Simple ideas, great results...

http://www.qdrum.co.za/about.htm

Because normally reinventing the wheel is a bad thing

I wonder if it can hold gasoline...just the thing for when you need to hike 20km to the nearest gas station.

Brilliant application of elegant simplicity!

I wonder if they are stackable...

Having been a Scout leader for a while, and seeing what boys can do to hard-sided water carriers and how short a lifespan the carriers typically have, the exterior wall of that thing had better be darn thick to avoid punctures.

The funny thing is that is exactly why ships used to carry stuff in barrels. They were easy to roll. The only difference is that barrels had what in canoe terms is heavy "rocker" (wider in the middle than the ends) so that the barrel can easily be turned or "bounced" upright.

Yes, they are stackable:

"The Drum is manufactured from Linear Low Density Polyethylene through either rotational or blow moulding and has a high compatibility with foodstuffs and water. It's durability has been proven by Kaymac Rotomoulders via a 3 metre drop-test filled with water as well as extensive actual use in rural areas of South Africa and Angola.With the Q-drum, even a child can pull 50 litres of water over flat terrain for several kilometres without undue strain, and could shift the burden of water collection away from adult women to children and reduce the existing burden on the children at the same time - they play with it and love to fetch water."

Low Density Polyethylene does not seem to want to be used for fuel, so gas is probably out.

I can't find a way to BUY them...

Been around for years and years.

Aquaroll manufacturer's site

Wow. Every time I see something like that it reaffirms my belief that there really isn't any innovation anymore. Just rehatching of old ideas using new materials and new marketing techniques.

And when we learn that the new materials are harmful to the environment, can't be recycled, or is killing pigmy albino dolphins off the coast of Samoa, we make it out of old materials, say it has a reduced carbon footprint and charge double for it.

It looks really thick, there is a cut through picture on the site:

Doubt it will help the folks with steep rocky hills to climb from the well.

This would be good for those kegs of beer I used to carry in to high school and college parties in the woods.