G.I. Joe Classified Series Tripwire review – No. 78 (2023)

Tripwire was another GI Joe Classified Series figure I held out on getting to await a sale. Not because I didn’t want him so much that the deluxe price was noticeably higher than the other releases. Now that price is more the norm for standard figures…

With so many new Joes arriving, Tripwire kept getting pushed back on the review priority list until my area got a massive snowstorm after I hit the Cobra SNAKES. While we still don’t have a CS Flash, I could almost reenact one of the fun scenes from the first mini-series.

Let’s see if Tripwire that I’m happy to call mine or if this figure falls flat on its face.

Packaging: Tripwire got released during the closed package era. The upside is the rendered artwork action shot got a more prominent spot on the front of the package. This one features Tripwire checking out a cave for any potential explosive traps set by Cobra with his rat helper Apsara.

I did appreciate the accessory breakdown on the front and a slimmer version of the side art on the front.

The artwork side features Tripwire in his streamlined gear raising a pistol, which seems a bit too aggressive for him. On the other side is the smaller portrait, skill stats and the QR Code to Nowhere.

Over on the back is a wider breakdown of the figure and the accessories and some close-up pics of his helmet and shoulder.

Tripwire’s skills stats are a 4 in minesweeper, a 3 in anti-ordinance and 2s in ordinance and explosives. All of those line up very closely with his specialty.

Likeness: Tripwire is decked out in a full bodysuit with added sculpted details like zippers and lining. He’s got long gloves that nearly come up to his elbow and boots that start just below his knee. His Real American Hero figure had seam lines in the boots and gloves, which are carried over here as well.

The original Tripwire just had chest armor (that extended to his crotch) and a helmet in terms of protection. I love that the CS team understands while Tripwire would definitely need more safety precautions for explosives, collectors can still go vintage with his look.

This time, Tripwire’s helmet is removable. He’s got a calm head sculpt with some of his hair flipped to the left side. In his line of work, he needs to stay calm so the neutral expression was the way to go although I wouldn’t have minded another nod to the comic with a shocked face as he’s about to trip.

His thigh pad armor is included, but the glamor shots reveal it can be removed with some effort.

Scale: Tripwire is slight, but he was average height so he should be looking at fellow 1983 wave mates Airborne and Torpedo eye to eye. Thanks to his extra protective gear he looks bulkier, but it makes sense and he is shorter than Snow Job and Gung-Ho.

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Paint: Tripwire was one of the few 83 Joes who could have easily been part of the original wave as he and Wild Bill were the only two with a predominantly OG 13 shade of green.

That stays true with his CS figure although there is the option to display him with more grey attire than green.

The paintwork is solid with good detailing on the smaller aspects of his costume like the grey belt and the darker shade of grey on his boots and gloves. He’s got light brown hair, which turned out smoothly.

Articulation: Tripwire is a Joe who has to be able to hit dramatic poses due to the nature of his specialty.

He should be able to strike effective crawling poses and scanning for mines.

That’s not a problem with this line, which boasts stellar and smooth articulation.

Tripwire has:

• head
• neck
• shoulders (butterfly)
• elbow (double-jointed)
• wrist
• wrist hinge
• torso
• waist
• hips (ball-jointed)
• drop down hips
• knees (double-jointed)
• ankles

Accessories: As a deluxe offering, Tripwire has various gear configurations with his wide array of accessories.

First is the streamlined look that’s closest to his Real American Hero figure. It includes chest and shoulders. The chest armor features a quilted-style top with two rows of pouches. It’s arranged so the thigh pads can meet up right against the crotch padding.

His shoulder armor rests along the bicep area on his arm. You can add a neck collar piece for more protection as well though it lacks anything to lock in place to so it’s not a snug fit.

To complete the classic look, he’s got a slight tweak to his vintage helmet. It’s got paneling and earphones presumably so he’s not rattled when the firefights are breaking out and to aid when he’s located a mine. I wish the visor was translucent but that wasn’t the case for the original figure, so I get the decision to make it opaque.

If Tripwire is walking into a very dangerous environment, he can gear up further with another bulkier chest/torso armor pad. This one just has the studs though it covers more of his body.

There is a larger collar piece for this armor. For more reassurance Tripwire has a fully enclosed helmet. There looks to be a light in the top center for when he’s in darkened locations trying to find a bomb or mine.

As far as weapons go, he doesn’t need much since he’s mostly looking for explosives. He gets a .45 pistol that fits snugly into his holster.

His backpack includes more paneling and pouches with an area recessed into place mines to use against Cobra.

Naturally, Tripwire has his mine detector. It’s more complex than his original stick and a plate with a more involved handle section and grip to grab the mines. You can attach the tube to the line detector, but he doesn’t have to use it. Either way it doesn’t impede his movement.

Thankfully, you can store the mine detector on his backpack.

His final weapon are two mines. They have a post to plug into the mines, but you can balance that to make it look like Tripwire is disarming one in the ground.

That’s not all for him.

Tripwire introduces a new pet sidekick to the mix with Aspara, his rat (ugggh). Rats have actually been used in discovering mines, so this isn’t an out of the blue concept though I wonder if some of the Joes aren’t fond of their teammate bringing along a pet rat.

Aspara might be small, but she has an impressive amount of detail including the harness and far more paint than would be expected.

Finally, Tripwire has the MACLEOD or Mobile Armored Control Lever for Explosive Ordinance Disposal. This is a regular bomb detection robot that’s all the norm in action movies now so it makes sense that Tripwire would utilize one as well.

It has articulation in the arm, which is helpful for lifting and carrying a mine. The Tiger Force version has a cool paint job for MACLEOD, while this one is the base matching green to Tripwire.

Worth It? In hindsight it was wild waiting on a sale for Tripwire considering all of the value packed into this figure with multiple display options and a pair of sidekicks. Of course, it helps seeing what $35 gets you for a figure now.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Tripwire gets a fantastic CS figure that updates his vintage look with some strong modern tweaks making for a must-buy for Joe fans.

Where to Get It? The best option to get Tripwire now is online at retailers like Amazon.

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