diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 81f67ae..7b88429 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 mod tests;
 
 use std::alloc::Layout;
-use std::hint::unreachable_unchecked;
+use std::marker::PhantomData;
 use std::mem::ManuallyDrop;
 use std::ptr::NonNull;
 
@@ -12,57 +12,140 @@ use std::ptr::NonNull;
 pub struct TypeErasedVec {
     /// Pointer to the underlying allocation
     ptr: NonNull<u8>,
+    /// Number of elements in the underlying vec
+    len: usize,
     /// Size of the underlying allocation
-    capacity: usize,
+    cap: usize,
     /// The Layout the capacity was allocated with. We need this to confirm that
     /// any future conversion back to a `Vec` use the correct `Layout`.
     layout: Layout,
+    /// Function pointer to reserve additional capacity in the underlying Vec
+    reserve_vector: unsafe fn(NonNull<u8>, usize, usize, usize) -> (NonNull<u8>, usize),
+    /// Function pointer to clear the underlying capacity of its old elements
+    clear_vector: unsafe fn(NonNull<u8>, usize, usize),
     /// Function pointer to the original type's drop logic.
-    /// While we never drop any elements with it, we need to drop the capacity
-    /// by converting it back to an (empty) Vec of a compatibly type.
-    drop_capacity: unsafe fn(NonNull<u8>, usize),
+    drop_vector: unsafe fn(NonNull<u8>, usize, usize),
 }
 
-// SAFETY: TypeErasedVec only holds an empty memory allocation and a stateless function pointer.
-// All elements are explicitly dropped during construction so no instances of the original type exist.
-// Transferring ownership of this uninitialized capacity across threads is safe because the underlying
-// global allocator is thread-safe and there is no data to cause data races.
-unsafe impl Send for TypeErasedVec {}
+/// Provides access to a `TypeErasedVec` with a temporarily fixed type `T`
+pub struct ContentGuard<'vec, T> {
+    erased: &'vec mut TypeErasedVec,
+    _phantom: PhantomData<T>,
+}
 
-// SAFETY: TypeErasedVec contains no interior mutability.
-// It only exposes immutable metadata regarding the underlying allocation when accessed via a shared reference.
-// Sharing a reference to this empty allocation across threads cannot cause data races or undefined behavior.
-unsafe impl Sync for TypeErasedVec {}
+impl<'vec, T> ContentGuard<'vec, T> {
+    pub fn take(&mut self) -> Vec<T> {
+        let erased = std::mem::replace(self.erased, TypeErasedVec::new(Vec::<T>::new()));
+        let erased = ManuallyDrop::new(erased);
+        unsafe { Vec::from_raw_parts(erased.ptr.as_ptr().cast::<T>(), erased.len, erased.cap) }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with<R>(&mut self, f: impl FnOnce(&mut Vec<T>) -> R) -> R {
+        let mut vec = self.take();
+        // todo: is this panic / unwind safe?
+        let res = f(&mut vec);
+        *self.erased = TypeErasedVec::new(vec);
+        res
+    }
+
+    pub fn clear(&mut self) {
+        self.with(|vec| vec.clear());
+    }
+
+    pub fn reserve(&mut self, additional: usize) {
+        self.with(|vec| vec.reserve(additional));
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn capacity(&self) -> usize {
+        self.erased.capacity()
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn length(&self) -> usize {
+        self.erased.length()
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.erased.is_empty()
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_slice(&self) -> &[T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts(self.erased.ptr.as_ptr().cast(), self.erased.len) }
+    }
+
+    pub fn as_slice_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [T] {
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.erased.ptr.as_ptr().cast(), self.erased.len) }
+    }
+}
 
 impl TypeErasedVec {
     /// Type erase the underlying Capacity of a `Vec` remembering the `Layout` it was allocated with.
     /// Any remaining elements in the `Vec` will be dropped.
     /// Conversion back to a `Vec` is only allowed for types with the same Layout.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new<T>(mut vec: Vec<T>) -> Self {
-        // Define a cleanup function bound to the original type.
-        unsafe fn drop_vec_capacity<T>(ptr: NonNull<u8>, cap: usize) {
-            let _ = unsafe { Vec::from_raw_parts(ptr.as_ptr().cast::<T>(), 0, cap) };
+    pub fn new<T>(vec: Vec<T>) -> Self {
+        // Define a drop function bound to the original type.
+        unsafe fn drop_vec<T>(ptr: NonNull<u8>, len: usize, cap: usize) {
+            _ = unsafe { Vec::from_raw_parts(ptr.as_ptr().cast::<T>(), len, cap) };
+        }
+        // Define a clear function bound to the original type.
+        unsafe fn clear_vec<T>(ptr: NonNull<u8>, len: usize, cap: usize) {
+            unsafe {
+                let mut vec = Vec::from_raw_parts(ptr.as_ptr().cast::<T>(), len, cap);
+                vec.clear();
+                let (new_ptr, new_len, new_cap) = Vec::into_raw_parts(vec);
+                debug_assert!(std::ptr::eq(new_ptr, ptr.as_ptr().cast()));
+                debug_assert_eq!(new_cap, cap);
+                debug_assert_eq!(new_len, 0);
+            }
+        }
+        // Define a reserve function bound to the original type.
+        unsafe fn reserve_vec<T>(
+            ptr: NonNull<u8>,
+            len: usize,
+            cap: usize,
+            additional: usize,
+        ) -> (NonNull<u8>, usize) {
+            unsafe {
+                let mut vec = Vec::from_raw_parts(ptr.as_ptr().cast::<T>(), len, cap);
+                vec.reserve(additional);
+                let (new_ptr, new_len, new_cap) = Vec::into_raw_parts(vec);
+                debug_assert_eq!(new_cap, cap);
+                debug_assert_eq!(new_len, len);
+                (NonNull::new_unchecked(new_ptr).cast::<u8>(), new_cap)
+            }
         }
 
         let layout = Layout::new::<T>();
 
-        // Ensure the vector is empty. We don't do type casts, we just reuse capacity.
-        vec.clear();
-
-        // Deconstruct the original vector into its raw components.
-        let (ptr, len, capacity) = vec.into_raw_parts();
-
-        debug_assert_eq!(len, 0);
-
-        // Vec guarantees its pointer is never null, even when capacity is zero.
+        let (ptr, len, cap) = vec.into_raw_parts();
         let ptr = unsafe { NonNull::new_unchecked(ptr.cast::<u8>()) };
 
         Self {
             ptr,
-            capacity,
+            cap,
+            len,
             layout,
-            drop_capacity: drop_vec_capacity::<T>,
+            reserve_vector: reserve_vec::<T>,
+            clear_vector: clear_vec::<T>,
+            drop_vector: drop_vec::<T>,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Clear any remaining elements in the vector, dropping them
+    /// Calls `Vec::<T>::clear` where `T` is the type the elements were intially stored with
+    pub fn clear(&mut self) {
+        unsafe { (self.clear_vector)(self.ptr, self.len, self.cap) };
+        self.len = 0;
+    }
+
+    /// Reserve additional elements in the vector
+    /// Calls `Vec::<T>::reserve` where `T` is the type the elements were intially stored with
+    pub fn reserve(&mut self, additional: usize) {
+        unsafe {
+            (self.ptr, self.cap) = (self.reserve_vector)(self.ptr, self.len, self.cap, additional);
         }
     }
 
@@ -75,13 +158,75 @@ impl TypeErasedVec {
     /// Get the underlying capacity in units of the `Layout` size
     #[must_use]
     pub fn capacity(&self) -> usize {
-        self.capacity
+        self.cap
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn length(&self) -> usize {
+        self.len
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn is_empty(&self) -> bool {
+        self.len == 0
     }
 
     /// Get the underlying capacity in bytes
     #[must_use]
     pub fn capacity_bytes(&self) -> usize {
-        self.capacity * self.layout.size()
+        self.cap * self.layout.size()
+    }
+
+    /// Access the erased capacity with a temporarily fixed type.
+    /// Casts the present elements to the new type without calling their destructor.
+    ///
+    /// Safety: TODO: all required invariants for casting + drop change
+    pub unsafe fn try_cast_type<'vec, T>(&'vec mut self) -> Option<ContentGuard<'vec, T>> {
+        if self.layout != Layout::new::<T>() {
+            return None;
+        }
+
+        // todo: set function pointers
+
+        Some(ContentGuard {
+            erased: self,
+            _phantom: PhantomData,
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// Access the erased capacity with a temporarily fixed type.
+    /// Clears all elements currently stored in the `TypeErasedVector`
+    ///
+    pub fn try_to_type<'vec, T>(&'vec mut self) -> Option<ContentGuard<'vec, T>> {
+        self.clear();
+        unsafe { self.try_cast_type() }
+    }
+
+    pub fn to_type<'vec, T>(&'vec mut self) -> ContentGuard<'vec, T> {
+        let layout = self.layout;
+        self.try_to_type().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            panic!(
+                "Target type layout must exactly match the erased layout. Capacity is reserved for {:?} but {} has {:?}",
+                layout,
+                std::any::type_name::<T>(),
+                Layout::new::<T>()
+            )
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub unsafe fn to_type_unchecked<'vec, T>(&'vec mut self) -> ContentGuard<'vec, T> {
+        let layout = self.layout;
+        let res = self.try_to_type();
+        if cfg!(debug_assertions) && res.is_none() {
+            unreachable!(
+                "Calling `into_vec_unchecked` with an incompatible layout is UB! Target type layout must exactly match the erased layout. Capacity is reserved for {:?} but {} has {:?}",
+                layout,
+                std::any::type_name::<T>(),
+                Layout::new::<T>()
+            )
+        }
+
+        unsafe { res.unwrap_unchecked() }
     }
 
     /// Convert the capacity of the erased `Vec` into a `Vec<T>`.
@@ -89,14 +234,9 @@ impl TypeErasedVec {
     /// # Errors
     /// if `T` does not have the same `Layout` as the underlying capacity
     /// in this case the erased capacity will be returned in the `Err`.
-    pub fn try_into_vec<T>(self) -> Result<Vec<T>, Self> {
-        if self.layout == Layout::new::<T>() {
-            // Wrap self in ManuallyDrop to bypass our custom Drop implementation.
-            // This transfers ownership of the memory to the new Vec.
-            let this = ManuallyDrop::new(self);
-            let vec = unsafe { Vec::from_raw_parts(this.ptr.as_ptr().cast(), 0, this.capacity) };
-
-            Ok(vec)
+    pub fn try_into_vec<T>(mut self) -> Result<Vec<T>, Self> {
+        if let Some(mut guard) = self.try_to_type::<T>() {
+            Ok(guard.take())
         } else {
             Err(self)
         }
@@ -107,18 +247,8 @@ impl TypeErasedVec {
     /// # Panics
     /// If `T` does not have the same `Layout` as the underlying capacity.
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn into_vec<T>(self) -> Vec<T> {
-        match self.try_into_vec::<T>() {
-            Ok(vec) => vec,
-            Err(this) => {
-                panic!(
-                    "Target type layout must exactly match the erased layout. Capacity is reserved for {:?} but {} has {:?}",
-                    this.layout,
-                    std::any::type_name::<T>(),
-                    Layout::new::<T>()
-                )
-            }
-        }
+    pub fn into_vec<T>(mut self) -> Vec<T> {
+        self.to_type::<T>().take()
     }
 
     /// Convert the capacity of the erased `Vec` into a `Vec<T>`.
@@ -126,28 +256,15 @@ impl TypeErasedVec {
     /// # Safety
     /// `T` must have the same `Layout` as the underlying capacity.
     #[must_use]
-    pub unsafe fn into_vec_unchecked<T>(self) -> Vec<T> {
-        match self.try_into_vec::<T>() {
-            Ok(vec) => vec,
-            Err(this) => {
-                if cfg!(debug_assertions) {
-                    unreachable!(
-                        "Calling `into_vec_unchecked` with an incompatible layout is UB! Target type layout must exactly match the erased layout. Capacity is reserved for {:?} but {} has {:?}",
-                        this.layout,
-                        std::any::type_name::<T>(),
-                        Layout::new::<T>()
-                    )
-                }
-                unsafe { unreachable_unchecked() }
-            }
-        }
+    pub unsafe fn into_vec_unchecked<T>(mut self) -> Vec<T> {
+        unsafe { self.to_type_unchecked().take() }
     }
 }
 
 impl Drop for TypeErasedVec {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         unsafe {
-            (self.drop_capacity)(self.ptr, self.capacity);
+            (self.drop_vector)(self.ptr, self.len, self.cap);
         }
     }
 }