Just because some backward uneducated people have not see one of these machines just shows how closed minded you are. The gap between the track pads is not only for traction in mud but to also act similar to paddles while in water. The tracts rotate around what are designed to be huge pontoons to keeps it from sinking while in water. There are all types of buckets used on there depending on the job it's doing. Some say poor engineering or design yet these work in places nothing else can.