From a tiny Niseko locker room and shipping-container boot shop to Boot Solutions Japan and Village Sports inside the Hilton, Dr Ned Buckley shares the twenty-year journey behind one of Japan’s most trusted boot-fitting businesses.

Full Episode:

Ned Buckley had two options: build a life in Telluride or take a punt on the still-emerging ski town of Niseko. Then he arrived in April, woke to almost a metre of fresh snow and made his decision.

Twenty years later, the founder of Boot Solutions Japan has grown a tiny boot-fitting operation beneath Lodge Bamboo - and later a couple of demountable shipping containers - into specialist stores across Niseko and Hakuba, including Boot Solutions inside Village Sports at the Hilton Niseko Village.

In this episode of Only Friends on a Pow Day, Austin sits down with one of the ski industry’s true characters, Dr Ned Buckley, for the full story.

Born in Cooma into a family steeped in Australian skiing, Ned grew up partly in Vanuatu before finding his way back to the mountains. A fairly wild forklift job in Brixton led him to walk into a London ski shop, where he began learning the craft of boot fitting. From there came Telluride, the legendary BootDoctors, and an obsession with understanding not only ski boots, but the anatomy and biomechanics of the feet inside them.

Ned tells us how a powder day in Niseko changed everything; why the first Boot Solutions shop came with a 30-centimetre “powder clause”; and how the business grew through early Niseko, its long partnership with Rhythm Japan, the opening of Hakuba and the move into its own purpose-built stores.

At the same time, Ned returned to university, qualified in podiatric medicine and completed a Doctorate of Clinical Podiatry to become a specialist podiatric surgeon. Eventually, he made the call to step away from surgery and return his full focus to the ski industry, where he felt most at home.

The story is not all powder days and perfectly fitted boots. Ned talks candidly about opening a major Village Sports operation just as COVID hit, losing around 90–95 per cent of business for three seasons, borrowing to keep the company alive and rebuilding on the other side.

Austin and Ned also get into the real fabric of the snow industry: the characters who built early Niseko, why good boot fitting can make or break someone’s relationship with skiing, creating genuine careers in seasonal towns, balancing business with family and the culture that keeps people coming back winter after winter.

In this episode:

• Growing up between Cooma, Vanuatu and the Australian snow industry
• Chasing Erin to London - and accidentally finding a career
• Learning boot fitting in London and Telluride
• The April powder day that sold Ned on Niseko
• Opening Boot Solutions in 2006 beneath Lodge Bamboo
• The shipping-container shop and the 30-centimetre powder clause
• Early Niseko, Wild Bill’s, Waza’s World and the people who made the town
• Growing alongside Rhythm Japan and opening in Hakuba
• Studying podiatry, biomechanics and foot surgery
• Building a specialist service without losing the fun
• Village Sports, the Hilton and the huge risk taken just before COVID
• Surviving three seasons with a 90–95 per cent downturn
• Choosing the ski industry over surgical practice
• Family, balance and showing his kids what “as good as it gets” really looks like
• The future of Boot Solutions, year-round mountain towns and real snow-industry careers

Guest: Dr Ned Buckley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckleyned/

Boot Solutions Japan
Website: https://www.bootsolutionsjapan.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bootsolutions_japan/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/boot-solutions-japan/

Village Sports Japan
Website: https://villagesportsjapan.com/en/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villagesports_japan/

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From learning on a snow-covered garbage dump to riding Alaska’s Pontoon and filming for Warren Miller, TJ Balon shares a lifetime spent chasing snow.

He learned to ski on a snow-covered garbage dump in Manitoba. Decades later, TJ Balon was dropping into Pontoon in Alaska, flying drones for Warren Miller and helping run one of the most legendary heli-ski operations in the Chugach.

In this episode of Only Friends on a Pow Day, Austin sits down with Canadian-born snowboarder, photographer and lifelong snow tragic TJ Balon for one hell of a campfire story.

TJ traces the journey from minus-40 Manitoba winters and finding his people in Banff to learning to snowboard for a girl, working multiple jobs to fund back-to-back winters, leading early powder trips through Japan and eventually testing himself in Alaska.

Then it gets properly wild: long weather holds, remote heli operations, a destroyed drone with a miraculously intact memory card, an unexpected invitation to ride Pontoon, and aerial footage that made it into Warren Miller’s Face of Winter.

This is a story about much more than big lines. It is about belonging, obsession, risk, family, burnout, the people who pull you back to the mountains and recognising that you are allowed to be proud of the life you built.

In this episode:

• Learning to ski on a snow-covered garbage dump in Manitoba
• Moving to Banff with a few hundred dollars and finding his people
• Learning to snowboard to keep up with Mon
• Back-to-back winters across Canada and Australia
• Leading early Japan powder trips before the boom
• Entering the world of Alaska heli-skiing in Valdez and Cordova
• The weather, waiting and culture behind a heli operation
• Becoming part of the Points North Heli family
• Losing a drone, saving the footage and being invited to ride Pontoon
• Filming Alaska aerials for Warren Miller’s Face of Winter
• Life in Revelstoke and working with CMH
• Family, burnout and knowing when one chapter is complete
• TJ’s new chapter representing Heli

Guest: TJ Balon
Points North Heli-Adventures: @pointsnorthheli
Heli: @heli | heli.life

Follow Only Friends on a Pow Day for more raw stories from the people who live for snow.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4f3LRobtvyCKkoWAlDBb8Y
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/only-friends-on-a-pow-day/id1804878609
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OnlyFriendsonaPowDay
Website: https://www.onlyfriendsonapowday.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlyfriendsonapowday/

#OnlyFriendsOnAPowDay #TJBalon #AlaskaHeliSkiing #Snowboarding #BigMountainSnowboarding

Thanks for listening. Stay frothy and have fun!

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What happens when the sport you've dedicated your life to suddenly ends?

In this episode of Only Friends on a Pow Day, we sit down with former Australian alpine ski racer Lily Tomkinson to explore the highs, heartbreak and reinvention that followed an elite sporting career.

From representing Australia on the international stage to enduring four knee surgeries, Lily opens up about the physical and mental challenges of injury, identity and starting again. We also discuss life after ski racing, her work in wildlife conservation, appearing on Farmer Wants a Wife, and why purpose doesn't end when competition does.

Whether you're an athlete, skier, snowboarder, coach, or simply navigating a major life transition, Lily's story is a powerful reminder that resilience isn't about returning to who you were - it's about becoming who you're meant to be.

In this episode we discuss:

• Growing up in Australian alpine ski racing
• Representing Australia internationally
• Four knee surgeries and injury recovery
• Mental resilience and identity after elite sport
• Wildlife conservation and life beyond racing
• Farmer Wants a Wife
• Finding purpose after professional sport

Guest: Lily Tomkinson

Follow Only Friends on a Pow Day for more real stories from the mountains.

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▶️ YouTube

🌐 www.onlyfriendsonapowday.com.au

📸 @onlyfriendsonapowday

#OnlyFriendsOnAPowDay #LilyTomkinson #SkiRacing #AlpineSkiing #AustralianSkiTeam #Resilience #SportsPodcast #AthleteJourney #InjuryRecovery #ACLRecovery #MountainStories #WildlifeConservation #FarmerWantsAWife #SnowSports #Podcast

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For many of us, the mountains have always felt like home.

They're places of adventure, community, freedom and connection. But behind the stories we share and the photos we post, there is often another side to mountain life that receives far less attention.

This conversation was inspired by something we've been reminded of ourselves recently: mental health affects everyone, and sometimes the most important thing we can do is talk about it.

In this episode, Layla Lee joins Austin, Elyshia and Matty for an honest and deeply personal conversation about mental health, resilience and navigating life when everything changes overnight.

After Australian ski legend Steve Lee suffered a devastating stroke in 2020, Layla found herself stepping into a role she never expected - becoming her father's primary carer while rebuilding her own life at the same time.

Layla shares the realities of caregiving, anxiety, burnout, identity loss, recovery, self-care and the lessons she's learned through one of the most challenging chapters of her life.

The conversation also explores mental health within snow sports and seasonal communities, including post-season blues, burnout, the pressures of mountain life and the importance of community when times get tough.

If you're struggling, supporting someone who is, or simply need a reminder that you're not alone, we hope this conversation resonates.

❤️ Check in on your mates.

Mental Health Resources

• Lifeline Australia
• Beyond Blue
• Suicide Call Back Service
• Headspace Australia

#OnlyFriendsOnAPowDay #MentalHealth #LaylaLee #SteveLee #SnowSports #Skiing #Snowboarding #FallsCreek #MountainLife #MentalHealthAwareness #Resilience #Community #Wellbeing #AustralianSkiing #CheckInOnYourMates

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In this episode, we sit down with Coen Bennie-Faull - freeride skier, coach, and founder of a next-generation freeride program.

Coen shares his journey from a non-skiing family in Melbourne to building an international career in skiing, including:

•  Early exposure to skiing and progression through Hotham 
•  Seasons spent chasing snow across Canada, Japan, and Europe 
•  The impact of skiing in Jackson Hole and stepping into big mountain terrain 
•  The role of mentorship and community in accelerating progression 
•  The evolution of freeride skiing in Australia 
•  Building a pathway for young athletes to compete globally 

This is an honest and insightful conversation about passion, risk, and building a career outside traditional pathways.

#onlyfriendsonapowday #freeski #freeride #australianskiing #jacksonhole #skiinglife #snowlife #mountainculture #skiaustralia #skicoach #nextgeneration #powderday #sendit #skiingcommunity

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Olympian Valentino Guseli joins Only Friends on a Pow Day to unpack one of the most talked-about moments of the Winter Olympics.

From a last-minute entry into Big Air, to stomping a switch back 19 and going viral, Val shares the full story behind the chaos, pressure and decisions that defined his Olympic campaign.

We dive into:

•  The reality of competing at Olympic level
•  The mindset behind risking it all vs playing it safe
•  Injury, recovery and mental battles
•  Halfpipe progression and the future of the sport
•  Life outside competition: surfing, balance and longevity

Plus, insights into sponsorships, filming with Meta glasses, and building a career beyond the podium.

This is raw, real, and one of the most honest conversations in snowboarding right now. 

#snowboarding #olympics #valentinoguseli #bigair #halfpipe #wintersports #australianathlete #actionsports #podcast #torquay #surfandsnow #sendit #athletemindset #highperformance #viral

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Season 2 of Only Friends on a Pow Day begins with a deep dive into how X Games performance sets the tone for Olympic success.

Austin & Lachy break down the athletes, events, and storylines shaping the road to the Winter Olympics — from Scotty James’ legacy run to the next generation of Aussie and Kiwi talent making waves across snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

This episode explores the real systems behind elite winter sport: funding, sponsorship, performance pathways, and the pressure of peaking when it matters most.

❄️ Winter Olympics Series — New episodes incoming
🎧 Stay frothy

#WinterOlympics #XGames #Snowboarding #FreestyleSkiing #SnowCulture #OnlyFriendsOnAPowDay

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This week we sit down with Imi Scott, the designer and founder behind Pimp My Poles — the custom ski-pole wrap brand changing the look, feel, and fun of the snow industry.

What started as a spontaneous leopard-print bike wrap has become a global side-hustle-turned-business, now seen on mountains across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and beyond. Imi joins Austin live from the trade show to talk creativity, building a brand with personality, and why ski poles deserve as much style as jackets and skis.

We get into:

 🎿 How Pimp My Poles started (by total accident)
 ✨ Sustainability + giving scratched poles a second life
 🔥 Wrapping poles at après parties (yes, really)
 👀 Disability-friendly cane wraps
 🤝 Collabs with Nobody’s Princess + future artist projects
 🌏 Going global: Whistler, NZ, Japan, Europe
 😂 Trade show chaos, TikTok fame, and the “Fairy Pole Mother” energy

It’s equal parts founder story, snow culture, and pure creativity — with plenty of laughs and ski-bum honesty along the way.

If you love skiing, design, or people building fun things from scratch… this one is an instant favourite.

#pimpmypoles #skiseason #australiansnow #snowpodcast #skiaustralia #customgear #sustainablegear #snowsportslife #womeninsnowsports #apresski #snowculture #fallscreek #hotham #perisher #queenstownnz #whistlerblackcomb #snowmachine #skiinglife #leopardprintlife #skiindustry #snowcommunity #mountainsarecalling #wintervibes #aussieskiers #snowvibes #snowcrew #skifashion #onlyfriendsonapowday #poldaddy #fairypolemother

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From a lost wallet in Hawaii to a global lifestyle brand — Thread Wallets joins Austin live from the Snow Sports Industry Tradeshow to share one of the best founder stories you’ve ever heard.

Austin chats with Trevor and Mark from Thread Wallets, diving into how a simple elastic wallet inspired by surf culture grew into a worldwide accessories brand stocked in surf, skate, snow, and boutique stores around the globe.

This episode covers:

 • The Hawaii moment that sparked the brand 🌊
 • Turning minimalism into expression through colour + design
 • Collabs with The North Face, Brixton & Cotopaxi
 • Entering the Australian market for the first time 🇦🇺
 • Why quality + intention + culture build the strongest brands
 • And… the great “fanny pack” vs “bum bag” cultural revelation 👀

A feel-good, high-energy conversation about creativity, business, and building something meaningful.

🎧 Listen now and meet Thread Wallets — the brand built on simplicity, expression and a whole lot of love.

#onlyfriendsonapowday #threadwallets #lifestylebrand #brandstory #surfskatesnow #australiansnow #skiindustry #snowindustryaustralia #wallets #outdoorstyle #brandbuilding #globalbrand #entrepreneurlife #australianpodcast #powdayvibes

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From rental shop to marketing boss — Lachy Keevers has done it all.

Live from the Snow Sports Industry Tradeshow, Austin and Matty sit down with long-time mate and XTM Marketing Manager Lachy Keevers to unpack his 20-year career in snow, from Falls Creek beginnings to managing Olympians with Oakley and leading one of Australia’s biggest winter brands.

🎙️ Recorded on-site at SIA Tradeshow 2025, this episode dives into:

 • Lachy’s 20+ seasons and how he turned passion into a career
 • The evolution of the Aussie snow industry — and the comeback post-COVID
 • From Oakley goggles to Olympic glory — managing athletes like Scotty James
 • Why mateship and community keep this industry alive
 • Plus, concussions, golf simulators, and a lot of laughs

🎧 Listen now, leave a review, and back your local snow legends

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