diff --git a/geo/CHANGES.md b/geo/CHANGES.md
index 7a0b1ab8e..0c36437c8 100644
--- a/geo/CHANGES.md
+++ b/geo/CHANGES.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
   * <https://github.com/georust/geo/pull/1107>
 * Make `SpadeTriangulationConfig` actually configurable
   * <https://github.com/georust/geo/pull/1123>
+* PERF: small improvements to TriangulateSpade trait
+  * <https://github.com/georust/geo/pull/1122>
 
 ## 0.27.0
 
diff --git a/geo/Cargo.toml b/geo/Cargo.toml
index e587c1299..0096d6fc2 100644
--- a/geo/Cargo.toml
+++ b/geo/Cargo.toml
@@ -110,3 +110,7 @@ harness = false
 [[bench]]
 name = "monotone_subdiv"
 harness = false
+
+[[bench]]
+name = "triangulate"
+harness = false
diff --git a/geo/benches/triangulate.rs b/geo/benches/triangulate.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5074589bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geo/benches/triangulate.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+use criterion::{criterion_group, criterion_main};
+use geo::algorithm::{TriangulateEarcut, TriangulateSpade};
+use geo::geometry::Polygon;
+use geo::triangulate_spade::SpadeTriangulationConfig;
+
+fn criterion_benchmark(c: &mut criterion::Criterion) {
+    c.bench_function(
+        "TriangulateSpade (unconstrained) - small polys",
+        |bencher| {
+            let multi_poly = geo_test_fixtures::nl_zones::<f64>();
+            bencher.iter(|| {
+                for poly in &multi_poly {
+                    let triangulation =
+                        TriangulateSpade::unconstrained_triangulation(poly).unwrap();
+                    assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+                    criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+                }
+            });
+        },
+    );
+
+    c.bench_function("TriangulateSpade (constrained) - small polys", |bencher| {
+        let multi_poly = geo_test_fixtures::nl_zones::<f64>();
+        bencher.iter(|| {
+            for poly in &multi_poly {
+                let triangulation = TriangulateSpade::constrained_triangulation(
+                    poly,
+                    SpadeTriangulationConfig { snap_radius: 1e-8 },
+                )
+                .unwrap();
+                assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+                criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+            }
+        });
+    });
+
+    c.bench_function("TriangulateEarcut - small polys", |bencher| {
+        let multi_poly = geo_test_fixtures::nl_zones::<f64>();
+        bencher.iter(|| {
+            for poly in &multi_poly {
+                let triangulation = TriangulateEarcut::earcut_triangles(poly);
+                assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+                criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+            }
+        });
+    });
+
+    c.bench_function("TriangulateSpade (unconstrained) - large_poly", |bencher| {
+        let poly = Polygon::new(geo_test_fixtures::norway_main::<f64>(), vec![]);
+        bencher.iter(|| {
+            let triangulation = TriangulateSpade::unconstrained_triangulation(&poly).unwrap();
+            assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+            criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+        });
+    });
+
+    c.bench_function("TriangulateSpade (constrained) - large_poly", |bencher| {
+        let poly = Polygon::new(geo_test_fixtures::norway_main::<f64>(), vec![]);
+        bencher.iter(|| {
+            let triangulation = TriangulateSpade::constrained_triangulation(
+                &poly,
+                SpadeTriangulationConfig { snap_radius: 1e-8 },
+            )
+            .unwrap();
+            assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+            criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+        });
+    });
+
+    c.bench_function("TriangulateEarcut - large_poly", |bencher| {
+        let poly = Polygon::new(geo_test_fixtures::norway_main::<f64>(), vec![]);
+        bencher.iter(|| {
+            let triangulation = TriangulateEarcut::earcut_triangles(&poly);
+            assert!(triangulation.len() > 1);
+            criterion::black_box(triangulation);
+        });
+    });
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, criterion_benchmark);
+criterion_main!(benches);
diff --git a/geo/src/algorithm/triangulate_spade.rs b/geo/src/algorithm/triangulate_spade.rs
index 544c53963..96094a900 100644
--- a/geo/src/algorithm/triangulate_spade.rs
+++ b/geo/src/algorithm/triangulate_spade.rs
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ pub type Triangles<T> = Vec<Triangle<T>>;
 // so that we don't leak these weird methods on the public interface.
 mod private {
     use super::*;
+
+    pub(crate) type CoordsIter<'a, T> = Box<dyn Iterator<Item = Coord<T>> + 'a>;
+
     pub trait TriangulationRequirementTrait<'a, T>
     where
         T: SpadeTriangulationFloat,
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ mod private {
         fn lines(&'a self) -> Vec<Line<T>>;
         /// collect all the coords that are relevant for triangulations from the geometric object that
         /// should be triangulated
-        fn coords(&'a self) -> Vec<Coord<T>>;
+        fn coords(&'a self) -> CoordsIter<T>;
         /// define a predicate that decides if a point is inside of the object (used for constrained triangulation)
         fn contains_point(&'a self, p: Point<T>) -> bool;
 
@@ -315,8 +318,8 @@ where
     T: SpadeTriangulationFloat,
     G: LinesIter<'l, Scalar = T> + CoordsIter<Scalar = T> + Contains<Point<T>>,
 {
-    fn coords(&'a self) -> Vec<Coord<T>> {
-        self.coords_iter().collect::<Vec<_>>()
+    fn coords(&'a self) -> private::CoordsIter<T> {
+        Box::new(self.coords_iter())
     }
 
     fn lines(&'a self) -> Vec<Line<T>> {
@@ -333,11 +336,11 @@ where
 
 impl<'a, T, G> private::TriangulationRequirementTrait<'a, T> for Vec<G>
 where
-    T: SpadeTriangulationFloat,
+    T: SpadeTriangulationFloat + 'a,
     G: TriangulateSpade<'a, T>,
 {
-    fn coords(&'a self) -> Vec<Coord<T>> {
-        self.iter().flat_map(|g| g.coords()).collect::<Vec<_>>()
+    fn coords(&'a self) -> private::CoordsIter<T> {
+        Box::new(self.iter().flat_map(|g| g.coords()))
     }
 
     fn lines(&'a self) -> Vec<Line<T>> {
@@ -351,11 +354,11 @@ where
 
 impl<'a, T, G> private::TriangulationRequirementTrait<'a, T> for &[G]
 where
-    T: SpadeTriangulationFloat,
+    T: SpadeTriangulationFloat + 'a,
     G: TriangulateSpade<'a, T>,
 {
-    fn coords(&'a self) -> Vec<Coord<T>> {
-        self.iter().flat_map(|g| g.coords()).collect::<Vec<_>>()
+    fn coords(&'a self) -> private::CoordsIter<T> {
+        Box::new(self.iter().flat_map(|g| g.coords()))
     }
 
     fn lines(&'a self) -> Vec<Line<T>> {