Cargo Boxes for 190+ skis

[SnowMachine]

Looking for some cargo box rec's. I want a low profile box to go on my new beater, but I'd like to get 190+cm skis into it. Most I will ever need to fit are 4 pairs of skis. What are you guys running?

[dmcd]

This is the only reason I went with the Thule Motion 3 XL instead of the L. The L only fits up to 182cm, but the XL fits up to 203cm. It is NOT a small box and takes up the entire roof, but more space on the roof means my car is even emptier now and I was able to get it to fit pushed fully forward without overhanging the windshield too badly and the trunk opens without hitting.

[californiagrown]

Search on Craigslist or FB Marketplace. IMO you dont want a $1000 roof box on a beater car. Yes, thats how much the bigger boxes retail for. Crazy.

I grabbed an old thule box on Craigslist for $100 a couple years back to put on my 4runner. The guy selling had just graduated his kids, and repainted and replaced the struts on the box his family had used. he was stoked to pass it along to another family. The only downside to it is that it doesnt lock (i could fix that if i cared), and that its a PITA to put on and take off so i leave it on full time from November thru June. Once i put it on this month, it will stay on foreever for use as cargo space for summer camping and firewood transport in the fall. Ive only forgotten about it once and drove into a parking garage which scrapped up the top of it... but thats another good reason to buy a cheap used one

[nickwm21]

Yakima discontinued the long/low skybox. But that was the correct answer - look for one used.

But I think they have a long/low option in their fancy/sleek box. Check their website.

[XXX-er]

A Tundra with a bed cover, it even takes my 223 DH I can JUST get the cover closed even on my Vala with 800mm wide bars

but IME with a more or less standard thule roof box they were fine with 190's I know I've put a lot of 200cm xc ski up there

whatever you wana buy take a pair of skis to check, I took my bike when I bought a used bed cover off a bike bud

[dmcd]

Search on Craigslist or FB Marketplace. IMO you dont want a $1000 roof box on a beater car.

Always check used options, but just like with winter tires there's good reasons you might be fine with putting a crazy expensive thing on a beater. Knowing your shit isn't gonna get stolen when you've got a bunch of pairs up top, plus not having to worry about a shitty old closing mech working in ice/snow. Also being able to use it on multiple cars easily. I can lift my XL box by myself and have it on either car in five minutes start to finish and the slide lock is so much better than the shitty little key locks that always freeze in place. Just my opinion but old boxes can be the god damn devil in winter weather.

[Caucasian Asian]

I had a massive Thule that easily swallowed 193 Bentchetlers. Not sure what model it was, but I grabbed it at a ski swap for $150. Sold to a Mag when I bought a truck for the same price.

Watch marketplace and Kijiji. Deals on used ones are out there.

[californiagrown]

Always check used options, but just like with winter tires there's good reasons you might be fine with putting a crazy expensive thing on a beater. Knowing your shit isn't gonna get stolen when you've got a bunch of pairs up top, plus not having to worry about a shitty old closing mech working in ice/snow. Also being able to use it on multiple cars easily. I can lift my XL box by myself and have it on either car in five minutes start to finish and the slide lock is so much better than the shitty little key locks that always freeze in place. Just my opinion but old boxes can be the god damn devil in winter weather.

True. Ive showed up to two ski houses/condos that advertised underground parking for large vehicles and neither would fit my car and i wasnt gonna take the box off cause its such a mcguyvered PITA so i had to chop in a parking spot to a snowbank each time. I have also had the locks freeze up in sleety conditions, and in exceptionally cold conditions but they opened after some pounding/fiddling (that might be a maintenance problem more than anything though).


Putting really quality tires on a beater makes total sense because those tires will get you places that shittier tires wont. And if you are driving a beater, then your only priority is obviously getting from Pt A to Pt B cheaply and efficiently, no matter where Pt B is or how shitty the roads are to get there. A roof box is just storage, and IMO all the benefits of a new box are luxuries, not necessities. And if you are driving a beater, you are likely just focused on necessities.

In anycase, i highly recommend boxes over ski racks. Ski racks are only useful for skis, while boxes hold whatever the hell you want to throw in there during any season. Also when your kid vomits all over themselves or blows out a diaper you can just toss the soiled clothes uptop instead of riding around in the car with them.

[XXX-er]

Before I had pickups I liked the box over ski racks, computer parts would come in boxes so I would put them up there if I had a lot, also camp gear or whatever.

[singlesline]

I run a sportrack horizon alpine when I have a box on:
https://www.amazon.com/SportRack-Hor...00BCLL7C6?th=1 Used to be cheaper, but $399 seems like a fair price post-Inflation+tariffs

Cheap low-frills box: no fancy mounting system, no fancy features, but solidly built (I think they are made by Thule).

I don't care about the mounting system because my racks all have t-track slots. I can probably find pictures, but I just permanently attached the mounting plates to the box, cut a slot on one of them to allow some wiggle room in the rack position, and then use some T-bolts to mount it. Super low profile, takes maybe a minute longer to mount than a fancy Yakima/Thule clamp system--slide the bolts into position (I marked the spots on the crossbar with a sharpie), drop the box on top, and spin on the plastic wing nuts.

Says it fits up to 210cm. Takes my 205 XC skis no problem.

Not super low profile though. It is a narrow box, but it is still relatively tall.

[SnowMachine]

I run a sportrack horizon alpine when I have a box on:
https://www.amazon.com/SportRack-Hor...00BCLL7C6?th=1 Used to be cheaper, but $399 seems like a fair price post-Inflation+tariffs

Cheap low-frills box: no fancy mounting system, no fancy features, but solidly built (I think they are made by Thule).

I don't care about the mounting system because my racks all have t-track slots. I can probably find pictures, but I just permanently attached the mounting plates to the box, cut a slot on one of them to allow some wiggle room in the rack position, and then use some T-bolts to mount it. Super low profile, takes maybe a minute longer to mount than a fancy Yakima/Thule clamp system--slide the bolts into position (I marked the spots on the crossbar with a sharpie), drop the box on top, and spin on the plastic wing nuts.

Says it fits up to 210cm. Takes my 205 XC skis no problem.

Not super low profile though. It is a narrow box, but it is still relatively tall.

I like that option a lot..... Off to the reviews, but all things point to it being a proper box for a $3k car that I already spent $1500 getting snow wheels/tires for. Priorities.... Hahaha.

Maybe used is an option, also. My brother has a huge Thule box that seems like it would be out of place on my little wagon.

[El Chupacabra]

Inno makes a low profile one, if you're looking for new.

I have an old free Thule box (had to buy universal clamps on Amazon, maybe $20) on my winter beater truck. Also have a nicer Yakima one I got from REI long ago, that's really huge - - it only comes out for road trips, just too enormous to use all the time. I paid retail for that one (on a REI 20% sale), thinking I might need to use their warranty help someday on a big plastic box.

PSA on keeping ski box locks from freezing: best thing I've found is to remove the key cores each season before winter, drizzle some Dupont liquid grease into the lock and into the pins on both sides of the cores, then reinstall. A really heavy oil like differential gear oil would likely work fine too. They freeze when water gets in - - keep them full of oil and that won't happen.

[singlesline]

I like that option a lot..... Off to the reviews, but all things point to it being a proper box for a $3k car that I already spent $1500 getting snow wheels/tires for. Priorities.... Hahaha.

Maybe used is an option, also. My brother has a huge Thule box that seems like it would be out of place on my little wagon.

Yeah, it is great as long as you are either willing to switch it to use T-bolts, or are planning to just leave it on all season with the crappy stock clamps. The fancier boxes have all kinds of tool-free adjustment and clamping, but with the T-bolts, it takes me FAR longer to put the crossbars on the car than it does to drop the box on and spin some wingnuts. I made a celing hoist for the garage with some rope and pulleys, so I can just lower the box straight onto the car (not that it is too heavy to place on there by myself if needed).

You can probably figure it out, but if you go that route I'm happy to find some pictures of how I converted it to t-bolt mode.

Re-keyed the lock to match the locks on my crossbars so I don't need a separate key.

[bodywhomper]

PSA on keeping ski box locks from freezing: best thing I've found is to remove the key cores each season before winter, drizzle some Dupont liquid grease into the lock and into the pins on both sides of the cores, then reinstall. A really heavy oil like differential gear oil would likely work fine too. They freeze when water gets in - - keep them full of oil and that won't happen.

Thanks for the PSA! My solution has always been to pour the rest of my coffee on the key core area, which hasn’t always worked.

my Thule was purchased used in 2006. It’s long and skinny. I’ve easily fit 204’s in it. It lives on one of my vehicles outdoors full time.

[mark AT]

I have an older version of this and it holds my 193's just fine.

https://www.rei.com/product/876511/yakima-skybox-18-carbonite-cargo-roof-box