diff --git a/src/crypto/crypto.go b/src/crypto/crypto.go
index 211a0e54..595e6f40 100644
--- a/src/crypto/crypto.go
+++ b/src/crypto/crypto.go
@@ -17,12 +17,11 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"crypto/sha512"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"sync"
 
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/curve25519"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/ed25519"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/nacl/box"
-
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 )
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -225,29 +224,36 @@ func GetSharedKey(myPrivKey *BoxPrivKey,
 	return (*BoxSharedKey)(&shared)
 }
 
+// pool is used internally by BoxOpen and BoxSeal to avoid allocating temporary space
+var pool = sync.Pool{New: func() interface{} { return []byte(nil) }}
+
 // BoxOpen returns a message and true if it successfully opens a crypto box using the provided shared key and nonce.
+// The boxed input slice's backing array is reused for the unboxed output when possible.
 func BoxOpen(shared *BoxSharedKey,
 	boxed []byte,
 	nonce *BoxNonce) ([]byte, bool) {
-	out := util.GetBytes()
 	s := (*[BoxSharedKeyLen]byte)(shared)
 	n := (*[BoxNonceLen]byte)(nonce)
-	unboxed, success := box.OpenAfterPrecomputation(out, boxed, n, s)
+	temp := append(pool.Get().([]byte), boxed...)
+	unboxed, success := box.OpenAfterPrecomputation(boxed[:0], temp, n, s)
+	pool.Put(temp[:0])
 	return unboxed, success
 }
 
 // BoxSeal seals a crypto box using the provided shared key, returning the box and the nonce needed to decrypt it.
 // If nonce is nil, a random BoxNonce will be used and returned.
 // If nonce is non-nil, then nonce.Increment() will be called before using it, and the incremented BoxNonce is what is returned.
+// The unboxed input slice's backing array is reused for the boxed output when possible.
 func BoxSeal(shared *BoxSharedKey, unboxed []byte, nonce *BoxNonce) ([]byte, *BoxNonce) {
 	if nonce == nil {
 		nonce = NewBoxNonce()
 	}
 	nonce.Increment()
-	out := util.GetBytes()
 	s := (*[BoxSharedKeyLen]byte)(shared)
 	n := (*[BoxNonceLen]byte)(nonce)
-	boxed := box.SealAfterPrecomputation(out, unboxed, n, s)
+	temp := append(pool.Get().([]byte), unboxed...)
+	boxed := box.SealAfterPrecomputation(unboxed[:0], temp, n, s)
+	pool.Put(temp[:0])
 	return boxed, nonce
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tuntap/conn.go b/src/tuntap/conn.go
index 24ea5ef3..ddd89e9b 100644
--- a/src/tuntap/conn.go
+++ b/src/tuntap/conn.go
@@ -44,13 +44,11 @@ func (s *tunConn) _read(bs []byte) (err error) {
 	select {
 	case <-s.stop:
 		err = errors.New("session was already closed")
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 		return
 	default:
 	}
 	if len(bs) == 0 {
 		err = errors.New("read packet with 0 size")
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 		return
 	}
 	ipv4 := len(bs) > 20 && bs[0]&0xf0 == 0x40
@@ -107,7 +105,6 @@ func (s *tunConn) _read(bs []byte) (err error) {
 	}
 	if skip {
 		err = errors.New("address not allowed")
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 		return
 	}
 	s.tun.writer.writeFrom(s, bs)
@@ -125,7 +122,6 @@ func (s *tunConn) _write(bs []byte) (err error) {
 	select {
 	case <-s.stop:
 		err = errors.New("session was already closed")
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 		return
 	default:
 	}
@@ -183,7 +179,6 @@ func (s *tunConn) _write(bs []byte) (err error) {
 	}
 	if skip {
 		err = errors.New("address not allowed")
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 		return
 	}
 	msg := yggdrasil.FlowKeyMessage{
diff --git a/src/tuntap/iface.go b/src/tuntap/iface.go
index 1e5902e8..9250665a 100644
--- a/src/tuntap/iface.go
+++ b/src/tuntap/iface.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package tuntap
 import (
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/address"
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/yggdrasil"
 
 	"github.com/Arceliar/phony"
@@ -14,6 +13,7 @@ const TUN_OFFSET_BYTES = 4
 type tunWriter struct {
 	phony.Inbox
 	tun *TunAdapter
+	buf [TUN_OFFSET_BYTES + 65536]byte
 }
 
 func (w *tunWriter) writeFrom(from phony.Actor, b []byte) {
@@ -25,15 +25,13 @@ func (w *tunWriter) writeFrom(from phony.Actor, b []byte) {
 // write is pretty loose with the memory safety rules, e.g. it assumes it can
 // read w.tun.iface.IsTap() safely
 func (w *tunWriter) _write(b []byte) {
-	defer util.PutBytes(b)
 	var written int
 	var err error
 	n := len(b)
 	if n == 0 {
 		return
 	}
-	temp := append(util.ResizeBytes(util.GetBytes(), TUN_OFFSET_BYTES), b...)
-	defer util.PutBytes(temp)
+	temp := append(w.buf[:TUN_OFFSET_BYTES], b...)
 	written, err = w.tun.iface.Write(temp, TUN_OFFSET_BYTES)
 	if err != nil {
 		w.tun.Act(w, func() {
@@ -51,22 +49,23 @@ func (w *tunWriter) _write(b []byte) {
 type tunReader struct {
 	phony.Inbox
 	tun *TunAdapter
+	buf [TUN_OFFSET_BYTES + 65536]byte
 }
 
 func (r *tunReader) _read() {
 	// Get a slice to store the packet in
-	recvd := util.ResizeBytes(util.GetBytes(), int(r.tun.mtu)+TUN_OFFSET_BYTES)
 	// Wait for a packet to be delivered to us through the TUN adapter
-	n, err := r.tun.iface.Read(recvd, TUN_OFFSET_BYTES)
+	n, err := r.tun.iface.Read(r.buf[:], TUN_OFFSET_BYTES)
 	if n <= TUN_OFFSET_BYTES || err != nil {
 		r.tun.log.Errorln("Error reading TUN:", err)
 		ferr := r.tun.iface.Flush()
 		if ferr != nil {
 			r.tun.log.Errorln("Unable to flush packets:", ferr)
 		}
-		util.PutBytes(recvd)
 	} else {
-		r.tun.handlePacketFrom(r, recvd[TUN_OFFSET_BYTES:n+TUN_OFFSET_BYTES], err)
+		bs := make([]byte, n, n+crypto.BoxOverhead) // extra capacity for later...
+		copy(bs, r.buf[TUN_OFFSET_BYTES:n+TUN_OFFSET_BYTES])
+		r.tun.handlePacketFrom(r, bs, err)
 	}
 	if err == nil {
 		// Now read again
@@ -175,7 +174,6 @@ func (tun *TunAdapter) _handlePacket(recvd []byte, err error) {
 		_, known := tun.dials[dstString]
 		tun.dials[dstString] = append(tun.dials[dstString], bs)
 		for len(tun.dials[dstString]) > 32 {
-			util.PutBytes(tun.dials[dstString][0])
 			tun.dials[dstString] = tun.dials[dstString][1:]
 		}
 		if !known {
diff --git a/src/util/bytes_mobile.go b/src/util/bytes_mobile.go
deleted file mode 100644
index f862c0cd..00000000
--- a/src/util/bytes_mobile.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-//+build mobile
-
-package util
-
-import "runtime/debug"
-
-func init() {
-	debug.SetGCPercent(25)
-}
-
-// GetBytes always returns a nil slice on mobile platforms.
-func GetBytes() []byte {
-	return nil
-}
-
-// PutBytes does literally nothing on mobile platforms.
-// This is done rather than keeping a free list of bytes on platforms with memory constraints.
-// It's needed to help keep memory usage low enough to fall under the limits set for e.g. iOS NEPacketTunnelProvider apps.
-func PutBytes(bs []byte) {
-	return
-}
diff --git a/src/util/bytes_other.go b/src/util/bytes_other.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c966087..00000000
--- a/src/util/bytes_other.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-//+build !mobile
-
-package util
-
-import "sync"
-
-// This is used to buffer recently used slices of bytes, to prevent allocations in the hot loops.
-var byteStore = sync.Pool{New: func() interface{} { return []byte(nil) }}
-
-// GetBytes returns a 0-length (possibly nil) slice of bytes from a free list, so it may have a larger capacity.
-func GetBytes() []byte {
-	return byteStore.Get().([]byte)[:0]
-}
-
-// PutBytes stores a slice in a free list, where it can potentially be reused to prevent future allocations.
-func PutBytes(bs []byte) {
-	byteStore.Put(bs)
-}
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/conn.go b/src/yggdrasil/conn.go
index eef57683..ae34e45a 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/conn.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/conn.go
@@ -252,7 +252,6 @@ func (c *Conn) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	}
 	// Copy results to the output slice and clean up
 	copy(b, bs)
-	util.PutBytes(bs)
 	// Return the number of bytes copied to the slice, along with any error
 	return n, err
 }
@@ -323,10 +322,11 @@ func (c *Conn) writeNoCopy(msg FlowKeyMessage) error {
 // returned.
 func (c *Conn) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	written := len(b)
-	msg := FlowKeyMessage{Message: append(util.GetBytes(), b...)}
+	bs := make([]byte, 0, len(b)+crypto.BoxOverhead)
+	bs = append(bs, b...)
+	msg := FlowKeyMessage{Message: bs}
 	err := c.writeNoCopy(msg)
 	if err != nil {
-		util.PutBytes(msg.Message)
 		written = 0
 	}
 	return written, err
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/link.go b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
index 78986286..733b9ac1 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/link.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
@@ -406,10 +406,6 @@ func (w *linkWriter) sendFrom(from phony.Actor, bss [][]byte, isLinkTraffic bool
 		w.intf.notifySending(size, isLinkTraffic)
 		w.intf.msgIO.writeMsgs(bss)
 		w.intf.notifySent(size, isLinkTraffic)
-		// Cleanup
-		for _, bs := range bss {
-			util.PutBytes(bs)
-		}
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/packetqueue.go b/src/yggdrasil/packetqueue.go
index ff717258..2000ffa6 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/packetqueue.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/packetqueue.go
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ package yggdrasil
 
 import (
 	"time"
-
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 )
 
 // TODO take max size from config
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ func (q *packetQueue) cleanup() {
 		worstStream.infos = worstStream.infos[1:]
 		worstStream.size -= uint64(len(packet))
 		q.size -= uint64(len(packet))
-		util.PutBytes(packet)
+		pool_putBytes(packet)
 		// save the modified stream to queues
 		if len(worstStream.infos) > 0 {
 			q.streams[worst] = worstStream
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
index bc9de04c..7eef9a11 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 
 	"github.com/Arceliar/phony"
 )
@@ -241,7 +240,6 @@ func (p *peer) _handlePacket(packet []byte) {
 	case wire_LinkProtocolTraffic:
 		p._handleLinkTraffic(packet)
 	default:
-		util.PutBytes(packet)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -347,7 +345,6 @@ func (p *peer) _handleLinkTraffic(bs []byte) {
 	case wire_SwitchMsg:
 		p._handleSwitchMsg(payload)
 	default:
-		util.PutBytes(bs)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/pool.go b/src/yggdrasil/pool.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e95236a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/pool.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package yggdrasil
+
+import "sync"
+
+// Used internally to reduce allocations in the hot loop
+//  I.e. packets being switched or between the crypto and the switch
+// For safety reasons, these must not escape this package
+var pool = sync.Pool{New: func() interface{} { return []byte(nil) }}
+
+func pool_getBytes(size int) []byte {
+	bs := pool.Get().([]byte)
+	if cap(bs) < size {
+		bs = make([]byte, size)
+	}
+	return bs[:size]
+}
+
+func pool_putBytes(bs []byte) {
+	pool.Put(bs)
+}
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/router.go b/src/yggdrasil/router.go
index 1be94661..71d92609 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/router.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/router.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/address"
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 
 	"github.com/Arceliar/phony"
 )
@@ -178,14 +177,12 @@ func (r *router) _handlePacket(packet []byte) {
 // Handles incoming traffic, i.e. encapuslated ordinary IPv6 packets.
 // Passes them to the crypto session worker to be decrypted and sent to the adapter.
 func (r *router) _handleTraffic(packet []byte) {
-	defer util.PutBytes(packet)
 	p := wire_trafficPacket{}
 	if !p.decode(packet) {
 		return
 	}
 	sinfo, isIn := r.sessions.getSessionForHandle(&p.Handle)
 	if !isIn {
-		util.PutBytes(p.Payload)
 		return
 	}
 	sinfo.recv(r, &p)
@@ -231,7 +228,6 @@ func (r *router) _handleProto(packet []byte) {
 	case wire_DHTLookupResponse:
 		r._handleDHTRes(bs, &p.FromKey)
 	default:
-		util.PutBytes(packet)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/session.go b/src/yggdrasil/session.go
index 223ea33f..360f2a1b 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/session.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/session.go
@@ -448,12 +448,9 @@ func (sinfo *sessionInfo) _recvPacket(p *wire_trafficPacket) {
 	select {
 	case <-sinfo.init:
 	default:
-		// TODO find a better way to drop things until initialized
-		util.PutBytes(p.Payload)
 		return
 	}
 	if !sinfo._nonceIsOK(&p.Nonce) {
-		util.PutBytes(p.Payload)
 		return
 	}
 	k := sinfo.sharedSesKey
@@ -463,11 +460,9 @@ func (sinfo *sessionInfo) _recvPacket(p *wire_trafficPacket) {
 	poolFunc := func() {
 		bs, isOK = crypto.BoxOpen(&k, p.Payload, &p.Nonce)
 		callback := func() {
-			util.PutBytes(p.Payload)
 			if !isOK || k != sinfo.sharedSesKey || !sinfo._nonceIsOK(&p.Nonce) {
 				// Either we failed to decrypt, or the session was updated, or we
 				// received this packet in the mean time
-				util.PutBytes(bs)
 				return
 			}
 			sinfo._updateNonce(&p.Nonce)
@@ -485,8 +480,6 @@ func (sinfo *sessionInfo) _send(msg FlowKeyMessage) {
 	select {
 	case <-sinfo.init:
 	default:
-		// TODO find a better way to drop things until initialized
-		util.PutBytes(msg.Message)
 		return
 	}
 	sinfo.bytesSent += uint64(len(msg.Message))
@@ -505,14 +498,8 @@ func (sinfo *sessionInfo) _send(msg FlowKeyMessage) {
 	ch := make(chan func(), 1)
 	poolFunc := func() {
 		p.Payload, _ = crypto.BoxSeal(&k, msg.Message, &p.Nonce)
+		packet := p.encode()
 		callback := func() {
-			// Encoding may block on a util.GetBytes(), so kept out of the worker pool
-			packet := p.encode()
-			// Cleanup
-			util.PutBytes(msg.Message)
-			util.PutBytes(p.Payload)
-			// Send the packet
-			// TODO replace this with a send to the peer struct if that becomes an actor
 			sinfo.sessions.router.Act(sinfo, func() {
 				sinfo.sessions.router.out(packet)
 			})
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/stream.go b/src/yggdrasil/stream.go
index 4ab37c29..be1398fc 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/stream.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/stream.go
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net"
-
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 )
 
 // Test that this matches the interface we expect
@@ -46,6 +44,9 @@ func (s *stream) writeMsgs(bss [][]byte) (int, error) {
 	}
 	s.outputBuffer = buf[:0] // So we can reuse the same underlying array later
 	_, err := buf.WriteTo(s.rwc)
+	for _, bs := range bss {
+		pool_putBytes(bs)
+	}
 	// TODO only include number of bytes from bs *successfully* written?
 	return written, err
 }
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ func (s *stream) readMsgFromBuffer() ([]byte, error) {
 	if msgLen > streamMsgSize {
 		return nil, errors.New("oversized message")
 	}
-	msg := util.ResizeBytes(util.GetBytes(), int(msgLen))
+	msg := pool_getBytes(int(msgLen))
 	_, err = io.ReadFull(s.inputBuffer, msg)
 	return msg, err
 }
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/wire.go b/src/yggdrasil/wire.go
index 18a647d8..9746d46e 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/wire.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/wire.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ package yggdrasil
 
 import (
 	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
-	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/util"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -230,8 +229,9 @@ type wire_trafficPacket struct {
 }
 
 // Encodes a wire_trafficPacket into its wire format.
+// The returned slice was taken from the pool.
 func (p *wire_trafficPacket) encode() []byte {
-	bs := util.GetBytes()
+	bs := pool_getBytes(0)
 	bs = wire_put_uint64(wire_Traffic, bs)
 	bs = wire_put_coords(p.Coords, bs)
 	bs = append(bs, p.Handle[:]...)
@@ -241,7 +241,9 @@ func (p *wire_trafficPacket) encode() []byte {
 }
 
 // Decodes an encoded wire_trafficPacket into the struct, returning true if successful.
+// Either way, the argument slice is added to the pool.
 func (p *wire_trafficPacket) decode(bs []byte) bool {
+	defer pool_putBytes(bs)
 	var pType uint64
 	switch {
 	case !wire_chop_uint64(&pType, &bs):
@@ -255,7 +257,7 @@ func (p *wire_trafficPacket) decode(bs []byte) bool {
 	case !wire_chop_slice(p.Nonce[:], &bs):
 		return false
 	}
-	p.Payload = append(util.GetBytes(), bs...)
+	p.Payload = append(p.Payload, bs...)
 	return true
 }