diff --git a/crates/types/src/compound/list.rs b/crates/types/src/compound/list.rs
index d1b0cde..45fe33e 100644
--- a/crates/types/src/compound/list.rs
+++ b/crates/types/src/compound/list.rs
@@ -3,105 +3,118 @@ use crate::compound::peano::{P0, Peano, PNext};
 #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
 
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "fmt", derive(Debug))]
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
-pub struct Null;
-
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "fmt", derive(Debug))]
-#[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
-pub struct Node<H, T> {
-    head: H,
-    // Null or Node
-    tail: T,
-}
-
-impl<H, T> Node<H, T> {
-    fn new(head: H, tail: T) -> Self {
-        Self { head, tail }
-    }
-}
-
-pub trait Chomp {
+pub trait TuplePrims: Sized {
     type Head; // single element
     type Tail; // variably-sized tuple
-    fn chomp(self) -> (Self::Head, Self::Tail);
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head;
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail;
 }
-impl<E0> Chomp for (E0,) {
+impl<E0> TuplePrims for (E0,) {
     type Head = E0;
     type Tail = ();
-    fn chomp(self) -> (Self::Head, Self::Tail) {
-        (self.0, ())
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head {
+        self.0
+    }
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail {
+        ()
     }
 }
-impl<E0, E1> Chomp for (E0, E1) {
+impl<E0, E1> TuplePrims for (E0, E1) {
     type Head = E0;
     type Tail = (E1,);
-    fn chomp(self) -> (Self::Head, Self::Tail) {
-        (self.0, (self.1,))
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head {
+        self.0
+    }
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail {
+        (self.1,)
     }
 }
-impl<E0, E1, E2> Chomp for (E0, E1, E2) {
+impl<E0, E1, E2> TuplePrims for (E0, E1, E2) {
     type Head = E0;
     type Tail = (E1, E2);
-    fn chomp(self) -> (Self::Head, Self::Tail) {
-        (self.0, (self.1, self.2))
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head {
+        self.0
+    }
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail {
+        (self.1, self.2)
     }
 }
-impl<E0, E1, E2, E3> Chomp for (E0, E1, E2, E3) {
+impl<E0, E1, E2, E3> TuplePrims for (E0, E1, E2, E3) {
     type Head = E0;
     type Tail = (E1, E2, E3);
-    fn chomp(self) -> (Self::Head, Self::Tail) {
-        (self.0, (self.1, self.2, self.3))
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head {
+        self.0
+    }
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail {
+        (self.1, self.2, self.3)
     }
 }
 
-pub trait IntoList {
-    type List;
-    fn into_list(self) -> Self::List;
-}
-
-impl<Args> IntoList for Args
-where
-    Args: Chomp,
-    Args::Tail: IntoList,
-{
-    type List = Node<Args::Head, <<Args as Chomp>::Tail as IntoList>::List>;
-    fn into_list(self) -> Self::List {
-        let (head, tail) = self.chomp();
-        Node::new(head, tail.into_list())
-    }
-}
-
-impl IntoList for () {
-    type List = Null;
-    fn into_list(self) -> Self::List {
-        Null
-    }
-}
 
 // note that this construction allows a zero-length list (Null),
 // which is sort of interesting.
-pub type List<Args> = <Args as IntoList>::List;
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "fmt", derive(Debug))]
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
+pub struct List<Args>(Args);
 
-// zero-index into Self
-impl<H, T> core::ops::Index<P0> for Node<H, T> {
-    type Output = H;
-    fn index(&self, _: P0) -> &Self::Output {
-        &self.head
+impl<Args> List<Args> {
+    pub fn new(args: Args) -> Self {
+        Self(args)
     }
 }
 
-// index N+1 into Self given that we know how to index N into Self::next
-impl<H, T, P> core::ops::Index<PNext<P>> for Node<H, T>
+pub trait ListPrims: Sized {
+    type Head; // single element
+    type Tail; // variably-sized List
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head;
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail;
+}
+
+impl<Args: TuplePrims> ListPrims for List<Args> {
+    type Head = Args::Head;
+    type Tail = List<Args::Tail>;
+    fn into_head(self) -> Self::Head {
+        self.0.into_head()
+    }
+    fn into_tail(self) -> Self::Tail {
+        List(self.0.into_tail())
+    }
+}
+
+pub trait Consumable<P> {
+    type Result: ListPrims;
+    fn consume(self) -> Self::Result;
+}
+
+impl<Args: TuplePrims> Consumable<P0> for List<Args> {
+    type Result = Self;
+    fn consume(self) -> Self::Result {
+        self
+    }
+}
+
+impl<Args, P> Consumable<PNext<P>> for List<Args>
 where
-    P: Peano,
-    T: core::ops::Index<P>,
+    Self: ListPrims,
+    <Self as ListPrims>::Tail: Consumable<P>,
 {
-    type Output = T::Output;
-    fn index(&self, _: PNext<P>) -> &Self::Output {
-        self.tail.index(P::default())
+    type Result = <<Self as ListPrims>::Tail as Consumable<P>>::Result;
+    fn consume(self) -> Self::Result {
+        self.into_tail().consume()
+    }
+}
+
+impl<Args: TuplePrims> List<Args> {
+    pub fn consume<P>(self) -> <Self as Consumable<P>>::Result
+        where Self: Consumable<P>
+    {
+        Consumable::<P>::consume(self)
+    }
+    pub fn get<P>(self) -> <<Self as Consumable<P>>::Result as ListPrims>::Head
+        where Self: Consumable<P>
+    {
+        self.consume().into_head()
     }
 }
 
@@ -113,20 +126,12 @@ mod test {
     use core::cell::Cell;
 
     #[test]
-    fn test_into_list() {
-        let list = (5u32, 4i32, 3f32).into_list();
+    fn get() {
+        let list = List((5u32, 4i32, 3f32));
 
-        assert_eq!(list[P0::default()], 5u32);
-        assert_eq!(list[P1::default()], 4i32);
-        assert_eq!(list[P2::default()], 3f32);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn test_list_default() {
-        let defaulted = List::<(i32, f32, u32)>::default();
-        let explicit = (0i32, 0f32, 0u32).into_list();
-
-        assert!(defaulted == explicit);
+        assert_eq!(list.get::<P0>(), 5u32);
+        assert_eq!(list.get::<P1>(), 4i32);
+        assert_eq!(list.get::<P2>(), 3f32);
     }
 
     // #[test]
diff --git a/crates/types/src/mat/mod.rs b/crates/types/src/mat/mod.rs
index b708c59..5fad896 100644
--- a/crates/types/src/mat/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/types/src/mat/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 use crate::real::Real;
 use crate::vec::Vec3;
+use crate::compound::list::{List, ListPrims as _};
+use crate::compound::peano::{P0, P1};
 
 mod conductor;
 mod mb_pgram;
@@ -30,20 +32,17 @@ pub trait DiscriminantCodable {
     fn make_discr(d: u32) -> Self;
 }
 
-pub struct D0<T>(pub T);
-pub struct D1<T>(pub T);
-
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "fmt", derive(Debug))]
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Default, PartialEq)]
-pub struct DiscrMat2<M0, M1> {
-    m0: M0,
-    m1: M1,
-}
+pub struct DiscrMat2<M0, M1>(List<(M0, M1)>);
+
+pub struct D0<T>(pub T);
+pub struct D1<T>(pub T);
 
 impl<M0, M1> DiscrMat2<M0, M1> {
     fn new_from_fields(m0: M0, m1: M1) -> Self {
-        Self { m0, m1 }
+        Self(List::new((m0, m1)))
     }
 }
 
@@ -71,27 +70,19 @@ impl<M0: DiscriminantCodable, M1> From<D1<M1>> for DiscrMat2<M0, M1> {
     }
 }
 
-impl<R: Real, M0: DiscriminantCodable + Material<R>, M1: Material<R> + Copy> Material<R> for DiscrMat2<M0, M1> {
+impl<R: Real, M0: DiscriminantCodable + Material<R> + Copy, M1: Material<R> + Copy> Material<R> for DiscrMat2<M0, M1> {
     fn conductivity(&self) -> Vec3<R> {
-        match self.m0.discr() {
-            0 => self.m0.conductivity(),
-            1 => {
-                let mat = self.m1;  //< XXX hack for ZST
-                mat.conductivity()
-            }
-            _ => panic!()
-            // _ => unreachable!(),
+        match self.0.get::<P0>().discr() {
+            0 => self.0.get::<P0>().conductivity(),
+            1 => self.0.get::<P1>().conductivity(),
+            _ => unreachable!(),
         }
     }
     fn move_b_vec(&self, m: Vec3<R>, target_b: Vec3<R>) -> Vec3<R> {
-        match self.m0.discr() {
-            0 => self.m0.move_b_vec(m, target_b),
-            1 => {
-                let mat = self.m1;  //< XXX hack for ZST
-                mat.move_b_vec(m, target_b)
-            }
-            _ => panic!()
-            // _ => unreachable!(),
+        match self.0.into_head().discr() {
+            0 => self.0.get::<P0>().move_b_vec(m, target_b),
+            1 => self.0.get::<P1>().move_b_vec(m, target_b),
+            _ => unreachable!(),
         }
     }
 }