From 1973 to 1976, Hasbro produced this desert theme G.I. jOE Adventure Team: Desert Survival - Action Outfit (code #7309-1).

The first issue of this set came in a small window box, later versions (as depicted above) came on a card with plastic bubble cover.

Set includes: Grey shirt with matching belt and black pants. The only accessory for the set is a grey canteen without a canteen cover to attach to the belt.

The frustrating thing about this set is on that on the aftermarket, this outfit is usually missing the belt and there are to reproduction replacements to match the colour of the shirt.

Some collectors mistakenly thought that this set had the clip-on canteen that was used in the Jungle Survival (code #7373) set, but it does not. The canteen does not include a clip so it is held close to G.I. Joe's body by the friction of the cloth belt to the cloth shirt. This of course results in the canteen falling onto the ground whenever G.I. jOE moves.

These Action Outfit sets did not come with an Adventure Team comic so you could imagine your own adventure...

G.I. jOE has become separated from the Adventure Team and has lost his bearings in the sands of the desert. His canteen (which has fallen many times from his belt) is now empty and he must find water to sustain himself until he can be rescued. After hours of trudging across sand dunes he spots a small oasis. As G.I. jOE kneels to fill his canteen, in his peripheral vision he detects a strange movement. He turns his head and spots a large venomous snake over him dangling from the overhanging tree branch.

What happens next, you decide...

Custom coffin box for your G. I. jOE