The catch
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
You lose six cubic feet of enclosed storage with it.
Side by side
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny vs Yakima SkyBox NX XL compared: XL gains luggage width and does not extend ski length or hatch compatibility
Quick verdict
The Skinny is right when another carrier needs space beside the box and 12 cu ft is enough. The NX XL is right for bulkier family gear when its 36-inch width fits the whole roof plan. Both accept 195 cm skis and share the same published 50-inch hatch reference, so the wider box extends neither limit.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
On a 50-inch bar, the two boxes leave different accessory budgets
Assume an illustrative 50-inch usable span. Skinny leaves 23.5 inches beyond its body and NX XL leaves 14 inches. The 9.5-inch gap may decide whether a second carrier is worth checking further. Rack feet, clamps, handlebars and lid travel aren’t counted in it.
Where this comes from
50 - 26.5 = 23.5 inches and 50 - 36 = 14 inches. Nominal space like this can’t sign off on a mounting arrangement.
The catch
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
A wider, heavier shell uses up more of the shared roof space and payload.
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Why pick it
- Another approved roof carrier has to fit beside the box.
- Roof weight is limited, and your gear fits in 12 cu ft.
- The catch
- You lose six cubic feet of enclosed storage with it.
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Why pick it
- More than 12 cu ft is needed for your short, bulky gear.
- A 36-inch-wide portion of the rack can be given over to the box.
- The catch
- A wider, heavier shell uses up more of the shared roof space and payload.
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What this page compares
Pick between the narrow and full-width SkyBox based on shared roof space, family bags and remaining payload, and do not assume the wider box takes longer skis.
The Skinny is right when another carrier needs space beside the box and 12 cu ft is enough. The NX XL is right for bulkier family gear when its 36-inch width fits the whole roof plan. Both accept 195 cm skis and share the same published 50-inch hatch reference, so the wider box extends neither limit.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
A box plus another roof carrier
Before clamp and foot clearance, Skinny comes in 9.5 inches narrower.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Better fit
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Caution
Bulky light gear that takes more than 12 cu ft
NX XL gives you 18 cu ft without going beyond the same 84-inch body length.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Caution
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Better fit
Carrying 200 cm skis
Each lists a ski limit of 195 cm.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Not suitable
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Not suitable
A 51-inch hatch measurement taken by Yakima’s method
Each calls for a 50-inch minimum, depending on approved bar placement and a last hatch test.
- Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- Good starting point
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Good starting point
In practice
Differences you will notice
On a 50-inch bar, the two boxes leave different accessory budgets
Assume an illustrative 50-inch usable span. Skinny leaves 23.5 inches beyond its body and NX XL leaves 14 inches. The 9.5-inch gap may decide whether a second carrier is worth checking further. Rack feet, clamps, handlebars and lid travel aren’t counted in it.
How we worked this out
50 - 26.5 = 23.5 inches and 50 - 36 = 14 inches. Nominal space like this can’t sign off on a mounting arrangement.
Extra volume suits bulk and does nothing for longer skis
NX XL gives you six more cubic feet. Its 84-inch body length and 195 cm ski limit stay the same. That can help a family packing extra jackets and sleeping bags. If 200 cm skis are your problem, you need a different model. The wider version of this one will not help.
How we worked this out
18 - 12 = 6 cu ft. A 200 cm ski is 5 cm past both 195 cm limits. No exact suitcase count is implied.
With a larger family load, weight can become the limit first
With a 165 lb total roof allowance and a 20 lb rack, Skinny leaves 102 lb for cargo. NX XL leaves 92 lb on Yakima’s heavier 53 lb chart figure. Work out whether you have bulky light gear or heavy bags before you pay for space the roof may not let you fill.
How we worked this out
165 - 20 - 43 = 102 lb and 165 - 20 - 53 = 92 lb. Current sources disagree on NX XL by 1 lb, so the heavier chart value is what applies.
Option A
Yakima, 8007368
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
This 12 cu ft box handles skis up to 195 cm. At 26.5 inches wide, it leaves more room beside it than the full-width SkyBox NX XL does.
- Best for
- Another approved roof carrier has to fit beside the box.
Facts we checked
- Volume for cargo: 12 cu ft
- Outside width: 26.5 in
- Empty box's weight: 43 lb
- Outside body height: 16 in
Option B
Yakima, SkyBox NX 18 XL
Yakima SkyBox NX XL
You can fit gear up to 195 centimeters long in its 18 cubic feet.
- Best for
- More than 12 cu ft is needed for your short, bulky gear.
Facts we checked
- Volume for cargo: 18 cu ft
- Outside width: 36 in
- Weight of the empty box: 53 lb in the fit chart
- Outside body height: 16.5 in
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny | Yakima SkyBox NX XL | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume | 12 cu ft | 18 cu ft | The full-width box helps with extra bulky gear. |
| External width | 26.5 in | 36 in | Beside the shell, Skinny keeps nominal space free. |
| Empty box weight | 43 lb | 53 lb in the fit chart | Cargo allowance shrinks with a heavier shell. |
| External body height | 16 in | 16.5 in | The height of the body can’t stand in for installed height at the garage. |
| Length and ski limit | 84 in long, 195 cm skis | 84 in long, 195 cm skis | More volume won’t get a longer ski to fit. |
| Yakima hatch minimum | 50 in to the open hatch | 50 in to the open hatch | The reference and the threshold are the same for both. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
- A narrower shell leaves the 195 cm ski limit unchanged.
With Yakima SkyBox NX XL
- Skis longer than 195 cm don’t fit just because it has extra volume.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
I need the room a 36-inch box would take up for my other carrier
Go with Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny. Skinny brings the shell width down to 26.5 inches.
I need 18 cu ft for my gear, and the full-width layout is approved
Go with Yakima SkyBox NX XL. NX XL has the larger volume and doesn’t need a longer body.
My skis measure 200 cm
Neither model fits. Neither ski limit goes past 195 cm.
Decision guide
How to decide
Volume is not length
Skinny in the name points to a real change in width and volume and not to a shorter ski box. Both models accept the same ski length. If long skis are why you need roof storage, measure them first, and do not treat the NX XL as a length upgrade.
Sketch the full rack layout
With a mixed roof load, put the box, the other carrier, the rack feet and the clamp positions on paper along the usable bar span, then check lid and bicycle clearance. Skinny is the stronger place to start for that job, and NX XL fits a roof used mainly for enclosed luggage.
Measure the hatch and weigh the bags
Yakima’s 50-inch open-hatch measurement applies to both, so the larger box does not automatically need a different hatch allowance. Its extra weight still cuts payload, which means a hatch check that passes has to be followed by a separate total-load calculation and an installed-height check.
What this page can’t tell you
- Empty weight differs slightly between the NX XL product page and its chart. The payload examples use 53 lb.
- Neither an exact luggage count nor a side-by-side accessory fit has been established.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the roof cargo boxes we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny |
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| Yakima SkyBox NX XL |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny
Another approved roof carrier has to fit beside the box.
See price & reviews on AmazonYakima SkyBox NX XL
More than 12 cu ft is needed for your short, bulky gear.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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