diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/attribute.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/attribute.rs
index 815719e..8724d7e 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/attribute.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/attribute.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ impl AttributeMessage {
     ///
     /// `length_size` is needed for dataspace dimension parsing.
     pub fn parse(data: &[u8], length_size: u8) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_impl(data, length_size, None)
+        Self::parse_impl(data, length_size, None::<(&[u8], u8)>)
     }
 
     /// [`AttributeMessage::parse`] with access to the rest of the file, which
@@ -66,24 +66,24 @@ impl AttributeMessage {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in_storage(data, &file_data, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in_storage(data, file_data, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`AttributeMessage::parse_in_file`] with the file behind any
     /// [`Storage`].
-    pub fn parse_in_storage(
+    pub fn parse_in_storage<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         data: &[u8],
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
         Self::parse_impl(data, length_size, Some((file, offset_size)))
     }
 
-    fn parse_impl(
+    fn parse_impl<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         data: &[u8],
         length_size: u8,
-        file: Option<(&dyn Storage, u8)>,
+        file: Option<(&S, u8)>,
     ) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
         ensure_len(data, 0, 2)?;
         let version = data[0];
@@ -98,12 +98,12 @@ impl AttributeMessage {
 
     /// The bytes of an embedded datatype/dataspace message, following the
     /// shared-message reference when `shared` is set.
-    fn embedded_message<'a>(
+    fn embedded_message<'a, S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         bytes: &'a [u8],
         shared: bool,
         msg_type: MessageType,
         length_size: u8,
-        file: Option<(&dyn Storage, u8)>,
+        file: Option<(&S, u8)>,
     ) -> Result<Cow<'a, [u8]>, FormatError> {
         if !shared {
             return Ok(Cow::Borrowed(bytes));
@@ -155,10 +155,10 @@ impl AttributeMessage {
         })
     }
 
-    fn parse_v2(
+    fn parse_v2<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         data: &[u8],
         length_size: u8,
-        file: Option<(&dyn Storage, u8)>,
+        file: Option<(&S, u8)>,
     ) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
         // Flags: bit 0 = datatype is shared, bit 1 = dataspace is shared.
         let flags = data.get(1).copied().unwrap_or(0);
@@ -209,10 +209,10 @@ impl AttributeMessage {
         })
     }
 
-    fn parse_v3(
+    fn parse_v3<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         data: &[u8],
         length_size: u8,
-        file: Option<(&dyn Storage, u8)>,
+        file: Option<(&S, u8)>,
     ) -> Result<AttributeMessage, FormatError> {
         // Flags: bit 0 = datatype is shared, bit 1 = dataspace is shared.
         let flags = data.get(1).copied().unwrap_or(0);
@@ -427,15 +427,15 @@ pub fn extract_attributes_full(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<AttributeMessage>, FormatError> {
-    extract_attributes_full_in(&file_data, header, offset_size, length_size)
+    extract_attributes_full_in(file_data, header, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`extract_attributes_full`] over any [`Storage`]. Dense attribute
 /// storage is indexed by a v2 B-tree, which is not read over [`Storage`]
 /// yet: on a backend without the whole file in memory an object with dense
 /// attributes is [`FormatError::ContiguousStorageRequired`].
-pub fn extract_attributes_full_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn extract_attributes_full_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     header: &ObjectHeader,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -457,13 +457,13 @@ pub fn extract_attributes_tolerant(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<(Vec<AttributeMessage>, Vec<FormatError>), FormatError> {
-    extract_attributes_tolerant_in(&file_data, header, offset_size, length_size)
+    extract_attributes_tolerant_in(file_data, header, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`extract_attributes_tolerant`] over any [`Storage`] (see
 /// [`extract_attributes_full_in`] for dense storage).
-pub fn extract_attributes_tolerant_in(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn extract_attributes_tolerant_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     header: &ObjectHeader,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -478,8 +478,8 @@ pub fn extract_attributes_tolerant_in(
 
 /// Read every attribute; each one that fails goes to `on_error`, which
 /// either stops the read (returns the error) or skips that attribute.
-fn extract_attributes_with(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+fn extract_attributes_with<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     header: &ObjectHeader,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -572,8 +572,8 @@ fn find_attribute_info(
 /// Extract attributes from dense storage (fractal heap + B-tree v2), and
 /// each one's creation order into `orders`.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-fn extract_dense_attributes(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+fn extract_dense_attributes<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     attr_info: &AttributeInfoMessage,
     fh_addr: u64,
     offset_size: u8,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/btree_v1.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/btree_v1.rs
index 3378131..4853ca1 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/btree_v1.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/btree_v1.rs
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ impl BTreeV1Node {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<BTreeV1Node, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the node's header,
     /// one of its keys and children.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         _length_size: u8,
@@ -126,24 +126,22 @@ impl BTreeV1Node {
         let needed = eu * (key_size + os) + key_size; // eu children + (eu+1) keys
         let body = read_exact_at(file, body_start, needed)?;
         let file_data: &[u8] = &body;
-        let mut pos = 0usize;
 
         let mut keys = Vec::with_capacity(eu + 1);
         let mut children = Vec::with_capacity(eu);
 
-        for _i in 0..eu {
-            // key[i]
-            let key = read_offset(file_data, pos, offset_size)?;
-            keys.push(key);
-            pos += key_size;
-            // child[i]
-            let child = read_offset(file_data, pos, offset_size)?;
-            children.push(child);
-            pos += os;
+        if os == 0 {
+            // What reading the first key reports (and keeps `chunks_exact`
+            // below from being given a zero size).
+            return Err(FormatError::InvalidOffsetSize(offset_size));
         }
-        // final key
-        let key = read_offset(file_data, pos, offset_size)?;
-        keys.push(key);
+        // `needed` bytes: key[0], child[0], ..., child[eu - 1], key[eu].
+        let (pairs, last) = file_data.split_at(eu * (key_size + os));
+        for pair in pairs.chunks_exact(key_size + os) {
+            keys.push(read_offset(pair, 0, offset_size)?);
+            children.push(read_offset(pair, key_size, offset_size)?);
+        }
+        keys.push(read_offset(last, 0, offset_size)?);
 
         Ok(BTreeV1Node {
             node_type,
@@ -167,12 +165,12 @@ pub fn collect_symbol_table_nodes(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<u64>, FormatError> {
-    collect_symbol_table_nodes_in(&file_data, btree_address, offset_size, length_size)
+    collect_symbol_table_nodes_in(file_data, btree_address, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`collect_symbol_table_nodes`] over any [`Storage`]: two reads per node.
-pub fn collect_symbol_table_nodes_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn collect_symbol_table_nodes_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     btree_address: u64,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -180,8 +178,8 @@ pub fn collect_symbol_table_nodes_in(
     collect_symbol_table_nodes_inner(file, btree_address, offset_size, length_size, 0)
 }
 
-fn collect_symbol_table_nodes_inner(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+fn collect_symbol_table_nodes_inner<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     btree_address: u64,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
index 480f459..e4873c5 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/data_layout.rs
@@ -311,14 +311,14 @@ impl DataLayout {
         file_data: &[u8],
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
-        self.resolve_vds_mappings_in(&file_data, length_size)
+        self.resolve_vds_mappings_in(file_data, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::resolve_vds_mappings`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the
     /// global heap collection holding the mappings.
-    pub fn resolve_vds_mappings_in(
+    pub fn resolve_vds_mappings_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &mut self,
-        file_data: &dyn Storage,
+        file_data: &S,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
         if let DataLayout::Virtual {
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/extensible_array.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/extensible_array.rs
index 529955d..a95c124 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/extensible_array.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/extensible_array.rs
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ impl ExtensibleArrayHeader {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
@@ -304,8 +304,8 @@ fn page_nelmts(header: &ExtensibleArrayHeader) -> Option<usize> {
 /// paged. The bitmap lives in the super block, not here — a paged data block
 /// stores only its prefix, then one slot per page.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-fn read_data_block_elements(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+fn read_data_block_elements<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     db_offset: u64,
     nelmts: usize,
     header: &ExtensibleArrayHeader,
@@ -448,8 +448,8 @@ pub fn read_extensible_array_chunks(
 /// index block's prefix, one of the whole index block, and the same for
 /// every super block and data block it references.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-pub fn read_extensible_array_chunks_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn read_extensible_array_chunks_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     header: &ExtensibleArrayHeader,
     dataset_dims: &[u64],
     max_dims: Option<&[u64]>,
@@ -642,8 +642,8 @@ pub fn read_extensible_array_chunks_in(
 /// + block offset + the page-init bitmap for every data block it owns
 /// + one address per data block + checksum.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-fn read_super_block(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+fn read_super_block<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     sb_offset: u64,
     ndblks: usize,
     dblk_nelmts: usize,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fixed_array.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fixed_array.rs
index de936a7..e6be63b 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fixed_array.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fixed_array.rs
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ impl FixedArrayHeader {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ pub fn read_fixed_array_chunks(
 /// [`read_fixed_array_chunks`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the data
 /// block's prefix, one of the whole data block (pages included).
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-pub fn read_fixed_array_chunks_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn read_fixed_array_chunks_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     header: &FixedArrayHeader,
     dataset_dims: &[u64],
     max_dims: Option<&[u64]>,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fractal_heap.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fractal_heap.rs
index 1c6a77c..e47c2c9 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fractal_heap.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/fractal_heap.rs
@@ -139,13 +139,13 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<FractalHeapHeader, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header (two
     /// when it holds an I/O filter pipeline).
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
@@ -382,15 +382,15 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
         id_bytes: &[u8],
         offset_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
-        self.read_managed_object_in(&file_data, id_bytes, offset_size)
+        self.read_managed_object_in(file_data, id_bytes, offset_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::read_managed_object`] over any [`Storage`]. A huge object
     /// found through the huge-object v2 B-tree still needs the whole file
     /// in memory ([`FormatError::ContiguousStorageRequired`] otherwise).
-    pub fn read_managed_object_in(
+    pub fn read_managed_object_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file_data: &dyn Storage,
+        file_data: &S,
         id_bytes: &[u8],
         offset_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
@@ -423,7 +423,11 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
     }
 
     /// Read a huge object (heap ID type 1).
-    fn read_huge_object(&self, file: &dyn Storage, id: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
+    fn read_huge_object<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        &self,
+        file: &S,
+        id: &[u8],
+    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
         let os = usize::from(self.offset_size);
         let ls = usize::from(self.length_size);
         // (address, stored length, filter mask, decoded length); the last two
@@ -475,9 +479,9 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
 
     /// Look up huge object `key` in the huge-object v2 B-tree, returning
     /// (address, stored length, filter mask, decoded length).
-    fn find_huge_record(
+    fn find_huge_record<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         key: u64,
     ) -> Result<(u64, u64, u32, u64), FormatError> {
         if is_undefined(self.huge_btree_address, self.offset_size) {
@@ -554,9 +558,9 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
     }
 
     /// Read a managed object (heap ID type 0).
-    fn read_heap_managed(
+    fn read_heap_managed<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file_data: &dyn Storage,
+        file_data: &S,
         id_bytes: &[u8],
         offset_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<Vec<u8>, FormatError> {
@@ -604,9 +608,9 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
     /// header), so we just add it to the block address minus the block's heap
     /// offset. A filtered heap stores each direct block (header included)
     /// through its filter pipeline, so the block is decoded first.
-    fn read_from_direct_block(
+    fn read_from_direct_block<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         block: DirectBlock,
         target_offset: u64,
         length: usize,
@@ -645,9 +649,9 @@ impl FractalHeapHeader {
 
     /// Read an object by traversing an indirect block to find the right direct block.
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    fn read_from_indirect_block(
+    fn read_from_indirect_block<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         iblock_addr: usize,
         nrows: u16,
         iblock_heap_offset: u64,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/global_heap.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/global_heap.rs
index e635d4f..9861e8f 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/global_heap.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/global_heap.rs
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
         offset: usize,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<GlobalHeapCollection, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header, one of
     /// the collection.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<GlobalHeapCollection, FormatError> {
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
         offset: usize,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<GlobalHeapIndex, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_index_in(&file_data, offset as u64, length_size)
+        Self::parse_index_in(file_data, offset as u64, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse_index`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header,
     /// one of the collection. The object offsets are file offsets.
-    pub fn parse_index_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_index_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<GlobalHeapIndex, FormatError> {
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ impl GlobalHeapCollection {
     /// Read the collection at `offset` and index its objects: the
     /// collection's bytes, its offset as a `usize`, and the index (with
     /// file offsets).
-    fn read_collection(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    fn read_collection<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<(Cow<'_, [u8]>, usize, GlobalHeapIndex), FormatError> {
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/local_heap.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/local_heap.rs
index a4e3480..952a9d4 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/local_heap.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/local_heap.rs
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ impl LocalHeap {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<LocalHeap, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the header.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
@@ -97,14 +97,14 @@ impl LocalHeap {
     /// The end of the list is `H5HL_FREE_NULL` (1); an all-ones value (the
     /// undefined address) is accepted as "no free list" too.
     pub fn validate_free_list(&self, file_data: &[u8], length_size: u8) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
-        self.validate_free_list_in(&file_data, length_size)
+        self.validate_free_list_in(file_data, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::validate_free_list`] over any [`Storage`]: two small reads
     /// per free block.
-    pub fn validate_free_list_in(
+    pub fn validate_free_list_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
         const FREE_NULL: u64 = 1;
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@ impl LocalHeap {
 
     /// Read a null-terminated string from the heap's data segment at the given byte offset.
     pub fn read_string(&self, file_data: &[u8], string_offset: u64) -> Result<String, FormatError> {
-        self.read_string_in(&file_data, string_offset)
+        self.read_string_in(file_data, string_offset)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::read_string`] over any [`Storage`]: one read, from the
     /// string to the end of the data segment.
-    pub fn read_string_in(
+    pub fn read_string_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         string_offset: u64,
     ) -> Result<String, FormatError> {
         let file_len = len_usize(file);
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/object_header.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/object_header.rs
index 1fa4b41..4c21eb1 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/object_header.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/object_header.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use byteorder::{ByteOrder, LittleEndian};
 
 use crate::error::FormatError;
 use crate::message_type::MessageType;
-use crate::storage::{Storage, len_usize, read_exact_at, read_upto};
+use crate::storage::{Storage, Window, len_usize, read_exact_at};
 
 /// OHDR signature for v2 object headers.
 const OHDR_SIGNATURE: [u8; 4] = *b"OHDR";
@@ -119,36 +119,43 @@ impl ObjectHeader {
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<ObjectHeader, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+        Self::parse_in(data, offset as u64, offset_size, length_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`].
     ///
-    /// Reads the signature, the prefix (at most [`V2_PREFIX_MAX`] bytes),
-    /// then each chunk as one bounded read, continuation chunks included.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    /// Reads the prefix (at most [`V2_PREFIX_MAX`] bytes, signature
+    /// included), then each chunk as one bounded read, continuation chunks
+    /// included.
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<ObjectHeader, FormatError> {
-        let sig = read_exact_at(file, offset, 4)?;
-        if *sig == OHDR_SIGNATURE {
-            Self::parse_v2(file, offset, offset_size, length_size)
+        // The longest prefix of either version, in one read. It holds the
+        // whole prefix or ends at the end of the file, so its bounds checks
+        // are the whole-file ones.
+        let prefix = Window::read(file, offset, V2_PREFIX_MAX)?;
+        prefix.ensure(0, 4)?;
+        if prefix.bytes[..4] == OHDR_SIGNATURE {
+            Self::parse_v2(file, offset, &prefix, offset_size, length_size)
         } else {
-            Self::parse_v1(file, offset, offset_size, length_size)
+            Self::parse_v1(file, offset, &prefix, offset_size, length_size)
         }
     }
 
-    fn parse_v1(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    fn parse_v1<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
+        prefix: &Window<'_>,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<ObjectHeader, FormatError> {
         // version(1) + reserved(1) + num_messages(2) + ref_count(4) + header_size(4) = 12
         // then pad to 8-byte alignment from start of header
-        let prefix = read_exact_at(file, offset, 12)?;
+        prefix.ensure(0, 12)?;
+        let prefix = &prefix.bytes[..12];
 
         let version = prefix[0];
         if version != 1 {
@@ -179,7 +186,9 @@ impl ObjectHeader {
             })?;
 
         // parse_v1_chunk reads the chunk, with the bounds check that was here.
-        let mut messages = Vec::new();
+        // The prefix's count (NIL messages included, capped: it is untrusted)
+        // sizes the list once instead of growing it message by message.
+        let mut messages = Vec::with_capacity(num_messages.min(64));
         let chunk0_count = Self::parse_v1_chunk(
             file,
             msg_start,
@@ -221,8 +230,8 @@ impl ObjectHeader {
     /// end of the chunk, or leftover bytes too few for a message header (a
     /// "gap", which only version 2 allows).
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    fn parse_v1_chunk(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    fn parse_v1_chunk<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         length: usize,
         offset_size: u8,
@@ -295,31 +304,21 @@ impl ObjectHeader {
         Ok(count)
     }
 
-    fn parse_v2(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    fn parse_v2<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
+        prefix: &Window<'_>,
         offset_size: u8,
         length_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<ObjectHeader, FormatError> {
-        // The prefix, read as one window. The window holds the whole prefix
-        // or ends at the end of the file, so a position past the window is
-        // past the end of the file: `ensure_len` checks positions relative
-        // to the header against it and reports them as the whole-file check
-        // did, with absolute positions and the file's length.
-        let window = read_upto(file, offset, V2_PREFIX_MAX)?;
-        let data: &[u8] = &window;
+        // `ensure_len` checks positions relative to the header against the
+        // prefix window and reports them as the whole-file check did, with
+        // absolute positions and the file's length.
+        let data: &[u8] = &prefix.bytes;
         let file_len = len_usize(file);
         let base = usize::try_from(offset).unwrap_or(usize::MAX);
         let abs = |rel: usize| base.saturating_add(rel);
-        let ensure_len = |_: &[u8], rel: usize, needed: usize| -> Result<(), FormatError> {
-            match rel.checked_add(needed) {
-                Some(end) if end <= data.len() => Ok(()),
-                _ => Err(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-                    expected: abs(rel).saturating_add(needed),
-                    available: file_len,
-                }),
-            }
-        };
+        let ensure_len = |_: &[u8], rel: usize, needed: usize| prefix.ensure(rel, needed);
         let offset = 0usize;
         // signature(4) + version(1) + flags(1) = 6
         ensure_len(data, offset, 6)?;
@@ -533,8 +532,8 @@ impl ObjectHeader {
     }
 
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    fn parse_v2_continuation(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    fn parse_v2_continuation<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         length: usize,
         has_creation_order: bool,
@@ -1328,7 +1327,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     /// Every header, and every truncation of it, parses to the same result
     /// (or the same error) through a `read_at`-only storage as from a slice;
-    /// a header in one chunk takes three reads (signature, prefix, chunk).
+    /// a header in one chunk takes two reads (prefix, chunk).
     #[test]
     fn parse_in_matches_slice_parse() {
         use crate::storage::CountingStorage;
@@ -1375,6 +1374,6 @@ mod tests {
         let one_chunk = build_v2_header(0x00, &[(0x01, &[42], 0)], None);
         let storage = CountingStorage::new(one_chunk);
         ObjectHeader::parse_in(&storage, 0, 8, 8).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(storage.reads(), 3);
+        assert_eq!(storage.reads(), 2);
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/shared_message.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/shared_message.rs
index 5c8b1cb..05ee649 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/shared_message.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/shared_message.rs
@@ -254,13 +254,13 @@ pub fn parse_sohm_table(
     nindexes: u8,
     offset_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<SohmTable, FormatError> {
-    parse_sohm_table_in(&file_data, table_addr as u64, nindexes, offset_size)
+    parse_sohm_table_in(file_data, table_addr as u64, nindexes, offset_size)
 }
 
 /// [`parse_sohm_table`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the signature,
 /// one of every index entry.
-pub fn parse_sohm_table_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn parse_sohm_table_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     table_addr: u64,
     nindexes: u8,
     offset_size: u8,
@@ -384,13 +384,13 @@ pub fn parse_sohm_list(
     num_messages: u16,
     offset_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<SohmEntry>, FormatError> {
-    parse_sohm_list_in(&file_data, list_addr as u64, num_messages, offset_size)
+    parse_sohm_list_in(file_data, list_addr as u64, num_messages, offset_size)
 }
 
 /// [`parse_sohm_list`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the signature, one
 /// of every entry.
-pub fn parse_sohm_list_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn parse_sohm_list_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     list_addr: u64,
     num_messages: u16,
     offset_size: u8,
@@ -420,14 +420,14 @@ pub fn parse_sohm_btree_entries(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Vec<SohmEntry>, FormatError> {
-    parse_sohm_btree_entries_in(&file_data, btree_addr as u64, offset_size, length_size)
+    parse_sohm_btree_entries_in(file_data, btree_addr as u64, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`parse_sohm_btree_entries`] over any [`Storage`]. The v2 B-tree is not
 /// read over [`Storage`] yet, so this needs the whole file in memory
 /// ([`FormatError::ContiguousStorageRequired`] otherwise).
-pub fn parse_sohm_btree_entries_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn parse_sohm_btree_entries_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     btree_addr: u64,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -455,12 +455,12 @@ pub fn load_sohm_table(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Option<SohmTable>, FormatError> {
-    load_sohm_table_in(&file_data, offset_size, length_size)
+    load_sohm_table_in(file_data, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`load_sohm_table`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn load_sohm_table_in(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn load_sohm_table_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Option<SohmTable>, FormatError> {
@@ -498,12 +498,12 @@ pub fn message_data_with_sohm<'a>(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Cow<'a, [u8]>, FormatError> {
-    message_data_with_sohm_in(&file_data, msg, offset_size, length_size)
+    message_data_with_sohm_in(file_data, msg, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`message_data_with_sohm`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn message_data_with_sohm_in<'a>(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn message_data_with_sohm_in<'a, S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     msg: &'a crate::object_header::HeaderMessage,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -568,8 +568,8 @@ pub fn resolve_sohm_message(
 }
 
 /// [`resolve_sohm_message`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn resolve_sohm_message_in(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn resolve_sohm_message_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     heap_id: &[u8; FHEAP_ID_LEN],
     sohm_table: &SohmTable,
     target_msg_type: MessageType,
@@ -603,12 +603,12 @@ pub fn message_data<'a>(
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
 ) -> Result<Cow<'a, [u8]>, FormatError> {
-    message_data_in(&file_data, msg, offset_size, length_size)
+    message_data_in(file_data, msg, offset_size, length_size)
 }
 
 /// [`message_data`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn message_data_in<'a>(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn message_data_in<'a, S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     msg: &'a crate::object_header::HeaderMessage,
     offset_size: u8,
     length_size: u8,
@@ -650,8 +650,8 @@ pub fn resolve_shared_message(
 }
 
 /// [`resolve_shared_message`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn resolve_shared_message_in(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn resolve_shared_message_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     shared_ref: &SharedMessageRef,
     target_msg_type: MessageType,
     offset_size: u8,
@@ -692,8 +692,8 @@ pub fn resolve_shared_message_with_sohm(
 }
 
 /// [`resolve_shared_message_with_sohm`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn resolve_shared_message_with_sohm_in(
-    file_data: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn resolve_shared_message_with_sohm_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file_data: &S,
     shared_ref: &SharedMessageRef,
     target_msg_type: MessageType,
     offset_size: u8,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/signature.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/signature.rs
index 4b152ee..3a2e5a1 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/signature.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/signature.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub fn find_signature(data: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, FormatError> {
 
 /// [`find_signature`] over any [`Storage`]: one 8-byte read per candidate
 /// offset.
-pub fn find_signature_in(file: &dyn Storage) -> Result<u64, FormatError> {
+pub fn find_signature_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(file: &S) -> Result<u64, FormatError> {
     let len = file.len();
     let mut offset = 0u64;
     while offset.checked_add(8).is_some_and(|end| end <= len) {
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/storage.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/storage.rs
index 7d68eeb..6d09e7e 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/storage.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/storage.rs
@@ -10,8 +10,15 @@
 //! `impl Storage for [u8]` serves the in-memory case with no copy, and
 //! [`Storage::as_contiguous`] lets a hot loop borrow the whole file at once
 //! when the backend has it. Modules are converted one at a time: a converted
-//! parser has an `*_in(file: &dyn Storage, ..)` core and keeps its old
-//! `&[u8]` signature as a thin wrapper, so callers do not change.
+//! parser has an `*_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(file: &S, ..)` core and keeps
+//! its old `&[u8]` signature as a thin wrapper, so callers do not change.
+//!
+//! The cores are generic rather than taking `&dyn Storage` so that the
+//! wrappers monomorphise for `[u8]`: the bounds check of each structure read
+//! inlines to what the slice code did, with no indirect call and no copy,
+//! which keeps local files as fast as before the migration. A `&dyn Storage`
+//! still works (`S = dyn Storage`), and a remote backend pays one indirect
+//! call per structure read.
 //!
 //! The trait is synchronous and `no_std`: parsing is CPU work, and a remote
 //! backend bridges to its own I/O.
@@ -176,7 +183,7 @@ impl<T: Storage + ?Sized> Storage for std::sync::Arc<T> {
 /// `storage.len()` as the `usize` the parsers' end-of-file errors report
 /// (saturating on targets where the file is larger than the address space).
 #[inline]
-pub(crate) fn len_usize(file: &dyn Storage) -> usize {
+pub(crate) fn len_usize<S: Storage + ?Sized>(file: &S) -> usize {
     usize::try_from(file.len()).unwrap_or(usize::MAX)
 }
 
@@ -187,8 +194,8 @@ pub(crate) fn len_usize(file: &dyn Storage) -> usize {
 /// `available = storage length` — the error the `&[u8]` parsers give for
 /// the same bounds check (`offset + len > file_data.len()`).
 #[inline]
-pub fn read_exact_at(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn read_exact_at<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     offset: u64,
     len: usize,
 ) -> Result<Cow<'_, [u8]>, FormatError> {
@@ -198,7 +205,8 @@ pub fn read_exact_at(
             .saturating_add(len),
         available: len_usize(file),
     };
-    // In-memory fast path: one dynamic call, then plain slicing.
+    // In-memory fast path: plain slicing (for `S = [u8]` this inlines to
+    // the slice code's bounds check).
     if let Some(all) = file.as_contiguous() {
         return usize::try_from(offset)
             .ok()
@@ -219,6 +227,8 @@ pub fn read_exact_at(
     Ok(bytes)
 }
 
+#[cold]
+#[inline(never)]
 fn short_read() -> FormatError {
     FormatError::Storage(
         "short read inside the file (the storage shrank or the backend failed)".into(),
@@ -240,7 +250,11 @@ pub(crate) struct Window<'a> {
 
 impl<'a> Window<'a> {
     /// Read up to `max` bytes at `base`.
-    pub fn read(file: &'a dyn Storage, base: u64, max: usize) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
+    pub fn read<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &'a S,
+        base: u64,
+        max: usize,
+    ) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
         Ok(Window {
             bytes: read_upto(file, base, max)?,
             base: usize::try_from(base).unwrap_or(usize::MAX),
@@ -259,6 +273,7 @@ impl<'a> Window<'a> {
     }
 
     /// Check that `[rel, rel + needed)` (relative to `base`) is in the file.
+    #[inline]
     pub fn ensure(&self, rel: usize, needed: usize) -> Result<(), FormatError> {
         match rel.checked_add(needed) {
             Some(end) if end <= self.bytes.len() => Ok(()),
@@ -274,8 +289,8 @@ impl<'a> Window<'a> {
 /// storage. For structures whose size is only known once their prefix has
 /// been parsed and whose parsers bound-check what they are given.
 #[inline]
-pub fn read_upto(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn read_upto<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     offset: u64,
     max: usize,
 ) -> Result<Cow<'_, [u8]>, FormatError> {
@@ -297,8 +312,8 @@ pub fn read_upto(
 /// [`Storage`] yet. On a backend without a contiguous view this is the
 /// clean [`FormatError::ContiguousStorageRequired`] error, never a guess.
 #[inline]
-pub fn require_contiguous<'a>(
-    file: &'a dyn Storage,
+pub fn require_contiguous<'a, S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &'a S,
     what: &'static str,
 ) -> Result<&'a [u8], FormatError> {
     file.as_contiguous()
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
index 318c945..dc21f7c 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock.rs
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@ impl Superblock {
         file_data: &[u8],
         signature_offset: usize,
     ) -> Result<u64, FormatError> {
-        self.refresh_eof_in(&file_data, signature_offset as u64)
+        self.refresh_eof_in(file_data, signature_offset as u64)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::refresh_eof`] over any [`Storage`].
-    pub fn refresh_eof_in(
+    pub fn refresh_eof_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
         &mut self,
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+        file: &S,
         signature_offset: u64,
     ) -> Result<u64, FormatError> {
         let refreshed = Superblock::parse_in(file, signature_offset)?;
@@ -233,13 +233,16 @@ impl Superblock {
     /// [`FormatError::UserBlockNotStripped`] because the addresses in the
     /// returned superblock would otherwise be applied to the wrong bytes.
     pub fn parse(data: &[u8], signature_offset: usize) -> Result<Superblock, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&data, signature_offset as u64)
+        Self::parse_in(data, signature_offset as u64)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the first
     /// [`SUPERBLOCK_READ_LEN`] bytes (fewer when the file is shorter, which
     /// is then refused with the same end-of-file errors as a short slice).
-    pub fn parse_in(file: &dyn Storage, signature_offset: u64) -> Result<Superblock, FormatError> {
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
+        signature_offset: u64,
+    ) -> Result<Superblock, FormatError> {
         if signature_offset != 0 {
             return Err(FormatError::UserBlockNotStripped(signature_offset));
         }
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock_ext.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock_ext.rs
index 1a684f6..8f09aff 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock_ext.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/superblock_ext.rs
@@ -171,13 +171,13 @@ pub fn read_superblock_extension(
     data: &[u8],
     sb: &Superblock,
 ) -> Result<Option<SuperblockExtension>, FormatError> {
-    read_superblock_extension_in(&data, sb)
+    read_superblock_extension_in(data, sb)
 }
 
 /// [`read_superblock_extension`] over any [`Storage`]; its length is the
 /// end of file.
-pub fn read_superblock_extension_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn read_superblock_extension_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     sb: &Superblock,
 ) -> Result<Option<SuperblockExtension>, FormatError> {
     let os = sb.offset_size;
@@ -351,12 +351,12 @@ impl CacheImage {
         location: CacheImageLocation,
         sb: &Superblock,
     ) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
-        Self::decode_in(&data, location, sb)
+        Self::decode_in(data, location, sb)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::decode`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the image block.
-    pub fn decode_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn decode_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         location: CacheImageLocation,
         sb: &Superblock,
     ) -> Result<Self, FormatError> {
@@ -483,7 +483,10 @@ impl CacheImage {
     }
 
     /// [`Self::block`] over any [`Storage`].
-    pub fn block_in<'a>(&self, file: &'a dyn Storage) -> Result<Cow<'a, [u8]>, FormatError> {
+    pub fn block_in<'a, S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        &self,
+        file: &'a S,
+    ) -> Result<Cow<'a, [u8]>, FormatError> {
         image_block_in(file, self.location)
     }
 
@@ -511,8 +514,8 @@ fn image_block(data: &[u8], location: CacheImageLocation) -> Result<&[u8], Forma
     Ok(&data[start as usize..start as usize + len])
 }
 
-fn image_block_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+fn image_block_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     location: CacheImageLocation,
 ) -> Result<Cow<'_, [u8]>, FormatError> {
     let (start, len) = image_block_range(file.len(), location)?;
@@ -540,12 +543,12 @@ fn image_block_range(
 /// ([`CacheImage::decode`]). `data` is the file from the superblock on, up
 /// to its recorded end of file.
 pub fn cache_image_state(data: &[u8], sb: &Superblock) -> Result<CacheImageState, FormatError> {
-    cache_image_state_in(&data, sb)
+    cache_image_state_in(data, sb)
 }
 
 /// [`cache_image_state`] over any [`Storage`].
-pub fn cache_image_state_in(
-    file: &dyn Storage,
+pub fn cache_image_state_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+    file: &S,
     sb: &Superblock,
 ) -> Result<CacheImageState, FormatError> {
     match read_superblock_extension_in(file, sb)? {
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/symbol_table.rs b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/symbol_table.rs
index 8fb4453..467f43b 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/symbol_table.rs
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5-format/src/symbol_table.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 use alloc::vec::Vec;
 
 use crate::error::FormatError;
-use crate::storage::{Storage, len_usize, read_exact_at};
+use crate::storage::{Storage, read_exact_at};
 
 /// Symbol Table message (type 0x0011) found in v1 group object headers.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
@@ -80,17 +80,16 @@ impl SymbolTableNode {
         offset: usize,
         offset_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<SymbolTableNode, FormatError> {
-        Self::parse_in(&file_data, offset as u64, offset_size)
+        Self::parse_in(file_data, offset as u64, offset_size)
     }
 
     /// [`Self::parse`] over any [`Storage`]: one read of the node's header,
     /// one of its entries.
-    pub fn parse_in(
-        file: &dyn Storage,
+    pub fn parse_in<S: Storage + ?Sized>(
+        file: &S,
         offset: u64,
         offset_size: u8,
     ) -> Result<SymbolTableNode, FormatError> {
-        let file_len = len_usize(file);
         // signature(4) + version(1) + reserved(1) + number_of_symbols(2) = 8
         let header = read_exact_at(file, offset, 8)?;
 
@@ -108,42 +107,22 @@ impl SymbolTableNode {
         let os = offset_size as usize;
         // Each entry: link_name_offset(os) + obj_hdr_addr(os) + cache_type(4) + reserved(4) + scratch(16)
         let entry_size = os + os + 4 + 4 + 16;
-        // `offset + 8` fits: the header's read checked it.
-        let entries_start = offset as usize + 8;
-        let needed = entries_start.checked_add(num_symbols * entry_size).ok_or(
-            FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-                expected: usize::MAX,
-                available: file_len,
-            },
-        )?;
-        if needed > file_len {
-            return Err(FormatError::UnexpectedEof {
-                expected: needed,
-                available: file_len,
-            });
-        }
-        let body = read_exact_at(file, entries_start as u64, num_symbols * entry_size)?;
+        // `offset + 8` fits: the header's read checked it. The entries'
+        // read is the bounds check (`offset + 8 + entries > file length`,
+        // which cannot overflow: at most 65535 entries of 40 bytes).
+        let body = read_exact_at(file, offset + 8, num_symbols * entry_size)?;
         let file_data: &[u8] = &body;
 
         let mut entries = Vec::with_capacity(num_symbols);
-        let mut pos = 0usize;
-        for _ in 0..num_symbols {
-            let link_name_offset = read_offset(file_data, pos, offset_size)?;
-            pos += os;
-            let object_header_address = read_offset(file_data, pos, offset_size)?;
-            pos += os;
-            let cache_type = u32::from_le_bytes([
-                file_data[pos],
-                file_data[pos + 1],
-                file_data[pos + 2],
-                file_data[pos + 3],
-            ]);
-            pos += 4;
+        for entry in file_data.chunks_exact(entry_size) {
+            let link_name_offset = read_offset(entry, 0, offset_size)?;
+            let object_header_address = read_offset(entry, os, offset_size)?;
+            let pos = 2 * os;
+            let cache_type =
+                u32::from_le_bytes([entry[pos], entry[pos + 1], entry[pos + 2], entry[pos + 3]]);
             // reserved 4 bytes
-            pos += 4;
             let mut scratch_pad = [0u8; 16];
-            scratch_pad.copy_from_slice(&file_data[pos..pos + 16]);
-            pos += 16;
+            scratch_pad.copy_from_slice(&entry[pos + 8..pos + 24]);
 
             entries.push(SymbolTableEntry {
                 link_name_offset,
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/fixtures/v1_groups_400.h5 b/crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/fixtures/v1_groups_400.h5
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5237559
Binary files /dev/null and b/crates/clawhdf5-format/tests/fixtures/v1_groups_400.h5 differ
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/Cargo.toml b/crates/clawhdf5/Cargo.toml
index 1eca373..2378aa9 100644
--- a/crates/clawhdf5/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ harness = false
 name = "parallel_bench"
 harness = false
 
+[[bench]]
+name = "local_metadata_bench"
+harness = false
+
 [features]
 default = ["mmap", "provenance", "lzf"]
 mmap = ["clawhdf5-io/mmap"]
diff --git a/crates/clawhdf5/benches/local_metadata_bench.rs b/crates/clawhdf5/benches/local_metadata_bench.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b2af1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/clawhdf5/benches/local_metadata_bench.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+//! Metadata parsing over an in-memory file: the local fast path that the
+//! range-read `Storage` migration must not slow down
+//! (`docs/design/range-reads.md`, "Keeping the local fast path").
+//!
+//! Only the `&[u8]` APIs are used, so the same file builds against older
+//! revisions for an A/B comparison. The input is a version-1 (symbol table)
+//! file with 400 groups, written by h5py with `libver='earliest'` and a
+//! 512-byte user block (`clawhdf5-format/tests/fixtures/v1_groups_400.h5`).
+
+use clawhdf5::{File, Group};
+use clawhdf5_format::btree_v1::collect_symbol_table_nodes;
+use clawhdf5_format::message_type::MessageType;
+use clawhdf5_format::object_header::ObjectHeader;
+use clawhdf5_format::superblock::Superblock;
+use clawhdf5_format::symbol_table::{SymbolTableMessage, SymbolTableNode};
+use criterion::{Criterion, criterion_group, criterion_main};
+use std::hint::black_box;
+
+const FIXTURE: &str = concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/../clawhdf5-format/tests/fixtures/v1_groups_400.h5"
+);
+
+fn walk(g: &Group<'_>, objs: &mut usize) {
+    for name in g.datasets().unwrap_or_default() {
+        *objs += 1;
+        if let Ok(ds) = g.dataset(&name) {
+            let _ = black_box(ds.shape());
+            let _ = black_box(ds.dtype());
+            let _ = black_box(ds.attrs());
+        }
+    }
+    for name in g.groups().unwrap_or_default() {
+        *objs += 1;
+        if let Ok(sub) = g.group(&name) {
+            walk(&sub, objs);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn bench_local_metadata(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    let bytes = std::fs::read(FIXTURE).unwrap();
+    let (_, f) = clawhdf5_format::signature::split_user_block(&bytes).unwrap();
+    let sb = Superblock::parse(f, 0).unwrap();
+    let (os, ls) = (sb.offset_size, sb.length_size);
+    let root = ObjectHeader::parse(f, sb.root_group_address as usize, os, ls).unwrap();
+    let stm = root
+        .messages
+        .iter()
+        .find(|m| m.msg_type == MessageType::SymbolTable)
+        .map(|m| SymbolTableMessage::parse(&m.data, os).unwrap())
+        .unwrap();
+    let nodes = collect_symbol_table_nodes(f, stm.btree_address, os, ls).unwrap();
+    let headers: Vec<u64> = nodes
+        .iter()
+        .flat_map(|&a| SymbolTableNode::parse(f, a as usize, os).unwrap().entries)
+        .map(|e| e.object_header_address)
+        .collect();
+    assert_eq!(headers.len(), 401);
+
+    let mut g = c.benchmark_group("local_metadata");
+    g.bench_function("object_header_parse_x401", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            for &a in &headers {
+                black_box(ObjectHeader::parse(f, a as usize, os, ls).unwrap());
+            }
+        })
+    });
+    g.bench_function("snod_parse_all", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            for &a in &nodes {
+                black_box(SymbolTableNode::parse(f, a as usize, os).unwrap());
+            }
+        })
+    });
+    g.bench_function("btree_v1_walk", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| black_box(collect_symbol_table_nodes(f, stm.btree_address, os, ls).unwrap()))
+    });
+    let file = File::open(FIXTURE).unwrap();
+    g.bench_function("facade_list_400_groups", |b| {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            let mut n = 0;
+            walk(&file.root(), &mut n);
+            assert_eq!(n, 401);
+        })
+    });
+    g.finish();
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, bench_local_metadata);
+criterion_main!(benches);