diff --git a/bench_str.csv b/bench_str.csv
index ef3b414..7ef04f0 100644
--- a/bench_str.csv
+++ b/bench_str.csv
@@ -511,3 +511,5 @@
 1400837774,11190990.08,4331119.44,45590.26,2587281.10
 1400837785,10306507.50,3909290.89,47662.55,2827471.10
 1400837797,10323334.38,4221122.48,55924.05,2294463.55
+1400922358,11238818.94,4585324.58,59074.70,2649691.23
+1400922668,10605016.95,4435942.19,52428.80,2805666.62
diff --git a/include/r3.h b/include/r3.h
index 8c61b4e..91d300d 100644
--- a/include/r3.h
+++ b/include/r3.h
@@ -31,16 +31,21 @@ typedef struct _route route;
 struct _node {
     edge  ** edges;
     route ** routes;
-    int      edge_len;
-    int      edge_cap;
-    int      route_len;
-    int      route_cap;
-    int endpoint;
+
+    // almost less than 255
+    unsigned char      edge_len;
+    unsigned char      edge_cap;
+
+    // almost less than 255
+    unsigned char      route_len;
+    unsigned char      route_cap;
+
+    unsigned char    compare_type;
+    unsigned char    endpoint;
 
     /** compile-time variables here.... **/
 
     /* the combined regexp pattern string from pattern_tokens */
-    int    compare_type;
     char * combined_pattern;
     pcre * pcre_pattern;
     pcre_extra * pcre_extra;
@@ -49,15 +54,14 @@ struct _node {
      * the pointer of route data
      */
     void * data;
-
 };
 
 struct _edge {
     char * pattern;
-    int    pattern_len;
-    int    opcode;
-    bool   has_slug;
     node * child;
+    unsigned char opcode;
+    unsigned short pattern_len;
+    bool     has_slug:1;
 };
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/src/node.c b/src/node.c
index 06575a3..148e235 100644
--- a/src/node.c
+++ b/src/node.c
@@ -254,13 +254,16 @@ node * r3_tree_matchl(const node * n, char * path, int path_len, match_entry * e
     info("try matching: %s\n", path);
 
     edge *e;
-    int rc;
-    int i;
-    int ov_cnt;
-    int restlen;
+    char rc;
+    unsigned short i;
+    unsigned short ov_cnt;
+    unsigned short restlen;
     char *pp;
     char *pp_end = path + path_len;
 
+    char *substring_start = NULL;
+    int   substring_length = 0;
+
     if (n->compare_type == NODE_COMPARE_OPCODE) {
         for (i = 0; i < n->edge_len ; i++ ) {
             pp = path;
@@ -333,8 +336,6 @@ node * r3_tree_matchl(const node * n, char * path, int path_len, match_entry * e
         }
 
 
-        char *substring_start;
-        int   substring_length;
         for (i = 1; i < rc; i++)
         {
             substring_start = path + ov[2*i];
@@ -372,6 +373,8 @@ node * r3_tree_matchl(const node * n, char * path, int path_len, match_entry * e
     return NULL;
 }
 
+
+
 route * r3_tree_match_route(const node *tree, match_entry * entry) {
     node *n;
     n = r3_tree_match_entry(tree, entry);
@@ -387,8 +390,7 @@ route * r3_tree_match_route(const node *tree, match_entry * entry) {
 }
 
 inline edge * r3_node_find_edge_str(const node * n, char * str, int str_len) {
-    int i = 0;
-    int matched_idx = -1;
+    unsigned short i = 0;
     char firstbyte = *str;
     for (; i < n->edge_len ; i++ ) {
         if ( firstbyte == *(n->edges[i]->pattern) ) {