diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/variable_completions.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/variable_completions.rs
index ab755d1d85..b82dc0dc41 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/variable_completions.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/completions/variable_completions.rs
@@ -237,9 +237,9 @@ fn nested_suggestions(
     match value {
         Value::Record { val, .. } => {
             // Add all the columns as completion
-            for item in val.cols {
+            for (col, _) in val.into_iter() {
                 output.push(Suggestion {
-                    value: item,
+                    value: col,
                     description: None,
                     extra: None,
                     span: current_span,
diff --git a/crates/nu-cmd-base/src/formats/to/delimited.rs b/crates/nu-cmd-base/src/formats/to/delimited.rs
index 97f63affe0..d7084bcbc1 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cmd-base/src/formats/to/delimited.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cmd-base/src/formats/to/delimited.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pub fn merge_descriptors(values: &[Value]) -> Vec<String> {
     let mut seen: IndexSet<String> = indexset! {};
     for value in values {
         let data_descriptors = match value {
-            Value::Record { val, .. } => val.cols.clone(),
+            Value::Record { val, .. } => val.columns().cloned().collect(),
             _ => vec!["".to_string()],
         };
         for desc in data_descriptors {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/database/commands/into_sqlite.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/database/commands/into_sqlite.rs
index a420eb7bb0..3dacc338ea 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/database/commands/into_sqlite.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/database/commands/into_sqlite.rs
@@ -128,8 +128,7 @@ fn action(
                         "({})",
                         match list_value {
                             Value::Record { val, .. } => {
-                                val.vals
-                                    .iter()
+                                val.values()
                                     .map(|rec_val| {
                                         format!("'{}'", nu_value_to_string(rec_val.clone(), ""))
                                     })
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/columns.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/columns.rs
index 09b3d8be00..e21041ccfc 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/columns.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/columns.rs
@@ -124,9 +124,8 @@ fn getcol(
                     })
                 }
                 Value::Record { val, .. } => Ok(val
-                    .cols
                     .into_iter()
-                    .map(move |x| Value::string(x, head))
+                    .map(move |(x, _)| Value::string(x, head))
                     .into_pipeline_data(ctrlc)
                     .set_metadata(metadata)),
                 // Propagate errors
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/default.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/default.rs
index a8cf436aff..bd8ab1a113 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/default.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/default.rs
@@ -91,17 +91,15 @@ fn default(
                     Value::Record {
                         val: mut record, ..
                     } => {
-                        let mut idx = 0;
                         let mut found = false;
 
-                        while idx < record.len() {
-                            if record.cols[idx] == column.item {
+                        for (col, val) in record.iter_mut() {
+                            if *col == column.item {
                                 found = true;
-                                if matches!(record.vals[idx], Value::Nothing { .. }) {
-                                    record.vals[idx] = value.clone();
+                                if matches!(val, Value::Nothing { .. }) {
+                                    *val = value.clone();
                                 }
                             }
-                            idx += 1;
                         }
 
                         if !found {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/flatten.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/flatten.rs
index 7650e741cf..8b3af912ef 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/flatten.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/flatten.rs
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ fn flat_value(columns: &[CellPath], item: &Value, name_tag: Span, all: bool) ->
                         // this can avoid output column order changed.
                         if index == parent_column_index {
                             for (col, val) in inner_cols.iter().zip(inner_vals.iter()) {
-                                if record.cols.contains(col) {
+                                if record.contains(col) {
                                     record.push(format!("{parent_column_name}_{col}"), val.clone());
                                 } else {
                                     record.push(col, val.clone());
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ fn flat_value(columns: &[CellPath], item: &Value, name_tag: Span, all: bool) ->
                     // the flattened column may be the last column in the original table.
                     if index == parent_column_index {
                         for (col, val) in inner_cols.iter().zip(inner_vals.iter()) {
-                            if record.cols.contains(col) {
+                            if record.contains(col) {
                                 record.push(format!("{parent_column_name}_{col}"), val.clone());
                             } else {
                                 record.push(col, val.clone());
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
index 086386f186..a21908b180 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ fn extract_headers(
     let span = value.span();
     match value {
         Value::Record { val: record, .. } => {
-            for v in &record.vals {
+            for v in record.values() {
                 if !is_valid_header(v) {
                     return Err(ShellError::TypeMismatch {
                         err_message: "needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"
@@ -139,10 +139,9 @@ fn extract_headers(
                 }
             }
 
-            let old_headers = record.cols.clone();
+            let old_headers = record.columns().cloned().collect();
             let new_headers = record
-                .vals
-                .iter()
+                .values()
                 .enumerate()
                 .map(|(idx, value)| {
                     let col = value.into_string("", config);
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/merge.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/merge.rs
index de99f73643..638c762550 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/merge.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/merge.rs
@@ -153,20 +153,12 @@ repeating this process with row 1, and so on."#
     }
 }
 
+// TODO: rewrite to mutate the input record
 fn do_merge(input_record: &Record, to_merge_record: &Record) -> Record {
     let mut result = input_record.clone();
 
     for (col, val) in to_merge_record {
-        let pos = result.cols.iter().position(|c| c == col);
-        // if find, replace existing data, else, push new data.
-        match pos {
-            Some(index) => {
-                result.vals[index] = val.clone();
-            }
-            None => {
-                result.push(col, val.clone());
-            }
-        }
+        result.insert(col, val.clone());
     }
     result
 }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/move_.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/move_.rs
index bf11918697..5f700ba1dc 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/move_.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/move_.rs
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ fn move_record_columns(
     // Check if before/after column exist
     match &before_or_after.item {
         BeforeOrAfter::After(after) => {
-            if !record.cols.contains(after) {
+            if !record.contains(after) {
                 return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
                     "Cannot move columns".to_string(),
                     "column does not exist".to_string(),
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ fn move_record_columns(
             }
         }
         BeforeOrAfter::Before(before) => {
-            if !record.cols.contains(before) {
+            if !record.contains(before) {
                 return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
                     "Cannot move columns".to_string(),
                     "column does not exist".to_string(),
@@ -224,11 +224,7 @@ fn move_record_columns(
     for column in columns.iter() {
         let column_str = column.as_string()?;
 
-        if let Some(idx) = record
-            .cols
-            .iter()
-            .position(|inp_col| &column_str == inp_col)
-        {
+        if let Some(idx) = record.index_of(&column_str) {
             column_idx.push(idx);
         } else {
             return Err(ShellError::GenericError(
@@ -249,7 +245,7 @@ fn move_record_columns(
                 out.push(inp_col.clone(), inp_val.clone());
 
                 for idx in column_idx.iter() {
-                    if let (Some(col), Some(val)) = (record.cols.get(*idx), record.vals.get(*idx)) {
+                    if let Some((col, val)) = record.get_index(*idx) {
                         out.push(col.clone(), val.clone());
                     } else {
                         return Err(ShellError::NushellFailedSpanned {
@@ -262,7 +258,7 @@ fn move_record_columns(
             }
             BeforeOrAfter::Before(before) if before == inp_col => {
                 for idx in column_idx.iter() {
-                    if let (Some(col), Some(val)) = (record.cols.get(*idx), record.vals.get(*idx)) {
+                    if let Some((col, val)) = record.get_index(*idx) {
                         out.push(col.clone(), val.clone());
                     } else {
                         return Err(ShellError::NushellFailedSpanned {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
index 8146f55470..76fc79601e 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/sort.rs
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ pub fn sort(
 ) -> Result<(), ShellError> {
     match vec.first() {
         Some(Value::Record { val, .. }) => {
-            let columns = val.cols.clone();
+            let columns: Vec<String> = val.columns().cloned().collect();
             vec.sort_by(|a, b| process(a, b, &columns, span, insensitive, natural));
         }
         _ => {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/split_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/split_by.rs
index f5f93b5aa8..537a01394a 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/split_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/split_by.rs
@@ -185,15 +185,15 @@ pub fn data_split(
             let span = v.span();
             match v {
                 Value::Record { val: grouped, .. } => {
-                    for (idx, list) in grouped.vals.iter().enumerate() {
-                        match data_group(list, splitter, span) {
+                    for (outer_key, list) in grouped.into_iter() {
+                        match data_group(&list, splitter, span) {
                             Ok(grouped_vals) => {
                                 if let Value::Record { val: sub, .. } = grouped_vals {
-                                    for (inner_idx, subset) in sub.vals.iter().enumerate() {
+                                    for (inner_key, subset) in sub.into_iter() {
                                         let s: &mut IndexMap<String, Value> =
-                                            splits.entry(sub.cols[inner_idx].clone()).or_default();
+                                            splits.entry(inner_key).or_default();
 
-                                        s.insert(grouped.cols[idx].clone(), subset.clone());
+                                        s.insert(outer_key.clone(), subset.clone());
                                     }
                                 }
                             }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq.rs
index 426d28dc41..c333351c8b 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq.rs
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ use itertools::Itertools;
 use nu_protocol::ast::Call;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack};
 use nu_protocol::{
-    record, Category, Example, IntoPipelineData, PipelineData, PipelineMetadata, Record,
-    ShellError, Signature, Span, Type, Value,
+    record, Category, Example, IntoPipelineData, PipelineData, PipelineMetadata, ShellError,
+    Signature, Span, Type, Value,
 };
 use std::collections::hash_map::IntoIter;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
@@ -190,10 +190,10 @@ fn clone_to_lowercase(value: &Value) -> Value {
             Value::list(vec.iter().map(clone_to_lowercase).collect(), span)
         }
         Value::Record { val: record, .. } => Value::record(
-            Record {
-                cols: record.cols.clone(),
-                vals: record.vals.iter().map(clone_to_lowercase).collect(),
-            },
+            record
+                .iter()
+                .map(|(k, v)| (k.to_owned(), clone_to_lowercase(v)))
+                .collect(),
             span,
         ),
         other => other.clone(),
@@ -204,24 +204,18 @@ fn sort_attributes(val: Value) -> Value {
     let span = val.span();
     match val {
         Value::Record { val, .. } => {
+            // TODO: sort inplace
             let sorted = val
                 .into_iter()
                 .sorted_by(|a, b| a.0.cmp(&b.0))
                 .collect_vec();
 
-            let sorted_cols = sorted.clone().into_iter().map(|a| a.0).collect_vec();
-            let sorted_vals = sorted
+            let record = sorted
                 .into_iter()
-                .map(|a| sort_attributes(a.1))
-                .collect_vec();
+                .map(|(k, v)| (k, sort_attributes(v)))
+                .collect();
 
-            Value::record(
-                Record {
-                    cols: sorted_cols,
-                    vals: sorted_vals,
-                },
-                span,
-            )
+            Value::record(record, span)
         }
         Value::List { vals, .. } => {
             Value::list(vals.into_iter().map(sort_attributes).collect_vec(), span)
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
index ced8fc0ecb..ccbd6b9b11 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/uniq_by.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ fn validate(vec: &[Value], columns: &[String], span: Span) -> Result<(), ShellEr
                 ));
             }
 
-            if let Some(nonexistent) = nonexistent_column(columns, &record.cols) {
+            if let Some(nonexistent) = nonexistent_column(columns, record.columns()) {
                 return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn {
                     col_name: nonexistent,
                     span,
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/md.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/md.rs
index c882275372..5127f18e38 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/md.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/md.rs
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ pub fn group_by(values: PipelineData, head: Span, config: &Config) -> (PipelineD
         } = val
         {
             lists
-                .entry(record.cols.concat())
+                .entry(record.columns().map(|c| c.as_str()).collect::<String>())
                 .and_modify(|v: &mut Vec<Value>| v.push(val.clone()))
                 .or_insert_with(|| vec![val.clone()]);
         } else {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
index e9429cc9f1..1b5728acd7 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/nuon.rs
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ pub fn value_to_string(
                     let mut row = vec![];
 
                     if let Value::Record { val, .. } = val {
-                        for val in &val.vals {
+                        for val in val.values() {
                             row.push(value_to_string_without_quotes(
                                 val,
                                 span,
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/network/http/client.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/network/http/client.rs
index edfbad3040..92549f700d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/network/http/client.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/network/http/client.rs
@@ -602,9 +602,12 @@ fn headers_to_nu(headers: &Headers, span: Span) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellErr
     for (name, values) in headers {
         let is_duplicate = vals.iter().any(|val| {
             if let Value::Record { val, .. } = val {
-                if let Some(Value::String {
-                    val: header_name, ..
-                }) = val.vals.get(0)
+                if let Some((
+                    _col,
+                    Value::String {
+                        val: header_name, ..
+                    },
+                )) = val.get_index(0)
                 {
                     return name == header_name;
                 }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
index 7607e67cd3..95cb7dd337 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/sort_utils.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ pub fn sort(
                 ));
             }
 
-            if let Some(nonexistent) = nonexistent_column(&sort_columns, &record.cols) {
+            if let Some(nonexistent) = nonexistent_column(&sort_columns, record.columns()) {
                 return Err(ShellError::CantFindColumn {
                     col_name: nonexistent,
                     span,
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/trim/trim_.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/trim/trim_.rs
index 3434ef2161..a676a002c0 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/trim/trim_.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/trim/trim_.rs
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ use nu_engine::CallExt;
 use nu_protocol::{
     ast::{Call, CellPath},
     engine::{Command, EngineState, Stack},
-    Category, Example, PipelineData, Record, ShellError, Signature, Span, Spanned, SyntaxShape,
-    Type, Value,
+    Category, Example, PipelineData, ShellError, Signature, Span, Spanned, SyntaxShape, Type,
+    Value,
 };
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -181,15 +181,12 @@ fn action(input: &Value, arg: &Arguments, head: Span) -> Value {
             match mode {
                 ActionMode::Global => match other {
                     Value::Record { val: record, .. } => {
-                        let new_vals = record.vals.iter().map(|v| action(v, arg, head)).collect();
+                        let new_record = record
+                            .iter()
+                            .map(|(k, v)| (k.clone(), action(v, arg, head)))
+                            .collect();
 
-                        Value::record(
-                            Record {
-                                cols: record.cols.to_vec(),
-                                vals: new_vals,
-                            },
-                            span,
-                        )
+                        Value::record(new_record, span)
                     }
                     Value::List { vals, .. } => {
                         let new_vals = vals.iter().map(|v| action(v, arg, head)).collect();
diff --git a/crates/nu-engine/src/column.rs b/crates/nu-engine/src/column.rs
index 944a613f79..1507e046da 100644
--- a/crates/nu-engine/src/column.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-engine/src/column.rs
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@ pub fn get_columns(input: &[Value]) -> Vec<String> {
 }
 
 // If a column doesn't exist in the input, return it.
-pub fn nonexistent_column(inputs: &[String], columns: &[String]) -> Option<String> {
-    let set: HashSet<String> = HashSet::from_iter(columns.iter().cloned());
+pub fn nonexistent_column<'a, I>(inputs: &[String], columns: I) -> Option<String>
+where
+    I: IntoIterator<Item = &'a String>,
+{
+    let set: HashSet<&String> = HashSet::from_iter(columns);
 
     for input in inputs {
         if set.contains(input) {
diff --git a/crates/nu-explore/src/commands/help.rs b/crates/nu-explore/src/commands/help.rs
index 55e15ddb36..f687ca27b2 100644
--- a/crates/nu-explore/src/commands/help.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-explore/src/commands/help.rs
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ fn help_frame_data(
 
             let (cols, mut vals) = help_manual_data(manual, aliases);
             let vals = vals.remove(0);
-            Value::record(Record { cols, vals }, NuSpan::unknown())
+            Value::record(Record::from_raw_cols_vals(cols, vals), NuSpan::unknown())
         })
         .collect();
     let commands = Value::list(commands, NuSpan::unknown());
diff --git a/crates/nu-explore/src/nu_common/value.rs b/crates/nu-explore/src/nu_common/value.rs
index 0538b25b1f..94a578aa56 100644
--- a/crates/nu-explore/src/nu_common/value.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-explore/src/nu_common/value.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ fn collect_external_stream(
 pub fn collect_input(value: Value) -> (Vec<String>, Vec<Vec<Value>>) {
     let span = value.span();
     match value {
-        Value::Record { val: record, .. } => (record.cols, vec![record.vals]),
+        Value::Record { val: record, .. } => {
+            let (key, val) = record.into_iter().unzip();
+            (key, vec![val])
+        }
         Value::List { vals, .. } => {
             let mut columns = get_columns(&vals);
             let data = convert_records_to_dataset(&columns, vals);
diff --git a/crates/nu-explore/src/pager/mod.rs b/crates/nu-explore/src/pager/mod.rs
index d2cc8e18de..4b93c2f943 100644
--- a/crates/nu-explore/src/pager/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-explore/src/pager/mod.rs
@@ -1041,21 +1041,9 @@ fn set_config(hm: &mut HashMap<String, Value>, path: &[&str], value: Value) -> b
     match val {
         Value::Record { val: record, .. } => {
             if path.len() == 2 {
-                if record.cols.len() != record.vals.len() {
-                    return false;
-                }
+                let key = path[1];
 
-                let key = &path[1];
-
-                let pos = record.cols.iter().position(|v| v == key);
-                match pos {
-                    Some(i) => {
-                        record.vals[i] = value;
-                    }
-                    None => {
-                        record.push(*key, value);
-                    }
-                }
+                record.insert(key, value);
             } else {
                 let mut hm2: HashMap<String, Value> = HashMap::new();
                 for (k, v) in record.iter() {
diff --git a/crates/nu-explore/src/views/record/mod.rs b/crates/nu-explore/src/views/record/mod.rs
index d908202080..e514702418 100644
--- a/crates/nu-explore/src/views/record/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-explore/src/views/record/mod.rs
@@ -708,10 +708,7 @@ fn build_table_as_list(v: &RecordView) -> Value {
         .cloned()
         .map(|vals| {
             Value::record(
-                Record {
-                    cols: headers.clone(),
-                    vals,
-                },
+                Record::from_raw_cols_vals(headers.clone(), vals),
                 NuSpan::unknown(),
             )
         })
@@ -726,7 +723,7 @@ fn build_table_as_record(v: &RecordView) -> Value {
     let cols = layer.columns.to_vec();
     let vals = layer.records.get(0).map_or(Vec::new(), |row| row.clone());
 
-    Value::record(Record { cols, vals }, NuSpan::unknown())
+    Value::record(Record::from_raw_cols_vals(cols, vals), NuSpan::unknown())
 }
 
 fn report_cursor_position(mode: UIMode, cursor: XYCursor) -> String {
diff --git a/crates/nu_plugin_example/src/example.rs b/crates/nu_plugin_example/src/example.rs
index 643fcb0c1d..2f54b1404c 100644
--- a/crates/nu_plugin_example/src/example.rs
+++ b/crates/nu_plugin_example/src/example.rs
@@ -67,13 +67,7 @@ impl Example {
                     .map(|v| Value::int(v * i, call.head))
                     .collect::<Vec<Value>>();
 
-                Value::record(
-                    Record {
-                        cols: cols.clone(),
-                        vals,
-                    },
-                    call.head,
-                )
+                Value::record(Record::from_raw_cols_vals(cols.clone(), vals), call.head)
             })
             .collect::<Vec<Value>>();