Aspen, 2010. Highway 82 shimmered white, a snow-covered artery leading us nowhere in particular. I turned to Kylie and, half-joking, channelled Richard Branson: “Screw it, let’s do it!”
It sounded corny even then, but that one throwaway line became the moment we stopped hesitating and started carving our own line. A year later, Snopro Queenstown rolled out its first skis.
It wasn’t easy. We’d mortgaged everything we had, put our house on the line, and banked it all on a wild idea: deliver rental gear straight to people’s doors. In the middle of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, from a garage barely big enough for two pairs of skis, we pushed off.
The Garage Years
If there’s romance in the beginning, it’s only visible in hindsight. That first winter was more sweat than powder. I was hand-tuning, packing, and delivering every ski and snowboard myself while Kylie worked a full-time job to keep food on the table.
Most Kiwis didn’t trust online payments, let alone booking ski gear from their phones. “I won’t put my credit card on the internet!” was the refrain. But 250 early adopters gave us a shot. Each delivery was an expedition in its own right – snowstorms, late nights, icy driveways, one set of skis after another.
Gaining Altitude
By 2014, we finally started to gain lift. We built our own digital system, Select-a-Ski, and flipped the switch to a mobile-first site before most people realised what that even meant. Wanaka came next, and suddenly Snopro wasn’t just a scrappy concept – it was a growing force.
Then came the pandemic. While the industry scrambled for low-touch solutions, our private in-room fittings suddenly felt like gold. In a world of masks and distancing, we were already set up to deliver trust and safety. Covid didn’t crush us; it carved our place.
The Summit Push
Fifteen years on, we’ve fitted over 30,000 skiers and boarders. Our small garage days have given way to Snopro Studio at Queenstown’s Hilton, a sleek base camp where guests book by appointment for personalised gear sessions.
But like any true adventure, reaching one summit only opens the view to the next. For us, that view pointed north, across the Pacific, toward the deep powder of Japan.
Japan: A New Frontier
Earlier this year, we put the idea to the people who know us best: our guests. Thousands replied to our survey with enthusiasm and sharp advice. “Would really value a trusted NZ company like Snopro in Japan,” one wrote. That groundswell gave us the courage to take the leap.
Landing in Tokyo felt like stepping onto a new ridgeline. The Shinkansen shot us into Nagano, where Hakuba’s snowpack blew our minds – six seasons’ worth of New Zealand snowfall in a single winter. But the vibe was off: established operators, a quiet village, not much new energy.
Then we reached Niseko.
It was everything Hakuba wasn’t – alive, international, booming with new hotels, gondolas, direct flights, and a bullet train. The slopes were pulsing, and yet rental services lagged behind the demand. We knew instantly: this was our next adventure.
Beyond the Snow
Snopro Niseko isn’t just about delivering skis. It’s about delivering careers and experiences across two hemispheres. It means our crew can chase winters instead of waiting them out, honing skills year-round, keeping the stoke alive.
From New Zealand’s Southern Alps to Japan’s northern powder kingdom, the journey has been the same: leap first, work like hell, and trust that momentum will carry you through.
From the Land of the Long White Cloud to the Land of the Rising Sun – this is the next chapter in Snopro’s adventure.
