Rolligon Tires

This 1953 British Pathé newsreel introduces us to the Rolligon, and gives the impression that it's a vehicle. But the name Rolligon actually refer to the tires that make this vehicle special. Inventor William Albee designed these tires after watching Inuit roll heavy boats on inflated seal hides. These enormous tires only need pressure of about 7 psi because there are so many square inches on tires that are five to nine feet wide. They are great for rolling over soft terrain, no matter how uneven it is, and they do very little damage to plants and animals in their way. Rolligon tires never made much headway with the military because these vehicles can't go fast enough, and as far as consumer use, any vehicle using them would be too high to easily get in and out of, and too wide for standard lanes. But they are being used today, in the oilfields of Canada and Alaska. (via Nag on the Lake)