North Dakota State Penitentiary: Extreme-Cold Proven Durability

North Dakota State Penitentiary equipped its recreation area with the Helios Multigym from Outdoor-Fit — tamperproof, weatherproof correctional fitness equipment built for secure facility environments. The result: rugged, reliable performance that staff expect to hold up through winters that drop to −40°C and heavy daily use by the inmate population.

North Dakota State Penitentiary, operated by the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in Bismarck, is the state's original prison — opened in 1884 and substantially rebuilt in 2013 — housing custody levels from maximum to minimum with capacity for roughly 800. In one of the coldest climates in the country, durable, weatherproof equipment is essential to a year-round recreation program.

Outdoor-Fit's equipment is built rugged and seems like it's going to last a long time. We have weather that gets as low as −40°C, and I think it should have no problem withstanding our harsh winters. The equipment works great, and is going to hold up against the tough wear and tear from the inmates.

Recreation Supervisor, North Dakota State Penitentiary

Correctional Facility at a Glance

Facility: North Dakota State Penitentiary

Location: Bismarck, North Dakota, USA

Equipment Installed: Helios Multigym

Security Level: Maximum (houses maximum to minimum custody)

Opened: 1884 (rebuilt 2013)

Capacity: ≈ 800

The Solution

Extreme-Cold Durability, Proven

A maximum-security facility in an extreme-cold climate needs equipment that performs through −40°C winters and freeze-thaw cycles with minimal servicing. Outdoor-Fit supplied a station built for supervised, high-frequency use:

Helios Multigym — A six-station correctional multigym for up to four users and 50+ bodyweight exercises, featuring chin-up and dip stations with Outdoor-Fit's chin/dip assist mechanism so all fitness levels can train, plus a plyo box, back extension, knee raise, and calf-raise step. Heavy-duty steel with tamperproof hardware and QR-linked placards.

The equipment also ships with full-color instructional placards — step-by-step technique, safety best practices, and clear illustrations for visual learners — and Outdoor-Fit’s structured programming lets staff run guided fitness classes as a positive-behavior incentive, so inmates of any experience level can train correctly and independently, with minimal staff involvement.

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Prison Gym Equipment FAQs — North Dakota State Penitentiary

Yes. Outdoor-Fit’s weatherproof steel and finishes are engineered for repeated freeze-thaw cycles and extreme cold — North Dakota State Penitentiary reports the Helios holding up through winters that reach −40°C — and it carries a 25-year structural warranty.

The chin/dip assist mechanism benefits from regular inspection, alongside weekly visual checks of structure and hardware. The finishes are rated for freeze-thaw, so cold adds no special servicing. A maintenance checklist ships with every installation.

Yes. A maintenance checklist ships with every installation, and replacement parts are available and supported, including warranty coverage for wear items like cables and pulleys.

Yes. The Helios Multigym is multi-user, built from heavy-duty steel with tamperproof hardware, and engineered for high-frequency use — staff report it holding up to tough daily wear from the inmate population through extreme-cold winters.

It is engineered for decades of service and backed by a 25-year structural warranty, built to withstand high-frequency daily use in demanding correctional settings.