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Quick Picks
| Pick | Product | Published cargo volume | Published load capacity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| More room for bulky, light gear | Thule Pulse 2 L Roof Mounted Box, 16 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening | 450 litres | 75 kg | Check Price on Amazon |
| Smaller footprint, same feature set | Thule Pulse 2 M Roof-Mounted Box, 14 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening | 400 litres | 75 kg | Check Price on Amazon |
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Last Updated: September 2026
Look, this is one of the cleaner roof box comparisons you will ever run into, because the two boxes are siblings rather than rivals. The Pulse 2 M and the Pulse 2 L share the same feature list almost word for word on their Amazon listings. The one number that genuinely separates them is cargo volume.
This page is a specifications comparison. This website does not do product research, and nobody here has mounted, loaded, or driven with either box. What follows is a close read of what Thule and the Amazon listings actually publish, plus what those figures reasonably imply for a buyer.
- A simple, durable roof box built for commuting, day trips, and weekend escapes
- 400 litres of cargo space and a 75 kg load capacity for luggage, gear, skis and snowboards. Secure, tool-free system with a torque indicator that clicks when safely attached
Quick Answer
The listings rate the Thule Pulse 2 M at 400 litres of cargo space and the Thule Pulse 2 L at 450 litres, with both carrying the same 75 kg load capacity. That means the L gives you 50 more litres of room for the same published weight allowance — useful when your gear is bulky and light (sleeping bags, jackets, duffels) rather than dense.
Go with the M if your roof is shorter, your crossbar spread is modest, or you mostly carry a weekend's worth of luggage. Go with the L if you routinely max out volume before you max out weight. Everything else — the tool-free mounting with torque indicator, the dual-side opening, the ASA-ABS shell, the forward roof position for trunk clearance — is listed identically on both.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | Thule Pulse 2 M Roof-Mounted Box, 14 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening | Thule Pulse 2 L Roof Mounted Box, 16 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo volume (listing) | 400 litres | 450 litres |
| Volume in title | 14 cubic ft | 16 cubic ft |
| Load capacity (listing) | 75 kg | 75 kg |
| Opening | Dual-side opening | Dual-side opening |
| Mounting | Tool-free system with torque indicator that clicks when safely attached | Tool-free system with torque indicator that clicks when safely attached |
| Shell material | ASA-ABS plastic described as resisting sun, scratches and weather | ASA-ABS plastic described as resisting sun, scratches and weather |
| Roof position | Forward position for full trunk access with minimal contact risk | Forward position for full trunk access with minimal contact risk |
| Stated gear types | Luggage, gear, skis and snowboards | Luggage, gear, skis and snowboards |
| External dimensions | Not stated in the supplied listing information | Not stated in the supplied listing information |
| Empty box weight | Not stated in the supplied listing information | Not stated in the supplied listing information |
| Lock details | Not stated in the supplied listing information | Not stated in the supplied listing information |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Design & Build Quality
Here is the thing: on build, the supplied listings give you nothing to choose between. Both boxes are described as made from hardwearing ASA-ABS plastic that resists sun, scratches, and weather, and both are described as having a streamlined shape designed to suit a wide variety of modern vehicles.
ASA-ABS is worth a moment of thought. ASA is the weather-stable cousin of ABS, and it is commonly specified where UV exposure matters — which is exactly the life a roof box leads. The listing's phrasing is a durability claim from the seller, not an independent weathering certification, so treat it as a design intent rather than a verified lifespan.
Both listings also highlight the forward position on the vehicle roof, which they say allows full trunk access with minimal risk of contact with the cargo box. That is a real ergonomic point on hatchbacks and SUVs with tall tailgates, though whether your specific tailgate clears depends on your vehicle and your crossbar placement, not on the box alone.
Preferred option: neither. The supplied evidence describes identical construction.
Features & Functionality
The feature parity here is near total. Both the M and the L are listed with a secure, tool-free mounting system with a torque indicator that clicks when the box is safely attached, and both list confirmation of closure for added peace of mind.
That torque indicator is the spec I would weight most heavily if you are new to roof boxes. A clicking torque cue removes the guesswork from "is this tight enough?", which is the failure mode most likely to bite a first-time owner. It does not, however, substitute for reading Thule's own fitting instructions for your crossbar type — and nothing in the supplied listing information establishes compatibility with any particular rack.
Dual-side opening appears on both, so you can load from the curb side on a narrow street with either box. Again, no differentiator.
Preferred option: neither. The listings publish the same functional feature set for both sizes.
Performance
This is where the two actually part ways, and it is a single axis: volume. The M is rated at 400 litres of cargo space and the L at 450 litres, a difference of 50 litres.
What that means in practice is an inference, not something observed here: roughly one additional large duffel or a couple of extra soft bags of space, assuming you are packing soft goods that conform to the shell. For ski and snowboard carriage — a use both listings explicitly name — the extra volume in the L matters less than internal length, and the supplied listing information does not state internal dimensions for either box. If you are buying primarily for skis, confirm the internal length against your longest pair with Thule before ordering either size.
The critical catch: both boxes carry the same published 75 kg load capacity. So the L's extra 50 litres buys you room, not carrying capacity. Fill either box with dense gear and you will hit 75 kg before you run out of space.
And that 75 kg figure is only one of several limits you must respect. Your vehicle's roof load rating, your crossbar system's rating, and the box's own empty weight all stack into the same calculation, and the box's weight counts toward your roof limit. The supplied listing information does not state the empty weight of either box, so you will need that figure from Thule before you can do the arithmetic honestly.
Preferred option: the L, but only for volume-limited packing. If weight is your binding constraint, the two are equivalent on the published numbers.
Price & Value
Pricing for both sizes moves, so check the current figures directly: Check Price on Amazon for the M and Check Price on Amazon for the L.
The value question is unusually simple here. Because the feature sets are listed identically, whatever premium the L carries is buying exactly one thing: 50 litres. If the gap between the two is small relative to the total, the L is the easy call for most families. If it is large, the M gives you the same mounting system, the same dual-side access, and the same shell material for less.
Thule Pulse 2 L Roof Mounted Box, 16 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening — Best for volume-limited packing
The L is the one to take when your gear is bulky rather than heavy. Thule's listing rates it at 450 litres with a 75 kg load capacity, and names luggage, gear, skis and snowboards as intended contents.
Strengths
- 450 litres of listed cargo space, the larger of the two Pulse 2 sizes compared here.
- Tool-free mounting with a torque indicator that clicks when safely attached, per the listing.
- Dual-side opening for curb-side loading.
- ASA-ABS shell the listing describes as resistant to sun, scratches and weather.
- The extra volume does not come with extra weight allowance — the load capacity is the same 75 kg as the M.
- External dimensions and empty weight are not stated in the supplied listing information, so roof fit and roof-load math need confirmation with Thule.
Thule Pulse 2 M Roof-Mounted Box, 14 Cubic Ft, Dual-Side Opening — Best for smaller roofs and weekend loads
The M delivers the same published feature set in a 400-litre package. For commuting, day trips and weekend escapes — the exact uses the listing names — that is a lot of box.
Strengths
- 400 litres of listed cargo space with the same 75 kg load capacity as the larger size.
- Identical tool-free mounting with clicking torque indicator, per the listing.
- Dual-side opening, same as the L.
- Same ASA-ABS shell material and forward roof position for trunk access.
- 50 litres less cargo space than the L for bulky, low-density loads.
- External dimensions, empty weight and ski-length capacity are not stated in the supplied listing information.
Which Should You Buy?
You drive a compact car or have short crossbar spread. Lean M, then confirm external dimensions and fit with Thule before ordering — a single published volume figure does not establish that a box fits your roof.
Family of four packing soft luggage for a week. The L. Bulky, light bags are precisely the load where 450 litres beats 400 litres and where the shared 75 kg ceiling is unlikely to bind first.
You carry dense gear — tools, climbing racks, cases. Either. Both boxes are rated at 75 kg, so you will hit the weight limit long before the volume limit, and the M saves you money and roof length.
Ski and snowboard hauling. Both listings name skis and snowboards, but neither supplied record states internal length. Check your longest pair against Thule's published internal dimensions for the exact size before choosing.
First roof box, nervous about mounting. Either, honestly. The clicking torque indicator is listed on both, and it is the single most reassuring spec in this pair.
If you are still working out what goes under the box, see our guides to choosing crossbars for your vehicle and roof box weight limits explained.
How We Research
We compare published specifications, not personal use. For this page the inputs were the Amazon Creators API verified product records for ASIN B0G8BQ691W and ASIN B0G8C5LHQ5, retrieved on 11 September 2026, plus the product listing feature bullets on each Amazon listing.
We read every bullet for both ASINs, lined up the attributes that appear on both, and flagged the ones that appear on neither. Where a field is absent, we say it is not stated in the supplied listing information rather than guessing a value. No physical testing, loading, mounting or measurement was performed for this article by anyone on this site's behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cargo volume. The listings rate the M at 400 litres and the L at 450 litres. Both are published with the same 75 kg load capacity, the same tool-free torque-indicator mounting, the same dual-side opening and the same ASA-ABS shell.
Is 14 cubic feet enough for a family of four?
It depends entirely on how dense your packing is. The M's 400 litres handles a weekend's soft luggage comfortably by volume, but the 75 kg load limit applies regardless of size, so heavy packing hits the ceiling before the walls.
Do both boxes open from either side?
Yes. Dual-side opening is listed for both the M and the L, which means you can load from the curb.
Will the Pulse 2 fit my car?
The listings describe a streamlined shape designed to suit a wide variety of modern vehicles, but that is not a fit confirmation. Neither supplied record states external dimensions, so check Thule's fit guide against your vehicle, crossbar type and crossbar spread before buying.
Can I carry skis in the Pulse 2 M?
Both listings name skis and snowboards among intended contents. Internal length is not stated in the supplied listing information, so verify your ski length against Thule's published internal dimensions for the M specifically.
How do I know the box is mounted correctly?
Both models are listed with a tool-free system featuring a torque indicator that clicks when the box is safely attached, and both mention confirmation of closure. Follow Thule's own fitting instructions for your rack — the click confirms clamp torque, not that your crossbars or roof rating are adequate for the load.
Does the larger box let me carry more weight?
No. Both the 400-litre M and the 450-litre L are listed at a 75 kg load capacity. The L gives you more space, not a higher weight allowance, and your vehicle's roof rating and crossbar rating apply on top of that.
Final Verdict
If your packing is volume-bound, buy the L. The 450-litre rating against the M's 400 litres is the only meaningful difference in the supplied evidence, and 50 litres is the difference between the last duffel going in the box or on someone's lap.
If your packing is weight-bound, or your roof is short, buy the M and keep the change. You lose nothing on features: the same clicking torque indicator, the same dual-side opening, the same ASA-ABS shell, the same forward mounting position for trunk clearance. The 75 kg limit is identical either way.
What neither listing settles is fit. External dimensions, empty weight and internal length are not stated in the supplied listing information for either size, and those three numbers decide whether a box works on your car. Get them from Thule, check them against your vehicle's roof load rating and your crossbar rating, and only then pick a size. For general guidance on consumer product safety, the CPSC and USA.gov consumer protection are worth a look.
Sources & Methodology
Nothing on this page came from loading a box onto a roof — this site runs no lab and did not physically or laboratory-test either Thule Pulse 2. What we did instead was pull the Amazon Creators API verified product records for both ASINs on 11 September 2026 and read the product listing feature bullets line by line, matching each published attribute in the M's record against the same attribute in the L's.
For roof boxes that method is genuinely informative on one axis and silent on another. It settles the volume and load-capacity comparison cleanly, and it confirms feature parity between the two sizes. It cannot tell you whether either box clears your tailgate, fits your crossbar spread, or swallows your skis, because those figures are not in the supplied listing information — take those to Thule's fit guide before you order.