Thule vs Yakima: Cargo Boxes Compared Size by Size, Plus Racks

Thule for the lighter box, the mount that clicks when tight, and a self-locking lid. Yakima for the same volume at $80 to $100 less. No crossbars and a few trips a year? A 20 cubic foot roof bag straps to a bare roof for a tenth of the money.

The two brands have been trading the top of this category for forty years, and the honest answer is that at any given size they are close. The differences are in weight, mounting hardware, locks, finish, and price, and those are what this guide lays out, model by model, from the manufacturers’ current pages.

How the two lineups map

Both companies renamed their boxes in the last two years, and most comparisons online still use the old names. Here is the decoder.

Tier	Thule (current)	Thule (old name)	Yakima (current)	Yakima (old name)
Entry	Pulse 2 M, L	Pulse	RocketBox Pro 14	RocketBox Pro 11, 12
Mid-range	Force 3 M, L, L Sport, XL, XXL	Force XT	SkyBox NX Skinny, LG, XL, XXL	SkyBox NX 12, 16, 18, 21
Premium	Motion 3 L, XL, XXL, XL Low	Motion XT	CBX LG, XXL	CBX 16, 18

Thule replaced the Force XT with the Force 3 in the US; the XT pages now exist only on Thule’s overseas sites. Yakima moved from numbers to size letters, so a search for “SkyBox 16 vs Force XT L” is today a search for SkyBox NX LG vs Force 3 L.

Thule cargo boxes

Every current Thule box opens from either side, carries 165 pounds, mounts with the PowerClick system, and is listed as made in the USA. Motion 3 and Force 3 use the SlideLock lid; Pulse 2 uses a central lock. Prices are thule.com list prices on November 10, 2026.

Model	Volume	External L x W x H (in)	Weight	Skis	Finish	Price
Pulse 2 M	14 cu ft	68.9 x 32.1 x 16.6	31 lb	3 to 5 pairs	Matte	$699.95
Pulse 2 L	16 cu ft	76.7 x 33.2 x 15.6	35.3 lb	3 to 5	Matte	$749.95
Force 3 L Sport	11 cu ft	75.2 x 24.7 x 16.7	34 lb	3 to 5	Matte	$829.95
Force 3 M	14 cu ft	69.0 x 32.0 x 17.4	37 lb	4 to 6	Matte	$829.95
Force 3 L	16 cu ft	76.8 x 33.3 x 16.8	43 lb	5 to 7	Matte	$879.95
Force 3 XL	18 cu ft	84.8 x 34.1 x 16.9	49 lb	5 to 7	Matte	$929.95
Force 3 XXL	21 cu ft	91.4 x 35.2 x 17.9	57 lb	5 to 7	Matte	$1,029.95
Motion 3 L	16 cu ft	76.5 x 34.2 x 16.5	43.6 lb	5 to 7	Glossy	$1,099.95
Motion 3 XL	18 cu ft	84.7 x 35.0 x 17.0	51 lb	5 to 7	Glossy	$1,149.95
Motion 3 XL Low	14 cu ft	84.8 x 35.0 x 14.0	52.9 lb	4 to 6	Glossy	$1,149.95
Motion 3 XXL	21 cu ft	91.3 x 36.2 x 18.1	57.2 lb	5 to 7	Glossy	$1,249.95

Thule was founded in 1942 in Hillerstorp, Sweden, and built its first roof racks in 1962. Its warranty on carriers, racks, and accessories is limited lifetime.

Yakima cargo boxes

Every current Yakima box opens from either side, comes with SKS locks, and mounts with a removable torque tool that stows inside the box. Yakima prints the 165-pound limit on the SkyBox NX XL and CBX XXL pages; check the page for your size. Prices are yakima.com list prices on the same day.

Model	Volume	External L x W x H (in)	Weight	Crossbar spread	Price
RocketBox Pro 14	14 cu ft	74 x 33 x 16	40 lb	24 to 40 in	$599
SkyBox NX Skinny	12 cu ft	84 x 26.5 x 16	43 lb		$799
SkyBox NX LG	16 cu ft	75.5 x 35 x 16	47 lb	24 to 36 in	$799
SkyBox NX XL	18 cu ft	84 x 36 x 16.5	53 lb	24 to 40 in	$849
SkyBox NX XXL	22 cu ft	90.5 x 36 x 19	60.5 lb		$949
CBX LG	16 cu ft	83 x 38 x 15	57 lb	24 to 35.5 in	$999
CBX XXL	21.5 cu ft	91 x 38 x 17	65 lb	24 to 38 in	$1,149

Yakima started as a small outfitter in Yakima, Washington; two partners bought it in 1979, moved it to California, and later to Oregon, where it is based today in Lake Oswego. Its warranty on cargo boxes, baskets, roof racks, and mounts is lifetime; cargo bags and tents get two years.

Same-size matchups

Size	Thule	Yakima	Thule costs	Thule weighs
14 cu ft entry	Pulse 2 M, $699.95, 31 lb	RocketBox Pro 14, $599, 40 lb	$100.95 more	9 lb less
16 cu ft mid-range	Force 3 L, $879.95, 43 lb	SkyBox NX LG, $799, 47 lb	$80.95 more	4 lb less
18 cu ft mid-range	Force 3 XL, $929.95, 49 lb	SkyBox NX XL, $849, 53 lb	$80.95 more	4 lb less
16 cu ft premium	Motion 3 L, $1,099.95, 43.6 lb	CBX LG, $999, 57 lb	$100.95 more	13.4 lb less
21 to 22 cu ft premium	Motion 3 XXL, $1,249.95, 57.2 lb	CBX XXL, $1,149, 65 lb	$100.95 more	7.8 lb less
21 to 22 cu ft biggest	Force 3 XXL, $1,029.95, 57 lb	SkyBox NX XXL, $949, 60.5 lb	$80.95 more	3.5 lb less
Narrow, shares the bars	Force 3 L Sport, 24.7 in wide, $829.95	SkyBox NX Skinny, 26.5 in wide, $799	$30.95 more	9 lb less

The pattern holds at every size: Thule is $80 to $100 more and 4 to 14 pounds lighter. The weight matters twice, once when you lift the box onto the roof alone and once in the roof’s dynamic load limit, which on most cars is 165 pounds for box and contents together. A 65-pound CBX XXL leaves 100 pounds for gear; a 57-pound Motion 3 XXL leaves 108.

The one matchup with a real gap is low profile. The Motion 3 XL Low stands 14 inches tall with 14 cubic feet. Yakima’s GrandTour Lo stood 10 inches tall with 15 cubic feet, but it is no longer listed in the current lineup, so check availability before you plan around it.

Mounting: PowerClick vs the torque tool

Both systems clamp the box to the crossbars from inside the box, and both are tool-free in the sense that nothing needs a wrench. The difference is feedback.

Thule’s PowerClick is a dial on each of four clamps. Turn it until it clicks, and the click is the torque indicator; the clamp cannot be overtightened or left loose by feel. Yakima’s boxes use a removable torque tool: you tighten each clamp with it until it slips at the set torque, then stow it in a pocket inside the box. It reaches the same result with one extra object to keep track of. The gear-testing site Better Trail gives mounting to Thule and notes that Yakima’s flatter floor is easier to pack.

Both brands fit crossbars between about 24 and 40 inches apart, which covers aero bars, square bars, and most factory crossbars. Mixing brands is fine: a Yakima box clamps to Thule WingBars and the reverse.

Locks and opening

Every box in both tables opens from either side of the car. On Thule’s Motion 3 and Force 3, the SlideLock separates locking from opening: close the lid and it locks itself, and the key only comes out when the lid is secure, so you cannot drive off with a box that looks shut and is not. The Pulse 2 uses a simpler central lock.

Yakima’s SkyBox NX has a full metal opening handle that locks the gear inside and the box to the car with its SKS lock cores; the CBX has an easy-grab lid handle. SKS stands for Same Key System, so every Yakima product on the car can run one key. Thule sells the same idea as the One-Key System, a four-core pack for $74.95.

Build, finish, and where they are made

Thule lists every current box with the USA as its country of origin, and its Force 3 and Pulse 2 boxes wear a matte textured finish that hides scratches; the Motion 3 is glossy. Yakima’s NX and CBX boxes are glossy or textured by model. Both brands use thick ABS shells, stainless hardware, and a lid that stays open on gas struts. Spare parts for both are stocked by the big rack retailers and by the brands themselves, which matters in year eight when a clamp or a strut needs replacing.

Price and value

On the box alone, Yakima wins by $80 to $100 at each size and Thule’s extra buys the lighter shell, the self-locking lid, and the clicking mount. At the premium tier the difference is more visible: Motion 3 XL is $1,149.95 against SkyBox NX XL at $849, a $300.95 gap, for a glossy finish and about 2 pounds. Buyers who want the premium look pay for it; buyers who want 18 cubic feet do not need to.

Then there is the rack, which most first-time box buyers forget. A car with a bare roof or side rails alone needs towers and crossbars before any box goes on.

Item	Thule	Yakima
Aero crossbars, pair	WingBar Evo 127 cm, $279.95, 6.88 lb, made in Sweden	JetStream, $270, 165 lb rating, or HD Bar, $319
Towers or feet	Evo feet plus a vehicle fit kit, priced by car	BaseLine, SkyLine, or TimberLine towers, $275 for four
Complete rack, typical	Varies by vehicle	$590 to $734 for a complete FX system

So a mid-range 16 cubic foot setup on a bare roof runs about $1,150 to $1,400 before tax: SkyBox NX LG $799 plus JetStream $270 plus towers $275 is $1,344, and the Thule equivalent lands a little above that once the fit kit is in.

Crossbars and bike racks, briefly

Both brands make an aero bar that claims to be quiet, Thule’s WingBar Evo with its WindDiffuser profile and Yakima’s JetStream with its teardrop JetFlow shape, and both are strong enough for any box on this page. Neither brand publishes an independent decibel test, and neither does anyone else, so treat the quiet claims as equal.

On hitch bike racks the price gap widens. Thule’s T2 Pro XTR is $899.95 for two bikes, 52 pounds, 60 pounds per bike, tires to 5 inches, with an integrated cable lock. Yakima’s HoldUp is $599, 48.5 pounds, 60 pounds per bike on the road, tires to 4.8 inches. Both tilt away from the hatch and take a two-bike add-on.

Where Rhino-Rack fits

The Australian brand sells one hard box in the US that lands between the two tiers: the MasterFit 440L, about 15.5 cubic feet, 47.4 pounds, 165-pound capacity, dual-side opening, with a five-year warranty rather than lifetime. Rhino-Rack’s real strength is platform racks for trucks and 4x4s, such as the Pioneer, where Thule and Yakima have fewer options.

Fuel economy, noise, and the garage

Consumer Reports ran the test most people are looking for, at 65 mph in 2020. A Nissan Altima that returned about 48 mpg bare lost 11 percent with an empty rack and 19 percent with the rack and a rooftop carrier, about 9 mpg. A Toyota RAV4 went from 41 mpg bare to 40 with the empty rack and 35 with the carrier, a 13 percent loss. The advice is the same from both brands and from CR: take the box and the bars off when the trip is over.

Height is the other number to check. A Force 3 L adds about 17 inches on top of the bars; a Motion 3 XL Low adds 14. Measure the garage door before buying a box you plan to leave on.

What it really costs

Setup	Hardware	Total
Hard box, car already has crossbars	Box $599 to $1,249.95	$600 to $1,250
Hard box plus a new rack	Box $799 to $929.95, bars $270 to $319, towers and fit kit $275 or more	$1,150 to $1,900
Soft roof bag, any roof	Bag only	$70 to $160 across the category

Rows one and two are a ten-year purchase for a family that uses the roof every month. Row three is for everyone else.

The third option: a soft roof bag

A soft bag is a different product, not a cheaper box, and it is the right call in four situations: the car has no crossbars and you do not want to buy a rack, you need the roof two or three times a year, you have nowhere to store a seven-foot shell, or the load is soft and bulky like sleeping bags, duffels, and a tent.

The MIDABAO 20 cubic foot bag is one example. It is bigger than any box in the Thule table, at 51.1 by 39 by 17 inches, straps to a bare roof through the door frames or to a rack with six short straps and two long ones, and packs down into its own storage bag at 8.7 pounds. The shell is PVC-coated nylon coated inside and out, with coated zippers, and an anti-slip mat goes under it to protect the paint. Other bags in the same class are RoofPax at 15 to 28 cubic feet, listed at $150 to $157 on its own site, Rightline Gear’s Sport 3 at 18 cubic feet, about $140 at REI, and RoofBag’s Cross Country at 15; Keeper’s 15 cubic foot bag costs less but needs a rack.

What a bag cannot do is also plain. It has no lock, so nothing valuable goes in it. Pack it full or it will flap at highway speed. PVC fades and stiffens after seasons in the sun. Every maker in this class calls its bag waterproof, and in a day of sustained rain the safe practice with any of them is to pack clothes in dry bags or contractor bags inside. And it is a trip-by-trip solution; a box left on the roof all winter is a box, a bag is not.

Which should you buy?

• Ski trips every weekend, box stays on the car: Thule Force 3 XL or Motion 3 XL, or Yakima SkyBox NX XL. Pick Thule for the lighter lift and self-locking lid, Yakima to save $80.
• One big road trip a year, car has crossbars: Yakima RocketBox Pro 14 or Thule Pulse 2 M, the two cheapest hard boxes.
• Two bikes and a box on the same car: Thule Force 3 L Sport or Yakima SkyBox NX Skinny leaves room on the bars for a mount.
• Low garage or parking deck: Thule Motion 3 XL Low.
• No crossbars, a few trips a year: a soft bag such as the MIDABAO 20 cubic foot, and spend the $1,000 you saved on the trip.

Sources

• Thule, car top carriers, Force 3 press release, history, warranty, WingBar Evo, and T2 Pro XTR pages, November 10, 2026
• Yakima, SkyBox NX XL, CBX XXL, RocketBox Pro 14, JetStream, HD Bar, HoldUp, and warranty pages, November 10, 2026
• The Oregonian, Rack it up: Yakima rolls with new owners, 2015
• Better Trail, Thule vs Yakima cargo box showdown, March 2026
• Rack Attack, cargo box comparison, October 2025
• Rhino-Rack, MasterFit 440L
• Consumer Reports, How rooftop carriers affect fuel economy, May 2020
• RoofPax, rooftop cargo bags; REI, Rightline Gear Sport 3; Keeper, 15 cu ft roof bag