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Cargo Boxes

Yakima SkyBox NX Review

The box you buy when the roof has to do two jobs at once.

By Janet H.Last reviewed September 25, 2026
A long, narrow rooftop cargo box mounted on a crossover

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The SkyBox NX’s defining characteristic is not its volume or its finish. It is its footprint: long and narrow, deliberately, so that a bike tray or a kayak cradle fits on the crossbars beside it.

If that describes your weekend — luggage and bikes, or luggage and a boat — this is the box, and the comparison with broader boxes is not close. If the box is the only thing going on the roof, the shape is a cost rather than a benefit.

Quick picks

Tap any row to jump to the full write-up below. Scores are our editorial judgment on published specifications — not a star rating, and not a product we claim to have tested.

#ProductBest forScorePrice
1
Representative photo of a long, narrow rooftop cargo box on a crossover
Yakima SkyBox NXThe narrow footprint is the product. Everything else about it is simply good.
A box plus a second carrier8.4

Prices checked September 25, 2026. Product photographs are representative stock images, not the exact unit. Affiliate disclosure.

#1 · A box plus a second carrier

Yakima SkyBox NX

Representative photo of a long, narrow rooftop cargo box on a crossover
Representative photo — not the exact unit.

The narrow footprint is the product. Everything else about it is simply good.

Type
Hard shell
Shape
Long and narrow
Opening
Both sides
Mounting
Tool-free clamps
Sizes
Several, including an XL
Security
Locking, SKS compatible

What works

  • Leaves genuine bar space alongside for bikes or a boat
  • Very good at large duffels and totes loaded lengthways
  • Dual-side opening across the range
  • Usually less money than the comparable Thule

What doesn’t

  • Narrow means tall — measure your garage before you buy
  • Length needs a roof that can take it without overhanging the hatch
  • Finish is a step below the premium Thule boxes

Our scoring

Usable space9.0
Mounting8.5
Weather sealing8.5
Low profile7.0
Value8.5

8.4overall

When the roof has to do two jobs

This is the case the SkyBox NX is built for, and it is more common than box listings suggest: a family that needs luggage volume and also needs to bring the bikes.

The arithmetic to check before you commit. Your crossbars have a usable length. The box takes some of it. A roof bike tray or a kayak cradle needs the rest. Measure the bar, subtract the box width, and confirm the carrier fits in what is left — and then check the combined weight against your published roof limit, because two carriers plus two loads is where people quietly exceed it.

Often the better answer is a box on the roof and bikes on the hitch. That splits the weight between two structures instead of stacking it all on the roof, and it is easier on both loading and fuel.

Who should buy something else

If the box is the only thing going on the roof and your garage is tight, buy a low-profile box instead — the Motion 3 XL Low exists precisely for that case, and the INNO Shadow is the budget version of the same idea.

If you need volume once a year, buy a soft bag. If what you are carrying is heavy rather than bulky, buy a hitch carrier. Neither of those is a consolation prize; both are simply the right tool for a different job.

Common questions

Is the Yakima SkyBox NX too tall for a garage?
It can be. Narrow volume has to go upward, so the SkyBox is taller than a broad box of similar capacity. Measure your garage opening and your loaded vehicle height before ordering — not the specification sheet.
Can I fit bikes next to a SkyBox NX?
That is what the narrow shape is for. Measure your usable crossbar length, subtract the box width, and confirm the bike tray fits in the remainder. Then check the combined weight against your vehicle's published roof limit.
SkyBox NX or Thule Motion 3?
SkyBox if you need room beside it or the price difference matters. Motion 3 if garage height is your constraint or you want the better mounting hardware. Both open from either side and both seal well.

Sources

Not sure it fits your car?

Our vehicle pages carry the published roof load limit, the roof type by model year, and what actually mounts to it — cited, and honest about what the manufacturer does not publish.

See what fits your vehicleAll cargo boxes

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