Vango Shangri-La Lux 12 Double reviewed

The Vango Shangri-La Lux 12 Double is a 12cm self-inflating double camping mattress with a rechargeable pump built into its side. It measures 200 x 132cm, carries an R-value of 9.1 and costs £235 from Vango, which makes it the warmest and the deepest of the 132cm doubles we compare below, and the cheapest.

The built-in pump

Self-inflating mats rarely fill completely on their own, and topping up 132cm of foam by mouth is the dullest job at any campsite. Vango solves it by building the pump into the mattress. By Vango’s figures it inflates the mattress in about a minute and, run in reverse, empties it in another minute, ready to roll. If the battery runs flat, a separate Cyclone valve lets you inflate and deflate by hand. Vango does not publish a charge time or run time on the product page, so charge it at home before the trip.

Construction

The core is self-inflating foam cut with what Vango calls Dreamlock construction, a cutting pattern that it says packs 20% smaller than the previous model. Vertical side walls keep the full 132cm flat to the edge so neither sleeper ends up on a sloping edge. The top is a soft elastic knitted fabric and the shell is laminated with TPU rather than PVC, which Vango says is lighter and more flexible when rolling.

How warm is R 9.1?

The R-value is a measure of thermal resistance, how well the mat keeps your body heat from leaking into cold ground. It is measured in the lab under the camping-mattress standard ASTM F3340, which places the mat between a heated and a cold plate, and higher numbers mean warmer mats. Vango quotes 9.1 without naming the method. Taken at face value, that is more insulation than most couples will need in a tent between May and September, and it leaves a margin for frosty spring and autumn nights.

Three 132cm doubles compared

The table sets the Vango against the two other doubles of the same width that we review, at UK prices at the time of writing (October 2026).

On paper the Vango wins on depth, warmth, convenience and price. It loses on weight, by 1.4kg to the Exped MegaMat Duo and 2kg to the NEMO Roamer, and on warranty, where both rivals offer five years.

Living with it

At 5.8kg and 72 x 32cm rolled, it is a mattress for the boot of the car or the caravan locker. The supplied carry bag has a compression strap and handles, which helps on the walk from the car park to the pitch. As with any single-surface double, you will feel your partner turning over more than on two separate mats. Vango sells it with a two-year warranty, extended by a year if you register the product, free UK delivery on orders over £50 and 30 days to return it unused. Towsure’s price was within a few pence of Vango’s at the time of writing, so shopping around saves little.

We recommend it to couples who camp from the car and want the most comfortable double for the money, with no pumping to do. If you need something lighter to carry from a distant car park, or you plan to keep the mattress for many years, the five-year cover on the Exped or the NEMO is worth paying for.