diff --git a/simdnbt/src/borrow/compound.rs b/simdnbt/src/borrow/compound.rs
index f1675eb..d743b36 100644
--- a/simdnbt/src/borrow/compound.rs
+++ b/simdnbt/src/borrow/compound.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl<'a> NbtCompound<'a> {
 
         let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap_unchecked() };
 
-        let mut tags = alloc_mut.start_named_tags(depth);
+        let mut tags = alloc_mut.named.start(depth);
         loop {
             let tag_type = data.read_u8().map_err(|_| Error::UnexpectedEof)?;
             if tag_type == END_ID {
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ impl<'a> NbtCompound<'a> {
             let tag_name = match read_string(data) {
                 Ok(name) => name,
                 Err(_) => {
-                    alloc_mut.finish_named_tags(tags, depth);
+                    alloc_mut.named.finish(tags, depth);
                     // the only error read_string can return is UnexpectedEof, so this makes it
                     // slightly faster
                     return Err(Error::UnexpectedEof);
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@ impl<'a> NbtCompound<'a> {
             let tag = match NbtTag::read_with_type(data, alloc, tag_type, depth) {
                 Ok(tag) => tag,
                 Err(e) => {
-                    alloc_mut.finish_named_tags(tags, depth);
+                    alloc_mut.named.finish(tags, depth);
                     return Err(e);
                 }
             };
             tags.push((tag_name, tag));
         }
         let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap_unchecked() };
-        let values = alloc_mut.finish_named_tags(tags, depth);
+        let values = alloc_mut.named.finish(tags, depth);
 
         Ok(Self { values })
     }
diff --git a/simdnbt/src/borrow/list.rs b/simdnbt/src/borrow/list.rs
index ca8dc65..c42fa0c 100644
--- a/simdnbt/src/borrow/list.rs
+++ b/simdnbt/src/borrow/list.rs
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ pub enum NbtList<'a> {
     Long(RawList<'a, i64>) = LONG_ID,
     Float(RawList<'a, f32>) = FLOAT_ID,
     Double(RawList<'a, f64>) = DOUBLE_ID,
-    ByteArray(Vec<&'a [u8]>) = BYTE_ARRAY_ID,
-    String(Vec<&'a Mutf8Str>) = STRING_ID,
+    ByteArray(&'a [&'a [u8]]) = BYTE_ARRAY_ID,
+    String(&'a [&'a Mutf8Str]) = STRING_ID,
     List(&'a [NbtList<'a>]) = LIST_ID,
     Compound(&'a [NbtCompound<'a>]) = COMPOUND_ID,
-    IntArray(Vec<RawList<'a, i32>>) = INT_ARRAY_ID,
-    LongArray(Vec<RawList<'a, i64>>) = LONG_ARRAY_ID,
+    IntArray(&'a [RawList<'a, i32>]) = INT_ARRAY_ID,
+    LongArray(&'a [RawList<'a, i64>]) = LONG_ARRAY_ID,
 }
 impl<'a> NbtList<'a> {
     pub fn read(
@@ -57,77 +57,105 @@ impl<'a> NbtList<'a> {
             DOUBLE_ID => NbtList::Double(RawList::new(read_with_u32_length(data, 8)?)),
             BYTE_ARRAY_ID => NbtList::ByteArray({
                 let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                let mut arrays = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
-                for _ in 0..length {
-                    arrays.push(read_u8_array(data)?)
-                }
-                arrays
-            }),
-            STRING_ID => NbtList::String({
-                let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                let mut strings = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
-                for _ in 0..length {
-                    strings.push(read_string(data)?)
-                }
-                strings
-            }),
-            LIST_ID => NbtList::List({
-                let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                // let mut lists = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
                 let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
-                let mut tags = alloc_mut.start_unnamed_list_tags(depth);
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_bytearray.start(depth);
                 for _ in 0..length {
-                    let tag = match NbtList::read(data, alloc, depth + 1) {
+                    let tag = match read_u8_array(data) {
                         Ok(tag) => tag,
                         Err(e) => {
-                            alloc_mut.finish_unnamed_list_tags(tags, depth);
-                            return Err(e);
-                        }
-                    };
-                    tags.push(tag)
-                }
-                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
-                alloc_mut.finish_unnamed_list_tags(tags, depth)
-            }),
-            COMPOUND_ID => NbtList::Compound({
-                let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                // let mut compounds = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
-                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
-                let mut tags = alloc_mut.start_unnamed_compound_tags(depth);
-                for _ in 0..length {
-                    let tag = match NbtCompound::read_with_depth(data, alloc, depth + 1) {
-                        Ok(tag) => tag,
-                        Err(e) => {
-                            alloc_mut.finish_unnamed_compound_tags(tags, depth);
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_bytearray.finish(tags, depth);
                             return Err(e);
                         }
                     };
                     tags.push(tag);
                 }
                 let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
-                alloc_mut.finish_unnamed_compound_tags(tags, depth)
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_bytearray.finish(tags, depth)
+            }),
+            STRING_ID => NbtList::String({
+                let length = read_u32(data)?;
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_string.start(depth);
+                for _ in 0..length {
+                    let tag = match read_string(data) {
+                        Ok(tag) => tag,
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_string.finish(tags, depth);
+                            return Err(e);
+                        }
+                    };
+                    tags.push(tag);
+                }
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_string.finish(tags, depth)
+            }),
+            LIST_ID => NbtList::List({
+                let length = read_u32(data)?;
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_list.start(depth);
+                for _ in 0..length {
+                    let tag = match NbtList::read(data, alloc, depth + 1) {
+                        Ok(tag) => tag,
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_list.finish(tags, depth);
+                            return Err(e);
+                        }
+                    };
+                    tags.push(tag)
+                }
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_list.finish(tags, depth)
+            }),
+            COMPOUND_ID => NbtList::Compound({
+                let length = read_u32(data)?;
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_compound.start(depth);
+                for _ in 0..length {
+                    let tag = match NbtCompound::read_with_depth(data, alloc, depth + 1) {
+                        Ok(tag) => tag,
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_compound.finish(tags, depth);
+                            return Err(e);
+                        }
+                    };
+                    tags.push(tag);
+                }
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_compound.finish(tags, depth)
             }),
             INT_ARRAY_ID => NbtList::IntArray({
                 let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                let mut arrays = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_intarray.start(depth);
                 for _ in 0..length {
-                    arrays.push(read_int_array(data)?)
+                    let tag = match read_int_array(data) {
+                        Ok(tag) => tag,
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_intarray.finish(tags, depth);
+                            return Err(e);
+                        }
+                    };
+                    tags.push(tag);
                 }
-                arrays
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_intarray.finish(tags, depth)
             }),
             LONG_ARRAY_ID => NbtList::LongArray({
                 let length = read_u32(data)?;
-                // arbitrary number to prevent big allocations
-                let mut arrays = Vec::with_capacity(length.min(128) as usize);
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                let mut tags = alloc_mut.unnamed_longarray.start(depth);
                 for _ in 0..length {
-                    arrays.push(read_long_array(data)?)
+                    let tag = match read_long_array(data) {
+                        Ok(tag) => tag,
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            alloc_mut.unnamed_longarray.finish(tags, depth);
+                            return Err(e);
+                        }
+                    };
+                    tags.push(tag);
                 }
-                arrays
+                let alloc_mut = unsafe { alloc.get().as_mut().unwrap() };
+                alloc_mut.unnamed_longarray.finish(tags, depth)
             }),
             _ => return Err(Error::UnknownTagId(tag_type)),
         })
@@ -179,7 +207,7 @@ impl<'a> NbtList<'a> {
             }
             NbtList::String(strings) => {
                 write_u32(data, strings.len() as u32);
-                for string in strings {
+                for string in *strings {
                     write_string(data, string);
                 }
             }
@@ -194,13 +222,13 @@ impl<'a> NbtList<'a> {
             }
             NbtList::IntArray(int_arrays) => {
                 write_u32(data, int_arrays.len() as u32);
-                for array in int_arrays {
+                for array in *int_arrays {
                     write_with_u32_length(data, 4, array.as_big_endian());
                 }
             }
             NbtList::LongArray(long_arrays) => {
                 write_u32(data, long_arrays.len() as u32);
-                for array in long_arrays {
+                for array in *long_arrays {
                     write_with_u32_length(data, 8, array.as_big_endian());
                 }
             }
@@ -253,7 +281,7 @@ impl<'a> NbtList<'a> {
             _ => None,
         }
     }
-    pub fn byte_arrays(&self) -> Option<&Vec<&[u8]>> {
+    pub fn byte_arrays(&self) -> Option<&[&[u8]]> {
         match self {
             NbtList::ByteArray(byte_arrays) => Some(byte_arrays),
             _ => None,
diff --git a/simdnbt/src/borrow/tag_alloc.rs b/simdnbt/src/borrow/tag_alloc.rs
index 2dae16e..4bf7f60 100644
--- a/simdnbt/src/borrow/tag_alloc.rs
+++ b/simdnbt/src/borrow/tag_alloc.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use std::{
     ptr::NonNull,
 };
 
-use crate::Mutf8Str;
+use crate::{raw_list::RawList, Mutf8Str};
 
 use super::{NbtCompound, NbtList, NbtTag};
 
@@ -30,152 +30,71 @@ const MIN_ALLOC_SIZE: usize = 1024;
 
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub struct TagAllocator<'a> {
-    // it's a vec because of the depth thing mentioned earlier, index in the vec = depth
-    named_tags: Vec<TagsAllocation<(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag<'a>)>>,
-    // we also have to keep track of old allocations so we can deallocate them later
-    previous_named_tags: Vec<Vec<TagsAllocation<(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag<'a>)>>>,
+    pub named: IndividualTagAllocator<(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag<'a>)>,
 
     // so remember earlier when i said the depth thing is only necessary because compounds aren't
     // length prefixed? ... well soooo i decided to make arrays store per-depth separately too to
     // avoid exploits where an array with a big length is sent to force it to immediately allocate
     // a lot
-    unnamed_list_tags: Vec<TagsAllocation<NbtList<'a>>>,
-    previous_unnamed_list_tags: Vec<Vec<TagsAllocation<NbtList<'a>>>>,
-
-    unnamed_compound_tags: Vec<TagsAllocation<NbtCompound<'a>>>,
-    previous_unnamed_compound_tags: Vec<Vec<TagsAllocation<NbtCompound<'a>>>>,
+    pub unnamed_list: IndividualTagAllocator<NbtList<'a>>,
+    pub unnamed_compound: IndividualTagAllocator<NbtCompound<'a>>,
+    pub unnamed_bytearray: IndividualTagAllocator<&'a [u8]>,
+    pub unnamed_string: IndividualTagAllocator<&'a Mutf8Str>,
+    pub unnamed_intarray: IndividualTagAllocator<RawList<'a, i32>>,
+    pub unnamed_longarray: IndividualTagAllocator<RawList<'a, i64>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> TagAllocator<'a> {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self::default()
     }
+}
 
-    pub fn start_named_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag<'a>)> {
-        start_allocating_tags_with_depth(depth, &mut self.named_tags, &mut self.previous_named_tags)
-    }
-    pub fn finish_named_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        alloc: ContiguousTagsAllocator<(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag<'a>)>,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> &'a [(&'a Mutf8Str, NbtTag)] {
-        finish_allocating_tags_with_depth(
-            alloc,
-            depth,
-            &mut self.named_tags,
-            &mut self.previous_named_tags,
-        )
-    }
+pub struct IndividualTagAllocator<T> {
+    // it's a vec because of the depth thing mentioned earlier, index in the vec = depth
+    current: Vec<TagsAllocation<T>>,
+    // we also have to keep track of old allocations so we can deallocate them later
+    previous: Vec<Vec<TagsAllocation<T>>>,
+}
+impl<T> IndividualTagAllocator<T>
+where
+    T: Clone,
+{
+    pub fn start(&mut self, depth: usize) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<T> {
+        // make sure we have enough space for this depth
+        // (also note that depth is reused for compounds and arrays so we might have to push
+        // more than once)
+        for _ in self.current.len()..=depth {
+            self.current.push(Default::default());
+            self.previous.push(Default::default());
+        }
 
-    pub fn start_unnamed_list_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<NbtList<'a>> {
-        start_allocating_tags_with_depth(
-            depth,
-            &mut self.unnamed_list_tags,
-            &mut self.previous_unnamed_list_tags,
-        )
-    }
-    pub fn finish_unnamed_list_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        alloc: ContiguousTagsAllocator<NbtList<'a>>,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> &'a [NbtList<'a>] {
-        finish_allocating_tags_with_depth(
-            alloc,
-            depth,
-            &mut self.unnamed_list_tags,
-            &mut self.previous_unnamed_list_tags,
-        )
-    }
+        let alloc = self.current[depth].clone();
 
-    pub fn start_unnamed_compound_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<NbtCompound<'a>> {
-        start_allocating_tags_with_depth(
-            depth,
-            &mut self.unnamed_compound_tags,
-            &mut self.previous_unnamed_compound_tags,
-        )
+        start_allocating_tags(alloc)
     }
-    pub fn finish_unnamed_compound_tags(
-        &mut self,
-        alloc: ContiguousTagsAllocator<NbtCompound<'a>>,
-        depth: usize,
-    ) -> &'a [NbtCompound<'a>] {
-        finish_allocating_tags_with_depth(
-            alloc,
-            depth,
-            &mut self.unnamed_compound_tags,
-            &mut self.previous_unnamed_compound_tags,
-        )
+    pub fn finish<'a>(&mut self, alloc: ContiguousTagsAllocator<T>, depth: usize) -> &'a [T] {
+        finish_allocating_tags(alloc, &mut self.current[depth], &mut self.previous[depth])
     }
 }
-impl Drop for TagAllocator<'_> {
+impl<T> Default for IndividualTagAllocator<T> {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            current: Default::default(),
+            previous: Default::default(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<T> Drop for IndividualTagAllocator<T> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
-        self.named_tags
-            .iter_mut()
-            .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
-        self.previous_named_tags
-            .iter_mut()
-            .flatten()
-            .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
-
-        self.unnamed_list_tags
-            .iter_mut()
-            .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
-        self.previous_unnamed_list_tags
-            .iter_mut()
-            .flatten()
-            .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
-
-        self.unnamed_compound_tags
-            .iter_mut()
-            .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
-        self.previous_unnamed_compound_tags
+        self.current.iter_mut().for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
+        self.previous
             .iter_mut()
             .flatten()
             .for_each(TagsAllocation::deallocate);
     }
 }
 
-pub fn start_allocating_tags_with_depth<T>(
-    depth: usize,
-    tags: &mut Vec<TagsAllocation<T>>,
-    previous_allocs: &mut Vec<Vec<TagsAllocation<T>>>,
-) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<T>
-where
-    T: Clone,
-{
-    // make sure we have enough space for this depth
-    // (also note that depth is reused for compounds and arrays so we might have to push
-    // more than once)
-    for _ in tags.len()..=depth {
-        tags.push(Default::default());
-        previous_allocs.push(Default::default());
-    }
-
-    let alloc = tags[depth].clone();
-
-    start_allocating_tags(alloc)
-}
-fn finish_allocating_tags_with_depth<'a, T>(
-    alloc: ContiguousTagsAllocator<T>,
-    depth: usize,
-    tags: &mut [TagsAllocation<T>],
-    previous_allocs: &mut [Vec<TagsAllocation<T>>],
-) -> &'a [T]
-where
-    T: Clone,
-{
-    finish_allocating_tags(alloc, &mut tags[depth], &mut previous_allocs[depth])
-}
-
 fn start_allocating_tags<T>(alloc: TagsAllocation<T>) -> ContiguousTagsAllocator<T> {
     let is_new_allocation = alloc.cap == 0;
     ContiguousTagsAllocator {