diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 586fd205..b7cad95a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     "@dapplion/benchmark": "^0.2.2",
     "@types/chai": "^4.2.15",
     "@types/mocha": "^8.2.2",
-    "@types/node": "^14.14.17",
+    "@types/node": "^16.11.55",
     "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^4.19.0",
     "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^4.19.0",
     "babel-loader": "^8.2.2",
diff --git a/packages/as-sha256/src/index.ts b/packages/as-sha256/src/index.ts
index 6fa451bd..c678a78d 100644
--- a/packages/as-sha256/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/as-sha256/src/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {newInstance} from "./wasm";
 import {HashObject, byteArrayToHashObject, hashObjectToByteArray} from "./hashObject";
-import SHA256 from "./sha256";
+import SHA256, {allocUnsafe} from "./sha256";
 export {HashObject, byteArrayToHashObject, hashObjectToByteArray, SHA256};
 
 const ctx = newInstance();
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function digest(data: Uint8Array): Uint8Array {
   if (data.length <= ctx.INPUT_LENGTH) {
     inputUint8Array.set(data);
     ctx.digest(data.length);
-    const output = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const output = allocUnsafe(32);
     output.set(outputUint8Array);
     return output;
   }
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export function digest64(data: Uint8Array): Uint8Array {
   if (data.length === 64) {
     inputUint8Array.set(data);
     ctx.digest64(wasmInputValue, wasmOutputValue);
-    const output = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const output = allocUnsafe(32);
     output.set(outputUint8Array);
     return output;
   }
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export function digest2Bytes32(bytes1: Uint8Array, bytes2: Uint8Array): Uint8Arr
     inputUint8Array.set(bytes1);
     inputUint8Array.set(bytes2, 32);
     ctx.digest64(wasmInputValue, wasmOutputValue);
-    const output = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const output = allocUnsafe(32);
     output.set(outputUint8Array);
     return output;
   }
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function update(data: Uint8Array): void {
 
 function final(): Uint8Array {
   ctx.final(wasmOutputValue);
-  const output = new Uint8Array(32);
+  const output = allocUnsafe(32);
   output.set(outputUint8Array);
   return output;
 }
diff --git a/packages/as-sha256/src/sha256.ts b/packages/as-sha256/src/sha256.ts
index a06e8369..829f7194 100644
--- a/packages/as-sha256/src/sha256.ts
+++ b/packages/as-sha256/src/sha256.ts
@@ -40,8 +40,24 @@ export default class SHA256 {
 
   final(): Uint8Array {
     this.ctx.final(this.wasmOutputValue);
-    const output = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const output = allocUnsafe(32);
     output.set(this.uint8OutputArray);
     return output;
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Where possible returns a Uint8Array of the requested size that references
+ * uninitialized memory. Only use if you are certain you will immediately
+ * overwrite every value in the returned `Uint8Array`.
+ *
+ * @param {number} [size]
+ * @returns {Uint8Array}
+ */
+export function allocUnsafe(size = 0): Uint8Array {
+  if (globalThis.Buffer != null && globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe != null) {
+    return globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe(size);
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(size);
+}
diff --git a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/hash.ts b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/hash.ts
index 4952a9ea..e2d553ca 100644
--- a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/hash.ts
+++ b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/hash.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ import {
   HashObject,
   hashObjectToByteArray,
 } from "@chainsafe/as-sha256";
+import {allocUnsafe} from "./proof/util";
 
-const input = new Uint8Array(64);
+const input = allocUnsafe(64);
 
 /**
  * Hash two 32 byte arrays
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ export function hashTwoObjects(a: HashObject, b: HashObject): HashObject {
 }
 
 export function hashObjectToUint8Array(obj: HashObject): Uint8Array {
-  const byteArr = new Uint8Array(32);
+  const byteArr = allocUnsafe(32);
   hashObjectToByteArray(obj, byteArr, 0);
   return byteArr;
 }
diff --git a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/index.ts b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/index.ts
index 4523c272..da651ab7 100644
--- a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/index.ts
+++ b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/index.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   deserializeTreeOffsetProof,
   serializeTreeOffsetProof,
 } from "./treeOffset";
+import {allocUnsafe} from "./util";
 
 export enum ProofType {
   single = "single",
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ export function serializeProof(proof: Proof): Uint8Array {
     case ProofType.multi:
       throw new Error("Not implemented");
     case ProofType.treeOffset: {
-      const output = new Uint8Array(1 + computeTreeOffsetProofSerializedLength(proof.offsets, proof.leaves));
+      const output = allocUnsafe(1 + computeTreeOffsetProofSerializedLength(proof.offsets, proof.leaves));
       output[0] = ProofTypeSerialized.indexOf(ProofType.treeOffset);
       serializeTreeOffsetProof(output, 1, proof.offsets, proof.leaves);
       return output;
diff --git a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/util.ts b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/util.ts
index 5e197e1e..147ba3fb 100644
--- a/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/util.ts
+++ b/packages/persistent-merkle-tree/src/proof/util.ts
@@ -156,3 +156,19 @@ export function computeMultiProofBitstrings(
       return Array.from(proof);
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Where possible returns a Uint8Array of the requested size that references
+ * uninitialized memory. Only use if you are certain you will immediately
+ * overwrite every value in the returned `Uint8Array`.
+ *
+ * @param {number} [size]
+ * @returns {Uint8Array}
+ */
+export function allocUnsafe(size = 0): Uint8Array {
+  if (globalThis.Buffer != null && globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe != null) {
+    return globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe(size);
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(size);
+}
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/abstract.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/abstract.ts
index b96b7355..8a714ff1 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/abstract.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/abstract.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {Node} from "@chainsafe/persistent-merkle-tree";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/member-ordering  */
 
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ export abstract class Type<V> {
   /** INTERNAL METHOD: Merkleize value to tree */
   value_toTree(value: V): Node {
     // TODO: Un-performant path but useful for prototyping. Overwrite in Type if performance is important
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.value_serializedSize(value));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.value_serializedSize(value));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.value_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return this.tree_deserializeFromBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, uint8Array.length);
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ export abstract class Type<V> {
   /** INTERNAL METHOD: Un-merkleize tree to value */
   tree_toValue(node: Node): V {
     // TODO: Un-performant path but useful for prototyping. Overwrite in Type if performance is important
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.tree_serializedSize(node));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.tree_serializedSize(node));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.tree_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, node);
     return this.value_deserializeFromBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, uint8Array.length);
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ export abstract class Type<V> {
 
   /** Serialize a value to binary data */
   serialize(value: V): Uint8Array {
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.value_serializedSize(value));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.value_serializedSize(value));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.value_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return uint8Array;
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/basic.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/basic.ts
index 0260ea49..79c2465d 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/basic.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/basic.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {LeafNode} from "@chainsafe/persistent-merkle-tree";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 import {Type} from "./abstract";
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/member-ordering */
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ export abstract class BasicType<V> extends Type<V> {
 
   hashTreeRoot(value: V): Uint8Array {
     // TODO: Optimize
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const uint8Array = alloc(32);
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.value_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return uint8Array;
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/byteArray.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/byteArray.ts
index 01de7a19..c71e79fb 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/byteArray.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/byteArray.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {concatGindices, Gindex, Node, toGindex, Tree} from "@chainsafe/persistent-merkle-tree";
-import {fromHexString, toHexString, byteArrayEquals} from "../util/byteArray";
+import {fromHexString, toHexString, byteArrayEquals, alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 import {splitIntoRootChunks} from "../util/merkleize";
 import {ByteViews} from "./abstract";
 import {CompositeType, LENGTH_GINDEX} from "./composite";
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export abstract class ByteArrayType extends CompositeType<ByteArray, ByteArray,
 
   defaultValue(): ByteArray {
     // Since it's a byte array the minSize is bytes is the default size
-    return new Uint8Array(this.minSize);
+    return alloc(this.minSize);
   }
 
   getView(tree: Tree): ByteArray {
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export abstract class ByteArrayType extends CompositeType<ByteArray, ByteArray,
   }
 
   commitViewDU(view: ByteArray): Node {
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.value_serializedSize(view));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.value_serializedSize(view));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.value_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, view);
     return this.tree_deserializeFromBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, uint8Array.length);
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/containerNodeStruct.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/containerNodeStruct.ts
index 1adbb24c..f814e927 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/containerNodeStruct.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/containerNodeStruct.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {getContainerTreeViewClass} from "../view/containerNodeStruct";
 import {getContainerTreeViewDUClass} from "../viewDU/containerNodeStruct";
 import {BranchNodeStruct} from "../branchNodeStruct";
 import {ValueOfFields} from "../view/container";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 
 /**
  * ContainerNodeStruct: ordered heterogeneous collection of values.
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ export class ContainerNodeStructType<Fields extends Record<string, Type<unknown>
   tree_fromProofNode(node: Node): {node: Node; done: boolean} {
     // TODO: Figure out from `node` alone if it contains complete data.
     // Otherwise throw a nice error "ContainerNodeStruct type requires proofs for all its data"
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(super.tree_serializedSize(node));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(super.tree_serializedSize(node));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     super.tree_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, node);
     const value = this.value_deserializeFromBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, uint8Array.length);
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ export class ContainerNodeStructType<Fields extends Record<string, Type<unknown>
 
   // TODO: Optimize conversion
   private valueToTree(value: ValueOfFields<Fields>): Node {
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.value_serializedSize(value));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.value_serializedSize(value));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     this.value_serializeToBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return super.tree_deserializeFromBytes({uint8Array, dataView}, 0, uint8Array.length);
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/listBasic.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/listBasic.ts
index ae427d26..7b8df1ee 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/listBasic.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/listBasic.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {ArrayBasicType} from "../view/arrayBasic";
 import {ListBasicTreeView} from "../view/listBasic";
 import {ListBasicTreeViewDU} from "../viewDU/listBasic";
 import {ArrayType} from "./array";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/member-ordering */
 
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ export class ListBasicType<ElementType extends BasicType<unknown>>
   }
 
   protected getRoots(value: ValueOf<ElementType>[]): Uint8Array[] {
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.value_serializedSize(value));
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.value_serializedSize(value));
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     value_serializeToBytesArrayBasic(this.elementType, value.length, {uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return splitIntoRootChunks(uint8Array);
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/type/vectorBasic.ts b/packages/ssz/src/type/vectorBasic.ts
index 4181907a..928711d6 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/type/vectorBasic.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/type/vectorBasic.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 import {ArrayBasicType, ArrayBasicTreeView} from "../view/arrayBasic";
 import {ArrayBasicTreeViewDU} from "../viewDU/arrayBasic";
 import {ArrayType} from "./array";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/member-ordering */
 
@@ -129,7 +130,7 @@ export class VectorBasicType<ElementType extends BasicType<unknown>>
   // Merkleization
 
   protected getRoots(value: ValueOf<ElementType>[]): Uint8Array[] {
-    const uint8Array = new Uint8Array(this.fixedSize);
+    const uint8Array = alloc(this.fixedSize);
     const dataView = new DataView(uint8Array.buffer, uint8Array.byteOffset, uint8Array.byteLength);
     value_serializeToBytesArrayBasic(this.elementType, this.length, {uint8Array, dataView}, 0, value);
     return splitIntoRootChunks(uint8Array);
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/util/byteArray.ts b/packages/ssz/src/util/byteArray.ts
index 095fe543..6778cd20 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/util/byteArray.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/util/byteArray.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ export function fromHexString(hex: string): Uint8Array {
   }
 
   const byteLen = hex.length / 2;
-  const bytes = new Uint8Array(byteLen);
+  const bytes = allocUnsafe(byteLen);
   for (let i = 0; i < byteLen; i++) {
     const byte = parseInt(hex.slice(i * 2, (i + 1) * 2), 16);
     bytes[i] = byte;
@@ -45,3 +45,34 @@ export function byteArrayEquals(a: Uint8Array, b: Uint8Array): boolean {
   }
   return true;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Returns a `Uint8Array` of the requested size. Referenced memory will
+ * be initialized to 0.
+ *
+ * @param {number} [size]
+ * @returns {Uint8Array}
+ */
+export function alloc(size = 0): Uint8Array {
+  if (globalThis.Buffer != null && globalThis.Buffer.alloc != null) {
+    return globalThis.Buffer.alloc(size);
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(size);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Where possible returns a Uint8Array of the requested size that references
+ * uninitialized memory. Only use if you are certain you will immediately
+ * overwrite every value in the returned `Uint8Array`.
+ *
+ * @param {number} [size]
+ * @returns {Uint8Array}
+ */
+export function allocUnsafe(size = 0): Uint8Array {
+  if (globalThis.Buffer != null && globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe != null) {
+    return globalThis.Buffer.allocUnsafe(size);
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(size);
+}
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/util/merkleize.ts b/packages/ssz/src/util/merkleize.ts
index b35b73e9..40e51e6e 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/util/merkleize.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/util/merkleize.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {digest2Bytes32} from "@chainsafe/as-sha256";
+import {alloc} from "./byteArray";
 import {zeroHash} from "./zeros";
 
 export function hash64(bytes32A: Uint8Array, bytes32B: Uint8Array): Uint8Array {
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ export function splitIntoRootChunks(longChunk: Uint8Array): Uint8Array[] {
   const chunks = new Array<Uint8Array>(chunkCount);
 
   for (let i = 0; i < chunkCount; i++) {
-    const chunk = new Uint8Array(32);
+    const chunk = alloc(32);
     chunk.set(longChunk.slice(i * 32, (i + 1) * 32));
     chunks[i] = chunk;
   }
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/util/zeros.ts b/packages/ssz/src/util/zeros.ts
index 9dc14d1e..2918e766 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/util/zeros.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/util/zeros.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import {digest2Bytes32} from "@chainsafe/as-sha256";
+import {alloc} from "./byteArray";
 
 // create array of "zero hashes", successively hashed zero chunks
-const zeroHashes = [new Uint8Array(32)];
+const zeroHashes = [alloc(32)];
 
 export function zeroHash(depth: number): Uint8Array {
   if (depth >= zeroHashes.length) {
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/value/bitArray.ts b/packages/ssz/src/value/bitArray.ts
index 1767817d..6efe908e 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/value/bitArray.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/value/bitArray.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
+
 /** Globally cache this information. @see getUint8ByteToBitBooleanArray */
 const uint8ByteToBitBooleanArrays = new Array<boolean[]>(256);
 
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ export class BitArray {
 
   /** Returns a zero'ed BitArray of `bitLen` */
   static fromBitLen(bitLen: number): BitArray {
-    return new BitArray(new Uint8Array(Math.ceil(bitLen / 8)), bitLen);
+    return new BitArray(alloc(Math.ceil(bitLen / 8)), bitLen);
   }
 
   /** Returns a BitArray of `bitLen` with a single bit set to true at position `bitIndex` */
diff --git a/packages/ssz/src/view/abstract.ts b/packages/ssz/src/view/abstract.ts
index 883f62a8..d4316fda 100644
--- a/packages/ssz/src/view/abstract.ts
+++ b/packages/ssz/src/view/abstract.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {Node, Tree, Proof} from "@chainsafe/persistent-merkle-tree";
 import {ValueOf, JsonPath} from "../type/abstract";
 import {CompositeType} from "../type/composite";
+import {alloc} from "../util/byteArray";
 
 /**
  * A Tree View is a wrapper around a type and an SSZ Tree that contains:
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ export abstract class TreeView<T extends CompositeType<unknown, unknown, unknown
 
   /** Serialize view to binary data */
   serialize(): Uint8Array {
-    const output = new Uint8Array(this.type.tree_serializedSize(this.node));
+    const output = alloc(this.type.tree_serializedSize(this.node));
     const dataView = new DataView(output.buffer, output.byteOffset, output.byteLength);
     this.type.tree_serializeToBytes({uint8Array: output, dataView}, 0, this.node);
     return output;
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 3a97e089..4803f7de 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2414,10 +2414,10 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-17.0.23.tgz#3b41a6e643589ac6442bdbd7a4a3ded62f33f7da"
   integrity sha512-UxDxWn7dl97rKVeVS61vErvw086aCYhDLyvRQZ5Rk65rZKepaFdm53GeqXaKBuOhED4e9uWq34IC3TdSdJJ2Gw==
 
-"@types/node@^14.14.17":
-  version "14.17.14"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-14.17.14.tgz#6fda9785b41570eb628bac27be4b602769a3f938"
-  integrity sha512-rsAj2u8Xkqfc332iXV12SqIsjVi07H479bOP4q94NAcjzmAvapumEhuVIt53koEf7JFrpjgNKjBga5Pnn/GL8A==
+"@types/node@^16.11.55":
+  version "16.11.56"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/node/-/node-16.11.56.tgz#dcbb617669481e158e0f1c6204d1c768cd675901"
+  integrity sha512-aFcUkv7EddxxOa/9f74DINReQ/celqH8DiB3fRYgVDM2Xm5QJL8sl80QKuAnGvwAsMn+H3IFA6WCrQh1CY7m1A==
 
 "@types/normalize-package-data@^2.4.0":
   version "2.4.1"