diff --git a/trie/iterator.go b/trie/iterator.go
index aff614f953..fda7c6cbe9 100644
--- a/trie/iterator.go
+++ b/trie/iterator.go
@@ -2,19 +2,17 @@ package trie
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 )
 
 type Iterator struct {
 	trie *Trie
 
-	Key   common.Hash
+	Key   []byte
 	Value []byte
 }
 
 func NewIterator(trie *Trie) *Iterator {
-	return &Iterator{trie: trie}
+	return &Iterator{trie: trie, Key: nil}
 }
 
 func (self *Iterator) Next() bool {
@@ -22,15 +20,15 @@ func (self *Iterator) Next() bool {
 	defer self.trie.mu.Unlock()
 
 	isIterStart := false
-	if (self.Key == common.Hash{}) {
+	if self.Key == nil {
 		isIterStart = true
-		//self.Key = make([]byte, 32)
+		self.Key = make([]byte, 32)
 	}
 
-	key := RemTerm(CompactHexDecode(self.Key.Str()))
+	key := RemTerm(CompactHexDecode(string(self.Key)))
 	k := self.next(self.trie.root, key, isIterStart)
 
-	self.Key = common.StringToHash(DecodeCompact(k))
+	self.Key = []byte(DecodeCompact(k))
 
 	return len(k) > 0
 }
diff --git a/trie/iterator_test.go b/trie/iterator_test.go
index 5f95caa683..74d9e903cd 100644
--- a/trie/iterator_test.go
+++ b/trie/iterator_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func TestIterator(t *testing.T) {
 
 	it := trie.Iterator()
 	for it.Next() {
-		v[it.Key.Str()] = true
+		v[string(it.Key)] = true
 	}
 
 	for k, found := range v {
diff --git a/trie/secure_trie.go b/trie/secure_trie.go
index b31791cadb..b9fa376b81 100644
--- a/trie/secure_trie.go
+++ b/trie/secure_trie.go
@@ -1,38 +1,34 @@
 package trie
 
-import (
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
-)
+import "github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
 
 type SecureTrie struct {
 	*Trie
 }
 
-func NewSecure(root common.Hash, backend Backend) *SecureTrie {
+func NewSecure(root []byte, backend Backend) *SecureTrie {
 	return &SecureTrie{New(root, backend)}
 }
 
-func (self *SecureTrie) Update(key common.Hash, value []byte) Node {
-	return self.Trie.Update(common.BytesToHash(crypto.Sha3(key[:])), value)
+func (self *SecureTrie) Update(key, value []byte) Node {
+	return self.Trie.Update(crypto.Sha3(key), value)
 }
-
 func (self *SecureTrie) UpdateString(key, value string) Node {
-	return self.Update(common.StringToHash(key), []byte(value))
+	return self.Update([]byte(key), []byte(value))
 }
 
-func (self *SecureTrie) Get(key common.Hash) []byte {
-	return self.Trie.Get(common.BytesToHash(crypto.Sha3(key[:])))
+func (self *SecureTrie) Get(key []byte) []byte {
+	return self.Trie.Get(crypto.Sha3(key))
 }
 func (self *SecureTrie) GetString(key string) []byte {
-	return self.Get(common.StringToHash(key))
+	return self.Get([]byte(key))
 }
 
-func (self *SecureTrie) Delete(key common.Hash) Node {
-	return self.Trie.Delete(common.BytesToHash(crypto.Sha3(key[:])))
+func (self *SecureTrie) Delete(key []byte) Node {
+	return self.Trie.Delete(crypto.Sha3(key))
 }
 func (self *SecureTrie) DeleteString(key string) Node {
-	return self.Delete(common.StringToHash(key))
+	return self.Delete([]byte(key))
 }
 
 func (self *SecureTrie) Copy() *SecureTrie {
diff --git a/trie/trie.go b/trie/trie.go
index 759718400c..1c1112a7fe 100644
--- a/trie/trie.go
+++ b/trie/trie.go
@@ -6,32 +6,31 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 )
 
 func ParanoiaCheck(t1 *Trie, backend Backend) (bool, *Trie) {
-	t2 := New(common.Hash{}, backend)
+	t2 := New(nil, backend)
 
 	it := t1.Iterator()
 	for it.Next() {
 		t2.Update(it.Key, it.Value)
 	}
 
-	a, b := t2.Hash(), t1.Hash()
-	return bytes.Equal(a[:], b[:]), t2
+	return bytes.Equal(t2.Hash(), t1.Hash()), t2
 }
 
 type Trie struct {
 	mu       sync.Mutex
 	root     Node
-	roothash common.Hash
+	roothash []byte
 	cache    *Cache
 
 	revisions *list.List
 }
 
-func New(root common.Hash, backend Backend) *Trie {
+func New(root []byte, backend Backend) *Trie {
 	trie := &Trie{}
 	trie.revisions = list.New()
 	trie.roothash = root
@@ -39,8 +38,8 @@ func New(root common.Hash, backend Backend) *Trie {
 		trie.cache = NewCache(backend)
 	}
 
-	if (root != common.Hash{}) {
-		value := common.NewValueFromBytes(trie.cache.Get(root[:]))
+	if root != nil {
+		value := common.NewValueFromBytes(trie.cache.Get(root))
 		trie.root = trie.mknode(value)
 	}
 
@@ -52,13 +51,9 @@ func (self *Trie) Iterator() *Iterator {
 }
 
 func (self *Trie) Copy() *Trie {
-	//cpy := make([]byte, 32)
-	//copy(cpy, self.roothash)
-
-	// cheap copying method
-	var cpy common.Hash
-	cpy.Set(self.roothash)
-	trie := New(common.Hash{}, nil)
+	cpy := make([]byte, 32)
+	copy(cpy, self.roothash)
+	trie := New(nil, nil)
 	trie.cache = self.cache.Copy()
 	if self.root != nil {
 		trie.root = self.root.Copy(trie)
@@ -68,21 +63,21 @@ func (self *Trie) Copy() *Trie {
 }
 
 // Legacy support
-func (self *Trie) Root() common.Hash { return self.Hash() }
-func (self *Trie) Hash() common.Hash {
-	var hash common.Hash
+func (self *Trie) Root() []byte { return self.Hash() }
+func (self *Trie) Hash() []byte {
+	var hash []byte
 	if self.root != nil {
 		t := self.root.Hash()
-		if h, ok := t.(common.Hash); ok && (h != common.Hash{}) {
-			hash = h
+		if byts, ok := t.([]byte); ok && len(byts) > 0 {
+			hash = byts
 		} else {
-			hash = common.BytesToHash(crypto.Sha3(common.Encode(self.root.RlpData())))
+			hash = crypto.Sha3(common.Encode(self.root.RlpData()))
 		}
 	} else {
-		hash = common.BytesToHash(crypto.Sha3(common.Encode("")))
+		hash = crypto.Sha3(common.Encode(""))
 	}
 
-	if hash != self.roothash {
+	if !bytes.Equal(hash, self.roothash) {
 		self.revisions.PushBack(self.roothash)
 		self.roothash = hash
 	}
@@ -107,21 +102,19 @@ func (self *Trie) Reset() {
 	self.cache.Reset()
 
 	if self.revisions.Len() > 0 {
-		revision := self.revisions.Remove(self.revisions.Back()).(common.Hash)
+		revision := self.revisions.Remove(self.revisions.Back()).([]byte)
 		self.roothash = revision
 	}
-	value := common.NewValueFromBytes(self.cache.Get(self.roothash[:]))
+	value := common.NewValueFromBytes(self.cache.Get(self.roothash))
 	self.root = self.mknode(value)
 }
 
-func (self *Trie) UpdateString(key, value string) Node {
-	return self.Update(common.StringToHash(key), []byte(value))
-}
-func (self *Trie) Update(key common.Hash, value []byte) Node {
+func (self *Trie) UpdateString(key, value string) Node { return self.Update([]byte(key), []byte(value)) }
+func (self *Trie) Update(key, value []byte) Node {
 	self.mu.Lock()
 	defer self.mu.Unlock()
 
-	k := CompactHexDecode(key.Str())
+	k := CompactHexDecode(string(key))
 
 	if len(value) != 0 {
 		self.root = self.insert(self.root, k, &ValueNode{self, value})
@@ -132,12 +125,12 @@ func (self *Trie) Update(key common.Hash, value []byte) Node {
 	return self.root
 }
 
-func (self *Trie) GetString(key string) []byte { return self.Get(common.StringToHash(key)) }
-func (self *Trie) Get(key common.Hash) []byte {
+func (self *Trie) GetString(key string) []byte { return self.Get([]byte(key)) }
+func (self *Trie) Get(key []byte) []byte {
 	self.mu.Lock()
 	defer self.mu.Unlock()
 
-	k := CompactHexDecode(key.Str())
+	k := CompactHexDecode(string(key))
 
 	n := self.get(self.root, k)
 	if n != nil {
@@ -147,12 +140,12 @@ func (self *Trie) Get(key common.Hash) []byte {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (self *Trie) DeleteString(key string) Node { return self.Delete(common.StringToHash(key)) }
-func (self *Trie) Delete(key common.Hash) Node {
+func (self *Trie) DeleteString(key string) Node { return self.Delete([]byte(key)) }
+func (self *Trie) Delete(key []byte) Node {
 	self.mu.Lock()
 	defer self.mu.Unlock()
 
-	k := CompactHexDecode(key.Str())
+	k := CompactHexDecode(string(key))
 	self.root = self.delete(self.root, k)
 
 	return self.root
diff --git a/trie/trie_test.go b/trie/trie_test.go
index f5d17c3dae..1393e0c97c 100644
--- a/trie/trie_test.go
+++ b/trie/trie_test.go
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"testing"
 
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 )
 
 type Db map[string][]byte
@@ -16,18 +16,18 @@ func (self Db) Put(k, v []byte)              { self[string(k)] = v }
 
 // Used for testing
 func NewEmpty() *Trie {
-	return New(common.Hash{}, make(Db))
+	return New(nil, make(Db))
 }
 
 func NewEmptySecure() *SecureTrie {
-	return NewSecure(common.Hash{}, make(Db))
+	return NewSecure(nil, make(Db))
 }
 
 func TestEmptyTrie(t *testing.T) {
 	trie := NewEmpty()
 	res := trie.Hash()
 	exp := crypto.Sha3(common.Encode(""))
-	if !bytes.Equal(res[:], exp[:]) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(res, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("expected %x got %x", exp, res)
 	}
 }
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func TestInsert(t *testing.T) {
 
 	exp := common.Hex2Bytes("8aad789dff2f538bca5d8ea56e8abe10f4c7ba3a5dea95fea4cd6e7c3a1168d3")
 	root := trie.Hash()
-	if !bytes.Equal(root[:], exp[:]) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(root, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("exp %x got %x", exp, root)
 	}
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestInsert(t *testing.T) {
 
 	exp = common.Hex2Bytes("d23786fb4a010da3ce639d66d5e904a11dbc02746d1ce25029e53290cabf28ab")
 	root = trie.Hash()
-	if !bytes.Equal(root[:], exp) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(root, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("exp %x got %x", exp, root)
 	}
 }
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestDelete(t *testing.T) {
 
 	hash := trie.Hash()
 	exp := common.Hex2Bytes("5991bb8c6514148a29db676a14ac506cd2cd5775ace63c30a4fe457715e9ac84")
-	if !bytes.Equal(hash[:], exp) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(hash, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("expected %x got %x", exp, hash)
 	}
 }
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func TestEmptyValues(t *testing.T) {
 
 	hash := trie.Hash()
 	exp := common.Hex2Bytes("5991bb8c6514148a29db676a14ac506cd2cd5775ace63c30a4fe457715e9ac84")
-	if !bytes.Equal(hash[:], exp) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(hash, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("expected %x got %x", exp, hash)
 	}
 }
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func TestReplication(t *testing.T) {
 
 	hash := trie2.Hash()
 	exp := trie.Hash()
-	if !bytes.Equal(hash[:], exp[:]) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(hash, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("root failure. expected %x got %x", exp, hash)
 	}
 
@@ -168,9 +168,7 @@ func TestReset(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	trie.Commit()
 
-	var before common.Hash
-	before.Set(trie.roothash)
-
+	before := common.CopyBytes(trie.roothash)
 	trie.UpdateString("should", "revert")
 	trie.Hash()
 	// Should have no effect
@@ -179,11 +177,9 @@ func TestReset(t *testing.T) {
 	// ###
 
 	trie.Reset()
+	after := common.CopyBytes(trie.roothash)
 
-	var after common.Hash
-	after.Set(trie.roothash)
-
-	if before != after {
+	if !bytes.Equal(before, after) {
 		t.Errorf("expected roots to be equal. %x - %x", before, after)
 	}
 }
@@ -252,7 +248,7 @@ func BenchmarkGets(b *testing.B) {
 
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		trie.GetString("horse")
+		trie.Get([]byte("horse"))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -267,9 +263,8 @@ func BenchmarkUpdate(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 type kv struct {
-	k common.Hash
-	v []byte
-	t bool
+	k, v []byte
+	t    bool
 }
 
 func TestLargeData(t *testing.T) {
@@ -277,21 +272,17 @@ func TestLargeData(t *testing.T) {
 	vals := make(map[string]*kv)
 
 	for i := byte(0); i < 255; i++ {
-		var k1 common.Hash
-		k1.SetBytes([]byte{i})
-		var k2 common.Hash
-		k2.SetBytes([]byte{10, i})
-		value := &kv{k1, []byte{i}, false}
-		value2 := &kv{k2, []byte{i}, false}
+		value := &kv{common.LeftPadBytes([]byte{i}, 32), []byte{i}, false}
+		value2 := &kv{common.LeftPadBytes([]byte{10, i}, 32), []byte{i}, false}
 		trie.Update(value.k, value.v)
 		trie.Update(value2.k, value2.v)
-		vals[value.k.Str()] = value
-		vals[value2.k.Str()] = value2
+		vals[string(value.k)] = value
+		vals[string(value2.k)] = value2
 	}
 
 	it := trie.Iterator()
 	for it.Next() {
-		vals[it.Key.Str()].t = true
+		vals[string(it.Key)].t = true
 	}
 
 	var untouched []*kv
@@ -332,7 +323,7 @@ func TestSecureDelete(t *testing.T) {
 
 	hash := trie.Hash()
 	exp := common.Hex2Bytes("29b235a58c3c25ab83010c327d5932bcf05324b7d6b1185e650798034783ca9d")
-	if !bytes.Equal(hash[:], exp) {
+	if !bytes.Equal(hash, exp) {
 		t.Errorf("expected %x got %x", exp, hash)
 	}
 }