diff --git a/include/boost/mysql/detail/auxiliar/field_ptr.hpp.hpp b/include/boost/mysql/detail/auxiliar/field_ptr.hpp.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13f0d606
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/mysql/detail/auxiliar/field_ptr.hpp.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2019-2022 Ruben Perez Hidalgo (rubenperez038 at gmail dot com)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+//
+
+#ifndef BOOST_MYSQL_DETAIL_AUXILIAR_FIELD_PTR_HPP_HPP
+#define BOOST_MYSQL_DETAIL_AUXILIAR_FIELD_PTR_HPP_HPP
+
+#include <vector>
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <boost/mysql/field.hpp>
+#include <boost/mysql/field_view.hpp>
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace mysql {
+namespace detail {
+
+class field_ptr
+{
+    enum class type
+    {
+        field_view,
+        field
+    };
+
+    type type_ {type::field_view};
+    const void* ptr_ {};
+
+    const void* incremented(std::ptrdiff_t n) const noexcept
+    {
+        if (type_ == type::field_view)
+        {
+            return static_cast<const field_view*>(ptr_) + n;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return static_cast<const field*>(ptr_) + n;
+        }
+    }
+    field_view dereference() const noexcept
+    {
+        if (type_ == type::field_view)
+        {
+            return *static_cast<const field_view*>(ptr_);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return *static_cast<const field*>(ptr_);
+        }
+    }
+    field_ptr(type t, const void* ptr) noexcept : type_(t), ptr_(ptr) {}
+public:
+    using value_type = field;
+    using reference = field_view;
+    using pointer = void const*;
+    using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
+    using iterator_category = std::random_access_iterator_tag;
+
+    field_ptr() noexcept = default;
+    explicit field_ptr(const field_view* v) noexcept : type_(type::field_view), ptr_(v) {}
+    explicit field_ptr(const field* v) noexcept : type_(type::field), ptr_(v) {}
+
+    const field* as_field() const noexcept { assert(type_ == type::field); return static_cast<const field*>(ptr_); }
+    const field_view* as_field_view() const noexcept { assert(type_ == type::field_view); return static_cast<const field_view*>(ptr_); }
+
+    field_ptr& operator++() noexcept { ptr_ = incremented(1); return *this; }
+    field_ptr operator++(int) noexcept { return field_ptr(type_, incremented(1)); }
+    field_ptr& operator--() noexcept { ptr_ = incremented(-1); return *this; }
+    field_ptr operator--(int) noexcept { return field_ptr(type_, incremented(-1)); }
+    field_ptr& operator+=(std::ptrdiff_t n) noexcept { ptr_ = incremented(n); return *this; }
+    field_ptr& operator-=(std::ptrdiff_t n) noexcept { ptr_ = incremented(-n); return *this; }
+    field_ptr operator+(std::ptrdiff_t n) const noexcept { return field_ptr(type_, incremented(n)); }
+    field_ptr operator-(std::ptrdiff_t n) const noexcept { return field_ptr(type_, incremented(-n)); }
+    std::ptrdiff_t operator-(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept
+    {
+        if (type_ == type::field)
+        {
+            return static_cast<const field*>(ptr_) - static_cast<const field*>(rhs.ptr_);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return static_cast<const field_view*>(ptr_) - static_cast<const field_view*>(rhs.ptr_);
+        }
+    }
+    field_view operator*() const noexcept { return dereference(); }
+    field_view operator[](std::ptrdiff_t i) const noexcept { return (*this + i).dereference(); }
+    bool operator==(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return type_ == rhs.type_ && ptr_ == rhs.ptr_; }
+    bool operator!=(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return !(*this == rhs); }
+    bool operator<(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return ptr_ < rhs.ptr_; }
+    bool operator<=(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return ptr_ <= rhs.ptr_; }
+    bool operator>(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return ptr_ > rhs.ptr_; }
+    bool operator>=(const field_ptr& rhs) const noexcept { return ptr_ >= rhs.ptr_; }
+};
+
+inline field_ptr operator+(std::ptrdiff_t n, const field_ptr& ptr) noexcept { return ptr + n; }
+
+}
+}
+}
+
+
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/boost/mysql/impl/row.ipp b/include/boost/mysql/impl/row.ipp
index c317fe2f..afc836f0 100644
--- a/include/boost/mysql/impl/row.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/mysql/impl/row.ipp
@@ -11,134 +11,64 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <boost/mysql/row.hpp>
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <iterator>
 
 
-inline void boost::mysql::row::rebase_strings(
-    const char* old_buffer_base
+std::vector<boost::mysql::field>::iterator boost::mysql::row::from_ptr(
+    detail::field_ptr ptr
 ) noexcept
 {
-    auto diff = string_buffer_.data() - old_buffer_base;
-    for (auto& f: fields_)
-    {
-        const boost::string_view* str = f.if_string();
-        if (str)
-        {
-            f = field_view(boost::string_view(
-                str->data() + diff,
-                str->size()
-            ));
-        }
-    }
+    assert(ptr >= begin() && ptr <= end());
+    return fields_.begin() + (begin() - ptr);
 }
 
-inline void boost::mysql::row::copy_strings()
-{
-    // Calculate size
-    std::size_t size = 0;
-    for (const auto& f: fields_)
-    {
-        const boost::string_view* str = f.if_string();
-        if (str)
-        {
-            size += str->size();
-        }
-    }
-
-    // Make space
-    string_buffer_.resize(size);
-
-    // Copy the strings
-    std::size_t offset = 0;
-    for (auto& f: fields_)
-    {
-        const boost::string_view* str = f.if_string();
-        if (str)
-        {
-            std::memcpy(string_buffer_.data() + offset, str->data(), str->size());
-            f = field_view(boost::string_view(string_buffer_.data() + offset, str->size()));
-            offset += str->size();
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-inline boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::to_row_it(
-    std::vector<field_view>::iterator it
+boost::mysql::detail::field_ptr boost::mysql::row::to_ptr(
+    std::vector<field>::iterator it
 ) noexcept
 {
-    return it == fields_.end() ? nullptr : fields_.data() + (it - fields_.begin());
-}
-
-inline std::vector<boost::mysql::field_view>::iterator boost::mysql::row::to_vector_it(
-    iterator it
-) noexcept
-{
-    return it == nullptr ? fields_.end() : fields_.begin() + (it - fields_.data());
-}
-
-boost::mysql::row::row(
-    const row& other
-) :
-    fields_(other.fields_),
-    string_buffer_(other.string_buffer_)
-{
-    rebase_strings(other.string_buffer_.data());
+    return begin() + (fields_.begin() - it);
 }
 
 
-const boost::mysql::row& boost::mysql::row::operator=(
-    const row& rhs
-)
-{
-    fields_ = rhs.fields_;
-    string_buffer_ = rhs.string_buffer_;
-    rebase_strings(rhs.string_buffer_.data());
-    return *this;
-}
-
-inline boost::string_view boost::mysql::row::copy_string(
-    boost::string_view v
-)
-{
-    const char* old_buffer_base = string_buffer_.data();
-    std::size_t old_buffer_size = string_buffer_.size();
-    string_buffer_.insert(string_buffer_.end(), v.data(), v.data() + v.size());
-    if (string_buffer_.data() != old_buffer_base)
-        rebase_strings(old_buffer_base);
-    return boost::string_view(string_buffer_.data() + old_buffer_size, v.size());
-}
-
-inline boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::insert(
-    iterator before,
+boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::replace(
+    iterator pos,
     field_view v
 )
 {
-    const auto* str = v.if_string();
-    if (str)
-    {
-        v = field_view(copy_string(*str));
-    }
-    auto res = fields_.insert(to_vector_it(before), v);
-    return to_row_it(res);
+    assert(pos >= begin() && pos < end());
+    *const_cast<field*>(pos.as_field()) = v;
+    return pos;
 }
 
-// inline boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::insert(
-//     iterator before,
-//     std::initializer_list<field_view> v
-// )
-// {
-//     // Calculate the extra size required for the strings
-//     std::size_t new_string_size = 0;
-//     for (const auto& f: v)
-//     {
-//         const auto* str = f.if_string();
-//         if (str)
-//         {
-//             new_string_size += str->size();
-//         }
-//     }
 
+boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::replace(
+    iterator first,
+    iterator last,
+    std::initializer_list<field_view> v
+)
+{
+    return replace(first, last, v.begin(), v.end());
+}
 
-// }
+template <class FwdIt>
+boost::mysql::row::iterator boost::mysql::row::replace(
+    iterator first,
+    iterator last,
+    FwdIt other_first,
+    FwdIt other_last
+)
+{
+    assert(last >= first);
+    assert((last - first) == std::distance(other_first, other_last));
+    auto itfrom = other_first;
+    auto itto = first;
+    for (; itto != last; ++itto, ++itfrom)
+    {
+        *const_cast<field*>(itto.as_field()) = *itfrom;
+    }
+    return first; // TODO: first or last?
+}
 
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/boost/mysql/impl/row_view.ipp b/include/boost/mysql/impl/row_view.ipp
index 11f2ee8d..02710656 100644
--- a/include/boost/mysql/impl/row_view.ipp
+++ b/include/boost/mysql/impl/row_view.ipp
@@ -13,6 +13,17 @@
 #include <boost/mysql/row_view.hpp>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <ostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+
+boost::mysql::field_view boost::mysql::row_view::at(
+    std::size_t i
+) const
+{
+    if (i >= size_)
+        throw std::out_of_range("row_view::at");
+    return fields_[i];
+}
 
 inline bool boost::mysql::operator==(
     const row_view& lhs,
diff --git a/include/boost/mysql/row.hpp b/include/boost/mysql/row.hpp
index 95b179b9..76807e37 100644
--- a/include/boost/mysql/row.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mysql/row.hpp
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 
 #include <boost/mysql/field_view.hpp>
 #include <boost/mysql/row_view.hpp>
-#include <boost/utility/string_view_fwd.hpp>
+#include <boost/mysql/detail/auxiliar/field_ptr.hpp.hpp>
+#include <cstddef>
 #include <vector>
 
 
@@ -44,18 +45,23 @@ class row
 {
 public:
     row() = default;
-    inline row(const row&);
+    row(row_view r) : fields_(r.begin(), r.end()) {}
+    row(const row&) = default;
     row(row&&) = default;
-    inline const row& operator=(const row&);
+    row& operator=(const row&) = default;
     row& operator=(row&&) = default;
     ~row() = default;
 
-    using iterator = const field_view*;
+    using iterator = detail::field_ptr;
     using const_iterator = iterator;
-    // TODO: add other standard container members when we add field and field_view
+    using value_type = field;
+    using reference = field_view;
+    using const_reference = reference;
+    using size_type = std::size_t;
+    using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
 
-    iterator begin() const noexcept { return fields_.data(); }
-    iterator end() const noexcept { return fields_.data() + fields_.size(); }
+    iterator begin() const noexcept { return iterator(fields_.data()); }
+    iterator end() const noexcept { return iterator(fields_.data() + fields_.size()); }
     field_view at(std::size_t i) const { return fields_.at(i); }
     field_view operator[](std::size_t i) const noexcept { return fields_[i]; }
     field_view front() const noexcept { return fields_.front(); }
@@ -63,21 +69,21 @@ public:
     bool empty() const noexcept { return fields_.empty(); }
     std::size_t size() const noexcept { return fields_.size(); }
 
-    inline iterator insert(iterator before, field_view v);
-    inline iterator insert(iterator before, std::initializer_list<field_view> v);
+    inline iterator insert(iterator before, field_view v) { return to_ptr(fields_.insert(from_ptr(before), v)); }
+    inline iterator insert(iterator before, std::initializer_list<field_view> v) { return to_ptr(fields_.insert(from_ptr(before), v.begin(), v.end())); }
     template <class FwdIt>
-    iterator insert(iterator before, FwdIt first, FwdIt last);
+    iterator insert(iterator before, FwdIt first, FwdIt last) { return to_ptr(fields_.insert(from_ptr(before), first, last));}
 
     inline iterator replace(iterator pos, field_view v);
     inline iterator replace(iterator first, iterator last, std::initializer_list<field_view> v);
     template <class FwdIt>
     inline iterator replace(iterator first, iterator last, FwdIt other_first, FwdIt other_last);
 
-    inline iterator erase(iterator pos);
-    inline iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last);
+    inline iterator erase(iterator pos) { return to_ptr(fields_.erase(from_ptr(pos))); }
+    inline iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last) { return to_ptr(fields_.erase(from_ptr(first), from_ptr(last))); }
 
-    inline void push_back(field_view v);
-    inline void pop_back();
+    inline void push_back(field_view v) { fields_.emplace_back(v); }
+    inline void pop_back() { fields_.pop_back(); }
 
     operator row_view() const noexcept
     {
@@ -93,24 +99,12 @@ public:
      * pointers, references and iterators to elements in [refmem row values] will be invalidated.
      * Any string values using the memory held by this row will also become invalid. 
      */
-    void clear() noexcept
-    {
-        fields_.clear();
-        string_buffer_.clear();
-    }
-
-    // TODO: hide these
-    const std::vector<field_view>& fields() const noexcept { return fields_; }
-    std::vector<field_view>& values() noexcept { return fields_; }
-    inline void copy_strings();
+    void clear() noexcept { fields_.clear(); }
 private:
-    std::vector<field_view> fields_;
-    std::vector<char> string_buffer_;
+    inline std::vector<field>::iterator from_ptr(detail::field_ptr) noexcept;
+    inline detail::field_ptr to_ptr(std::vector<field>::iterator) noexcept;
 
-    inline iterator to_row_it(std::vector<field_view>::iterator it) noexcept;
-    inline std::vector<field_view>::iterator to_vector_it(iterator it) noexcept;
-    inline boost::string_view copy_string(boost::string_view v);
-    inline void rebase_strings(const char* old_buffer_base) noexcept;
+    std::vector<field> fields_;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/include/boost/mysql/row_view.hpp b/include/boost/mysql/row_view.hpp
index 9a71193c..c33e365a 100644
--- a/include/boost/mysql/row_view.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mysql/row_view.hpp
@@ -8,32 +8,41 @@
 #ifndef BOOST_MYSQL_ROW_VIEW_HPP
 #define BOOST_MYSQL_ROW_VIEW_HPP
 
-#include <boost/mysql/field_view.hpp>
+#include <boost/mysql/detail/auxiliar/field_ptr.hpp.hpp>
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <iosfwd>
+#include <iterator>
 
 namespace boost {
 namespace mysql {
 
+
 class row_view
 {
-    const field_view* fields_ {};
-    std::size_t size_ {};
 public:
     row_view() = default;
-    row_view(const field_view* f, std::size_t size) noexcept : fields_ {f}, size_{size} {}
+    row_view(const field_view* f, std::size_t size) noexcept : fields_ (f), size_(size) {}
+    row_view(const field* f, std::size_t size) noexcept : fields_(f), size_(size) {}
 
-    using iterator = const field_view*;
+    using iterator = detail::field_ptr;
     using const_iterator = iterator;
+    using value_type = field;
+    using reference = field_view;
+    using const_reference = field_view;
+    using size_type = std::size_t;
+    using difference_type = std::ptrdiff_t;
 
     iterator begin() const noexcept { return fields_; }
     iterator end() const noexcept { return fields_ + size_; }
     field_view at(std::size_t i) const;
     field_view operator[](std::size_t i) const noexcept { return fields_[i]; }
-    field_view front() const noexcept { return fields_[0]; }
+    field_view front() const noexcept { return *fields_; }
     field_view back() const noexcept { return fields_[size_ - 1]; }
     bool empty() const noexcept { return size_ == 0; }
     std::size_t size() const noexcept { return size_; }
+private:
+    detail::field_ptr fields_ {};
+    std::size_t size_ {};
 };