one pawn bag from High Desert Spores and Psilocybe cubensis spores from Spores 101 or another one of our recommended spore vendors. These guys carry all kinds of different magic mushroom strains — honestly, you can’t really go wrong here; just pick one that speaks to you. 

7. Food Dehydrator

If you’re looking for a gift in the $50–$100 range, a food dehydrator is the perfect option.

After harvesting mushrooms, they need to be dried for long-term storage. There’s no easier way to go about this than a food dehydrator.

I personally use the NESCO Gardenmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, but you can also find really cheaper options that work just as well, such as the NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator.

8. Log Injection Tools

Looking for something for a real mushroom nerd? Check out this log injection system — designed to innoculate mushrooms into trees.

This tool is used by cultivators, landowners, and pro-foragers to innoculate deadwood with medicinal or edible fungi.

Some technical know-how is required to use this tool, but just about any serious mushroom nerd will embrace the challenge — and the rewards for learning to use this tool can be immense.

I’ve used a tool very similar to this to innoculate dead or dying trees around my cabin with medicinal species like lion’s mane and Ganoderma tsugae. It took about a year for the mushrooms to take hold, but now I have a consistent source of these mushrooms right in my own backyard.

9. Mushroom Mug

Ask any mushroom hunter, and they’ll likely agree that a good cup of coffee (or tea) first thing in the morning before spending the day tramping through the woods is essential. There’s no mug more appropriate for the job than this one from Fungi Perfecti

It’s made from enamel, so it’s basically indestructible — however, make sure the receiver knows it isn’t dishwasher safe — handwash this bad boy only.

You can also find some unique mushroom-shaped mugs, like this one by Dreamstall

10. Mushroom Socks

Looking for a good stocking stuffer or a small accompanying gift for something larger? Try some of these mushroom-themed socks!

Styled socks are all the rage these days, and the options are endless. 

For edible mushroom lovers, I recommend these bamboo mushroom socks from MeMoi that feature a simple, 8-bit Amanita muscaria pattern.

For cooler-weather foraging, especially in Northern climates, a nice pair of mushroom-inspired wool socks are a great option.

11. Titanium Folding Trowel

A small, lightweight trowel like this titanium option from NACETURE is something that rarely makes it onto the recommended gear lists for mushroom hunters — but since I started using one of these on my expeditions, I’ve found it deserves a permanent place in my kit.

There are a few species of mushroom that becomes much easier to identify if you can physically see the mycelium growing under the soil. I use it for harvesting both medicinal plants and checking the growth patterns of mushrooms I’m having a hard time identifying.

A good trowel is also essential for harvesting truffles — which are a delicious species of fungus that grows almost exclusively underground.

12. Mushroom Playing Cards

These mushroom playing cards feature the photography of legendary mycologist Paul Stamets, as well as a handful of other highly respected fungi experts. 

The pack is split up into four suits — gourmet (Clubs), medicinal (Hearts), poisonous (Spades), and psychoactive (Diamonds).

You can also find some great foraging-inspired playing cards on Amazon — such as this pack by Kikkerland.

13. Tick Key

When hunting for mushrooms out in the bush, ticks are bound to happen. A good tick remover is an essential piece of kit for any budding mushroom hunter. 

This is a great gift because it’s something people don’t normally think about until they need it — and the moment they do, they’ll be immensely thankful to have this thing around. 

In my opinion, this is the best tick key style on the market. They’re super cheap, lightweight, and make removing pesky ticks super easy. You can get these in packs with anywhere from 1–10. I recommend getting the 3-pack so they can throw one in various bags or pockets so there’s always one kicking around when they need it.

14. Automatic Mushroom Plant Waterers

These mushroom-shaped automatic plant waterers by VYV Wellness are the best alternative I’ve seen to those tacky bulb-styled waterers. 

Each mushroom is made with terracotta and features a reservoir to fill up with water. The water slowly diffuses through the terracotta into the soil to keep your plants wet while you’re out of town.

15. Mushroom Stickers

Who doesn’t love some stickers?

You can find various sticker packs all over Amazon, at local craft shops, or at places like Fungi.com.

These make for a perfect add-on to other gifts. I would recommend a variety pack like this for a solid mix of different high-quality vinyl stickers or a pack like this for a more consistent style.

16. Mushroom Coffee

Mushroom coffee is a new trendy product that combines traditional ground coffee with functional mushroom extracts.

Usually, these blends contain functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, chaga, cordyceps, or reishi. Sometimes they contain other natural ingredients, too, such as ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric. 

There are a few really good mushroom coffee brands these days, but my go-to at the moment is the Rise by Mudwtr. It’s made with masala chai, cacao, lion’s mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps, turmeric, cinnamon, and sea salt. All you have to do is mix it in with some water and drink up.

Other good brands to check out are Four Sigmatic and Everyday Dose

17. Yeti Rambler

Staying hydrated is important while spending a day in the bush looking for mushrooms.

There’s no bottle better (in my opinion) than the Yeti Rambler — specifically, the 26 oz version. 

I find this size is the perfect size for meandering around in the forest all day. Larger ones are available too, but I find they’re a bit too heavy and clunky to carry around all day and don’t fit in standard water bottle pockets on the outside of most backpacks.

These Ramblers keep beverages cold or hot for many hours. And the chug cap is perfect for drinking both hot tea and ice-cold water.

If you want a more mushroom-themed gift, check out this vintage mushroom design by Oarencol instead. 

Another good (cheaper) option is this wide-mouth insulated bottle by Orgypet.

18. Mycelium Running (Book)

This book was written by one of the most famous mycologists alive today — Paul Stamets. It contains all kinds of wisdom and insights surrounding the use of mushrooms as food, medicine, and more.

Mycelium Running is a groundbreaking book that presents the idea that mushrooms can play an essential role in ecological restoration and sustainability. The author explores the fascinating world of fungi and their mycelial networks, describing how they function as the “Earth’s natural internet,” connecting plants and facilitating communication within ecosystems.

This book isn’t just a book for mushroom enthusiasts — it’s a call to action for environmentalists, farmers, scientists, and anyone interested in understanding and harnessing the power of fungi to improve our world.

I’ve read this book three times now and have found that with each reading, I find myself even more inspired to go out to hunt, grow, and consume mushrooms. 

19. Microdose Capsules

Unfortunately, this option is only available for people living in Canada, but as soon as this changes, we’ll update the links in this section.

Microdoses are non-psychoactive supplements made from psychedelics (usually magic mushrooms, but LSD and mescaline also work). They usually contain between 50 and 200 milligrams of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms and often contain additional ingredients like lion’s mane mushrooms or L-theanine.

The benefits of microdosing include:

In Canada, you can order microdose capsules from places like Microcybin, Sero, or Psychedelia.io

Check out our full list of microdose vendors on our directory page. 

20. Mushroom Disco Ball

The Original Mushroom Disco Ball by Sofiest Designs may be the perfect birthday or housewarming guest for your fungus-loving friend.

This novel take on the classic disco ball has been seeing a lot of popularity recently. It comes in 4 different sizes (XS, S, M, and L) and two separate colors.

The company also sells a more customizable version called the Mojo Mushroom that lets you pick the top color (cap) and bottom color (stalk) separately.

Related: Roundup of the Best Mushroom Disco Balls

21. Travel Cutting Board

The first thing many mushroom hunters do after harvesting is to head back and get cooking! 

This travel cutting board by Fireside Outdoor comes with everything your mushroom-hunting friends need to prep their findings in the field. 

It’s made with a ¾” thick bamboo cutting board with built-in storage space for a slicing knife (included) and a thick silicone cover to keep everything secure when not in use. 

The silicon pad also doubles as a non-slip grip or base to keep the board from sliding around as you cut on wet or uneven ground outside.

22. Chaga Mushroom Tea

Chaga is one of the hardest mushrooms to forage. It’s only really found in far-North climates with plenty of birch trees. 

Unless this describes the area your friend or loved one lives, a bag of chaga mushroom chunks might make for a perfect gift.

This mushroom has a hard, woody texture and numerous health benefits. It’s my favorite option to take camping or hiking because the hard, woody pieces are lightweight and can’t spill or leak powder in my bag.

Chaga tea has a dark, earthy flavor, not dissimilar to coffee (but is completely caffeine-free).

23. Book: Mushrooms for Dyes, Paper, Pigments and Myco-Stix

This book by Miriam Rice is the ultimate guide for anybody interested in using mushrooms for more than just food or medicine. 

It details all the methods of using various species of fungi as textile dyes, paper sculpture, and plain paper. 

It also features the author’s own method of developing mushroom-pigmented drawing utensils she calls “Myco-Stix™.”

24. Mushroom Forager Hoodie

This printed pullover from NWMushroomFarm is a must-have for mushroom enthusiasts — especially while out hunting for morels in the early spring or lobster mushrooms in the late fall. 

It features all the common culinary mushrooms your mycophilic friends will love. I spot enoki, maitake, morels, boletus, chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, and more.

25. Mushroom Button Down

Looking for some mushroom-inspired clothing better suited for warmer weather? Check out this classic Hawaiian-style button-down shirt by Brunofenalea.

 This shirt is made from polyester, so it’s machine-washable, doesn’t shrink, and is both lightweight and breathable.

26. Mushroom Puzzle

There are many great mushroom-themed puzzles that would make a perfect gift for the mycologically-inclined. 

Check out this 1000-piece vintage-style puzzle on Amazon.

For a smaller puzzle, check out this 500-piece Shrooms in Bloom puzzle

If you’re feeling super generous, this beautiful vintage round mushroom puzzle created by Booth Courtenay in 1968 is a perfect gift for serious puzzle enthusiasts.