Except from the writings within the product box :
The Empire encompassed thousands of worlds, with countless climate and terrain challenges. Their stormtrooper ranks reflected this through specialized units trained and equipped to operate in specific environments. The sandtrooper is a desert terrain stormtrooper. Their armor consists of an 18-piece anti-blaster coccon shell with heat-reflective coating worn over a temperature-control body glove. The sandtrooper helmet features automatic polarized lensed, a built-in comlink and breathing filters. These stormtroopers are specifically designed for high temperature environments. Instead of depending on machinery that may not function in hostile environments, sandtroppers make use of local creatures for transportation. The stormtrooper detachment dispatched by Lord Vader to investigate a crashed escape pod on Tatooine just prior to the Battle of Yavin consisted of sandtroopers. They had heavy weapons, survivor gear, and shoulder pauldrons denoting rank.