Main trade-off
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
It gives up six cubic feet of enclosed storage.
Head-to-head
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny vs Yakima SkyBox NX XL: XL adds luggage width without extending ski length or hatch compatibility
The short answer
Choose the Skinny when another carrier needs space beside the box and 12 cu ft is enough. Choose the NX XL for bulkier family gear when its 36-inch width fits the whole roof plan. Both accept 195 cm skis and use the same published 50-inch hatch reference, so the wider box does not extend either of those limits.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
A 50-inch bar creates two different accessory budgets
On an illustrative 50-inch usable span, Skinny leaves 23.5 inches outside its body and NX XL 14 inches. That 9.5-inch difference can determine whether a second carrier deserves further fit checking. It still does not account for rack feet, clamps, handlebars or lid travel.
What this is based on
50 - 26.5 = 23.5 inches and 50 - 36 = 14 inches. This nominal space cannot approve a mounting arrangement.
Main trade-off
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
Its wider and heavier shell consumes more shared roof space and payload.
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Choose it for
- You need to leave room for another approved roof carrier.
- Your gear fits 12 cu ft and roof weight is limited.
- Main trade-off
- It gives up six cubic feet of enclosed storage.
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Choose it for
- Your short, bulky gear needs more than 12 cu ft.
- You can dedicate a 36-inch-wide portion of the rack to the box.
- Main trade-off
- Its wider and heavier shell consumes more shared roof space and payload.
About this comparison
Choose the narrow or full-width SkyBox for shared roof space, family bags and remaining payload without assuming the wider box holds longer skis.
Choose the Skinny when another carrier needs space beside the box and 12 cu ft is enough. Choose the NX XL for bulkier family gear when its 36-inch width fits the whole roof plan. Both accept 195 cm skis and use the same published 50-inch hatch reference, so the wider box does not extend either of those limits.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
A box beside another roof carrier
Skinny is 9.5 inches narrower before clamp and foot clearance.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Better fit
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Caution
More than 12 cu ft of bulky light gear
NX XL offers 18 cu ft within the same 84-inch body length.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Caution
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Better fit
Carry 200 cm skis
Both publish a 195 cm ski limit.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Not suitable
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Not suitable
A 51-inch Yakima-method hatch measurement
Both have a 50-inch minimum, subject to approved bar placement and a final hatch test.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Good starting point
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Good starting point
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
A 50-inch bar creates two different accessory budgets
On an illustrative 50-inch usable span, Skinny leaves 23.5 inches outside its body and NX XL 14 inches. That 9.5-inch difference can determine whether a second carrier deserves further fit checking. It still does not account for rack feet, clamps, handlebars or lid travel.
How we reached this conclusion
50 - 26.5 = 23.5 inches and 50 - 36 = 14 inches. This nominal space cannot approve a mounting arrangement.
The extra volume is for bulk, not longer skis
NX XL adds six cubic feet while retaining the same 84-inch body length and 195 cm ski limit. A family packing extra jackets and sleeping bags may benefit. A skier whose 200 cm skis are the problem needs a different model rather than the wider version of this one.
How we reached this conclusion
18 - 12 = 6 cu ft. A 200 cm ski exceeds both 195 cm limits by 5 cm. No exact suitcase count is inferred.
A larger family load can hit the weight limit first
Assume a 165 lb total roof allowance and 20 lb rack. Skinny leaves 102 lb for cargo and NX XL 92 lb using Yakima’s heavier 53 lb chart figure. Decide whether your problem is bulky light gear or heavy bags before paying for space the roof may not let you fill.
How we reached this conclusion
165 - 20 - 43 = 102 lb and 165 - 20 - 53 = 92 lb. NX XL differs by 1 lb across current sources, so the heavier chart value is used.
Choice A
Yakima, 8007368
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
A 12 cu ft box for skis up to 195 cm. Its 26.5-inch width leaves more room beside it than the full-width SkyBox NX XL.
- Best matched use
- You need to leave room for another approved roof carrier.
Checked facts
- Cargo volume: 12 cu ft
- External width: 26.5 in
- Empty box weight: 43 lb
- External body height: 16 in
Choice B
Yakima, SkyBox NX 18 XL
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
The box holds 18 cubic feet. It accepts gear up to 195 centimeters long.
- Best matched use
- Your short, bulky gear needs more than 12 cu ft.
Checked facts
- Cargo volume: 18 cu ft
- External width: 36 in
- Empty box weight: 53 lb in the fit chart
- External body height: 16.5 in
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny | Yakima SkyBox NX XL | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume | 12 cu ft | 18 cu ft | The full-width box is useful for more bulky gear. |
| External width | 26.5 in | 36 in | Skinny preserves nominal space beside the shell. |
| Empty box weight | 43 lb | 53 lb in the fit chart | A heavier shell leaves less cargo allowance. |
| External body height | 16 in | 16.5 in | Body height is not a substitute for installed garage height. |
| Length and ski limit | 84 in long, 195 cm skis | 84 in long, 195 cm skis | Extra volume does not buy a longer ski fit. |
| Yakima hatch minimum | 50 in to the open hatch | 50 in to the open hatch | Both use the same reference and threshold. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- The narrower shell does not extend the 195 cm ski limit.
If you choose Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Its extra volume does not accommodate skis longer than 195 cm.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
My other carrier needs the space a 36-inch box would occupy
Choose Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny. Skinny reduces the shell width to 26.5 inches.
My gear needs 18 cu ft and the full-width layout is approved
Choose Yakima SkyBox NX XL. NX XL provides the larger volume without a longer body.
My skis are 200 cm long
Choose neither. Both ski limits stop at 195 cm.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
Separate volume from length
The word Skinny describes a genuine width and volume change, not a shorter ski box. Both models accept the same ski length. If long skis are the reason you need roof storage, measure them first and avoid treating the NX XL as a length upgrade.
Draw the whole rack layout
For a mixed roof load, draw the box, other carrier, rack feet and clamp positions on the usable bar span. Then check lid and bicycle clearance. Skinny is the stronger starting point for that job, while NX XL suits a roof dedicated mainly to enclosed luggage.
Check the hatch and weigh the bags
Both share Yakima’s 50-inch open-hatch measurement. The larger box therefore does not automatically require a different hatch allowance. Its extra weight still reduces payload, so a successful hatch check must be followed by a separate total-load calculation and an installed-height check.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- The NX XL product page and chart differ slightly in empty weight. Payload examples use 53 lb.
- No exact luggage count or side-by-side accessory fit is established.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current roof cargo boxes comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny |
|
| |
| Yakima SkyBox NX XL |
|
|
Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
You need to leave room for another approved roof carrier.
See price & reviews on AmazonYakima SkyBox NX XL
Your short, bulky gear needs more than 12 cu ft.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.