diff --git a/bench_vec.rs b/bench_vec.rs
index 0f7177bc..14f05b71 100644
--- a/bench_vec.rs
+++ b/bench_vec.rs
@@ -21,22 +21,22 @@ mod decoder {
 
     use super::{Error, EndOfStream, SyntaxError};
 
-    pub struct Decoder {
+    pub struct IntDecoder {
         len: uint,
         iter: vec::MoveItems<int>,
     }
 
-    impl Decoder {
+    impl IntDecoder {
         #[inline]
-        pub fn new(values: Vec<int>) -> Decoder {
-            Decoder {
+        pub fn new(values: Vec<int>) -> IntDecoder {
+            IntDecoder {
                 len: values.len(),
                 iter: values.move_iter(),
             }
         }
     }
 
-    impl serialize::Decoder<Error> for Decoder {
+    impl serialize::Decoder<Error> for IntDecoder {
         // Primitive types:
         fn read_nil(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
         fn read_uint(&mut self) -> Result<uint, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
@@ -62,62 +62,163 @@ mod decoder {
         fn read_str(&mut self) -> Result<StrBuf, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         // Compound types:
-        fn read_enum<T>(&mut self, _name: &str, _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_enum<T>(&mut self, _name: &str, _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         fn read_enum_variant<T>(&mut self,
                                 _names: &[&str],
-                                _f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                _f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                 -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
         fn read_enum_variant_arg<T>(&mut self,
                                     _a_idx: uint,
-                                    _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                    _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                     -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         fn read_enum_struct_variant<T>(&mut self,
                                        _names: &[&str],
-                                       _f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                       _f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                        -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
         fn read_enum_struct_variant_field<T>(&mut self,
                                              _f_name: &str,
                                              _f_idx: uint,
-                                             _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                             _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                              -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
-        fn read_struct<T>(&mut self, _s_name: &str, _len: uint, _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+        fn read_struct<T>(&mut self, _s_name: &str, _len: uint, _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
                           -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
         fn read_struct_field<T>(&mut self,
                                 _f_name: &str,
                                 _f_idx: uint,
-                                _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                 -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
-        fn read_tuple<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
-        fn read_tuple_arg<T>(&mut self, _a_idx: uint, _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_tuple<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_tuple_arg<T>(&mut self, _a_idx: uint, _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         fn read_tuple_struct<T>(&mut self,
                                 _s_name: &str,
-                                _f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                _f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                 -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
         fn read_tuple_struct_arg<T>(&mut self,
                                     _a_idx: uint,
-                                    _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                    _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
                                     -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         // Specialized types:
-        fn read_option<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut Decoder, bool| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_option<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut IntDecoder, bool| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
 
         #[inline]
-        fn read_seq<T>(&mut self, f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
+        fn read_seq<T>(&mut self, f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
             f(self, self.len)
         }
         #[inline]
-        fn read_seq_elt<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
+        fn read_seq_elt<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
             f(self)
         }
 
-        fn read_map<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
-        fn read_map_elt_key<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
-        fn read_map_elt_val<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_map<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut IntDecoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_map_elt_key<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_map_elt_val<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut IntDecoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+    }
+
+
+    pub struct U8Decoder {
+        len: uint,
+        iter: vec::MoveItems<u8>,
+    }
+
+    impl U8Decoder {
+        #[inline]
+        pub fn new(values: Vec<u8>) -> U8Decoder {
+            U8Decoder {
+                len: values.len(),
+                iter: values.move_iter(),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl serialize::Decoder<Error> for U8Decoder {
+        // Primitive types:
+        fn read_nil(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_uint(&mut self) -> Result<uint, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_u64(&mut self) -> Result<u64, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_u32(&mut self) -> Result<u32, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_u16(&mut self) -> Result<u16, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        #[inline]
+        fn read_u8(&mut self) -> Result<u8, Error> {
+            match self.iter.next() {
+                Some(value) => Ok(value),
+                None => Err(EndOfStream),
+            }
+        }
+        #[inline]
+        fn read_int(&mut self) -> Result<int, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_i64(&mut self) -> Result<i64, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_i32(&mut self) -> Result<i32, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_i16(&mut self) -> Result<i16, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_i8(&mut self) -> Result<i8, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_bool(&mut self) -> Result<bool, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_f64(&mut self) -> Result<f64, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_f32(&mut self) -> Result<f32, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_char(&mut self) -> Result<char, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_str(&mut self) -> Result<StrBuf, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        // Compound types:
+        fn read_enum<T>(&mut self, _name: &str, _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        fn read_enum_variant<T>(&mut self,
+                                _names: &[&str],
+                                _f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_enum_variant_arg<T>(&mut self,
+                                    _a_idx: uint,
+                                    _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                    -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        fn read_enum_struct_variant<T>(&mut self,
+                                       _names: &[&str],
+                                       _f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                       -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_enum_struct_variant_field<T>(&mut self,
+                                             _f_name: &str,
+                                             _f_idx: uint,
+                                             _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                             -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        fn read_struct<T>(&mut self, _s_name: &str, _len: uint, _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                          -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_struct_field<T>(&mut self,
+                                _f_name: &str,
+                                _f_idx: uint,
+                                _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        fn read_tuple<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_tuple_arg<T>(&mut self, _a_idx: uint, _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        fn read_tuple_struct<T>(&mut self,
+                                _s_name: &str,
+                                _f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_tuple_struct_arg<T>(&mut self,
+                                    _a_idx: uint,
+                                    _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>)
+                                    -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        // Specialized types:
+        fn read_option<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut U8Decoder, bool| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+
+        #[inline]
+        fn read_seq<T>(&mut self, f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
+            f(self, self.len)
+        }
+        #[inline]
+        fn read_seq_elt<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> {
+            f(self)
+        }
+
+        fn read_map<T>(&mut self, _f: |&mut U8Decoder, uint| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_map_elt_key<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
+        fn read_map_elt_val<T>(&mut self, _idx: uint, _f: |&mut U8Decoder| -> Result<T, Error>) -> Result<T, Error> { Err(SyntaxError) }
     }
 }
 
@@ -138,16 +239,16 @@ mod deserializer {
         EndState,
     }
 
-    pub struct Deserializer {
+    pub struct IntDeserializer {
         state: State,
         len: uint,
         iter: vec::MoveItems<int>,
     }
 
-    impl Deserializer {
+    impl IntDeserializer {
         #[inline]
-        pub fn new(values: Vec<int>) -> Deserializer {
-            Deserializer {
+        pub fn new(values: Vec<int>) -> IntDeserializer {
+            IntDeserializer {
                 state: StartState,
                 len: values.len(),
                 iter: values.move_iter(),
@@ -155,7 +256,7 @@ mod deserializer {
         }
     }
 
-    impl Iterator<Result<de::Token, Error>> for Deserializer {
+    impl Iterator<Result<de::Token, Error>> for IntDeserializer {
         #[inline]
         fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Result<de::Token, Error>> {
             match self.state {
@@ -181,7 +282,62 @@ mod deserializer {
         }
     }
 
-    impl de::Deserializer<Error> for Deserializer {
+    impl de::Deserializer<Error> for IntDeserializer {
+        #[inline]
+        fn end_of_stream_error(&self) -> Error {
+            EndOfStream
+        }
+
+        #[inline]
+        fn syntax_error(&self) -> Error {
+            SyntaxError
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub struct U8Deserializer {
+        state: State,
+        len: uint,
+        iter: vec::MoveItems<u8>,
+    }
+
+    impl U8Deserializer {
+        #[inline]
+        pub fn new(values: Vec<u8>) -> U8Deserializer {
+            U8Deserializer {
+                state: StartState,
+                len: values.len(),
+                iter: values.move_iter(),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Iterator<Result<de::Token, Error>> for U8Deserializer {
+        #[inline]
+        fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Result<de::Token, Error>> {
+            match self.state {
+                StartState => {
+                    self.state = SepOrEndState;
+                    Some(Ok(de::SeqStart(self.len)))
+                }
+                SepOrEndState => {
+                    match self.iter.next() {
+                        Some(value) => {
+                            Some(Ok(de::U8(value)))
+                        }
+                        None => {
+                            self.state = EndState;
+                            Some(Ok(de::End))
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                EndState => {
+                    None
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl de::Deserializer<Error> for U8Deserializer {
         #[inline]
         fn end_of_stream_error(&self) -> Error {
             EndOfStream
@@ -220,7 +376,7 @@ fn run_deserializer<
 fn bench_decoder_vec_int_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = vec!();
-        run_decoder(decoder::Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_decoder(decoder::IntDecoder::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }
 
@@ -228,7 +384,7 @@ fn bench_decoder_vec_int_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
 fn bench_deserializer_vec_int_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = vec!();
-        run_deserializer(deserializer::Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::IntDeserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }
 
@@ -236,7 +392,7 @@ fn bench_deserializer_vec_int_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
 fn bench_decoder_vec_int_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = vec!(1, 2, 3);
-        run_decoder(decoder::Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_decoder(decoder::IntDecoder::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }
 
@@ -244,7 +400,7 @@ fn bench_decoder_vec_int_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
 fn bench_deserializer_vec_int_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = vec!(1, 2, 3);
-        run_deserializer(deserializer::Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::IntDeserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }
 
@@ -252,7 +408,7 @@ fn bench_deserializer_vec_int_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
 fn bench_decoder_vec_int_100(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = range(0, 100).collect();
-        run_decoder(decoder::Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_decoder(decoder::IntDecoder::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }
 
@@ -260,6 +416,54 @@ fn bench_decoder_vec_int_100(b: &mut Bencher) {
 fn bench_deserializer_vec_int_100(b: &mut Bencher) {
     b.iter(|| {
         let v: Vec<int> = range(0, 100).collect();
-        run_deserializer(deserializer::Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::IntDeserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_decoder_vec_u8_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = vec!();
+        run_decoder(decoder::U8Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_deserializer_vec_u8_000(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = vec!();
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::U8Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_decoder_vec_u8_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = vec!(1, 2, 3);
+        run_decoder(decoder::U8Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_deserializer_vec_u8_003(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = vec!(1, 2, 3);
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::U8Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_decoder_vec_u8_100(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = range(0u8, 100).collect();
+        run_decoder(decoder::U8Decoder::new(v.clone()), v)
+    })
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_deserializer_vec_u8_100(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let v: Vec<u8> = range(0u8, 100).collect();
+        run_deserializer(deserializer::U8Deserializer::new(v.clone()), v)
     })
 }