diff --git a/src/NavLights.cpp b/src/NavLights.cpp
index 1e93a02c0ac..b919d149588 100644
--- a/src/NavLights.cpp
+++ b/src/NavLights.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,14 @@ static vector2f get_color(Uint8 c)
 
 static inline vector2f LoadLightColorUVoffset(const std::string &spec)
 {
-	std::vector<float> v(2);
-	SplitSpec(spec, v);
+	std::vector<float> v;
+	// parse float values in the spec
+	SplitString(spec, ",").to_vector(v, [](std::string_view str) {
+		return std::atof(std::string(str).c_str());
+	});
+
+	// ensure the spec has enough values
+	v.resize(2);
 	return vector2f(v[0], v[1]);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/StringUtils.cpp b/src/core/StringUtils.cpp
index 4c984397086..4044738d9f3 100644
--- a/src/core/StringUtils.cpp
+++ b/src/core/StringUtils.cpp
@@ -185,32 +185,22 @@ const char *pi_strcasestr(const char *haystack, const char *needle)
 	}
 }
 
-std::vector<std::string> SplitString(const std::string &source, const std::string &delim)
+size_t SplitString::step(std::string_view str)
 {
-	bool stringSplitted = false;
-	std::vector<std::string> splitted;
-
-	size_t startPos = 0;
-	do {
-		// try to find delim
-		size_t delimPos = source.find(delim, startPos);
-
-		// if delim found
-		if (delimPos != std::string::npos) {
-			std::string element = source.substr(startPos, delimPos);
-			splitted.push_back(element);
-
-			// prepare next loop
-			startPos = delimPos + delim.length();
-		} else {
-			// push tail and exit
-			splitted.push_back(source.substr(startPos));
-			stringSplitted = true;
-		}
+	return m_reverse ? str.find_last_of(m_delim) : str.find_first_of(m_delim);
+}
 
-	} while (!stringSplitted);
+void SplitString::trim(std::string_view &str, size_t next)
+{
+	if (next == std::string_view::npos) {
+		str = {};
+		return;
+	}
 
-	return splitted;
+	if (m_reverse)
+		str.remove_suffix((str.size() + 1) - str.find_last_not_of(m_delim, next));
+	else
+		str.remove_prefix(str.find_first_not_of(m_delim, next));
 }
 
 std::string FloatToStr(float val)
diff --git a/src/core/StringUtils.h b/src/core/StringUtils.h
index a46033f057a..8fa9e53ac58 100644
--- a/src/core/StringUtils.h
+++ b/src/core/StringUtils.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <string_view>
 #include <vector>
+#include <iterator>
 #include <cstdint>
 
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
@@ -119,53 +120,92 @@ inline std::string_view strip_spaces(std::string_view &s)
 	return s.substr(start, end);
 }
 
-static inline size_t SplitSpec(const std::string &spec, std::vector<int> &output)
-{
-	static const std::string delim(",");
-
-	size_t i = 0, start = 0, end = 0;
-	while (end != std::string::npos) {
-		// get to the first non-delim char
-		start = spec.find_first_not_of(delim, end);
-
-		// read the end, no more to do
-		if (start == std::string::npos)
-			break;
-
-		// find the end - next delim or end of string
-		end = spec.find_first_of(delim, start);
+// Utility class to split a string based on a provided set of delimiters
+// Makes find_first_of / find_last_of more ergonomic to use
+struct SplitString {
+	struct iter {
+		using value_type = std::string_view;
+		using reference = std::string_view;
+
+		// "end" iterator
+		iter() : m_str(), m_parent(nullptr) {};
+		// "live" iterator
+		iter(SplitString *parent) :
+			m_parent(parent),
+			m_str(parent->m_orig),
+			m_next(parent->step(m_str))
+		{
+		}
+
+		value_type operator*()
+		{
+			if (m_next != std::string_view::npos)
+				return m_parent->m_reverse ? m_str.substr(m_next + 1) : m_str.substr(0, m_next);
+			else
+				return m_str;
+		}
+
+		iter &operator++()
+		{
+			m_parent->trim(m_str, m_next);
+			m_next = m_parent->step(m_str);
+			return *this;
+		}
+
+		bool operator!=(const iter &rhs) { return !(*this == rhs); }
+		bool operator==(const iter &rhs) {
+			return (m_str.empty() && rhs.m_str.empty()) ||
+				(m_parent == rhs.m_parent && m_str.size() == rhs.m_str.size());
+		}
+
+	private:
+		SplitString *m_parent;
+		std::string_view m_str;
+		size_t m_next = std::string_view::npos;
+	};
+
+	SplitString(std::string_view source, std::string_view delim) :
+		m_orig(source), m_delim(delim)
+	{}
+
+	SplitString(std::string_view source, std::string_view delim, bool reverse) :
+		m_orig(source), m_delim(delim), m_reverse(reverse)
+	{}
+
+	iter begin() { return iter(this); }
+	iter end() { return iter(); }
+
+	// Split the input string to a vector of fragments using the specified type
+	template<typename T = std::string_view>
+	std::vector<T> to_vector() {
+		std::vector<T> out;
+		for (auto str : *this) {
+			out.push_back(T(str));
+		}
 
-		// extract the fragment and remember it
-		output[i++] = atoi(spec.substr(start, (end == std::string::npos) ? std::string::npos : end - start).c_str());
+		return out;
 	}
 
-	return i;
-}
-
-static inline size_t SplitSpec(const std::string &spec, std::vector<float> &output)
-{
-	static const std::string delim(",");
-
-	size_t i = 0, start = 0, end = 0;
-	while (end != std::string::npos) {
-		// get to the first non-delim char
-		start = spec.find_first_not_of(delim, end);
-
-		// read the end, no more to do
-		if (start == std::string::npos)
-			break;
-
-		// find the end - next delim or end of string
-		end = spec.find_first_of(delim, start);
-
-		// extract the fragment and remember it
-		output[i++] = atof(spec.substr(start, (end == std::string::npos) ? std::string::npos : end - start).c_str());
+	// Apply the given predicate to each fragment of the string and push the result into the given container
+	template<typename Container, typename Predicate>
+	void to_vector(Container &c, Predicate p) {
+		for (auto str : *this) {
+			c.push_back(p(str));
+		}
 	}
 
-	return i;
-}
+private:
+	friend struct iter;
+
+	// find the boundary for the next token
+	size_t step(std::string_view str);
+	// remove previous substring if present
+	void trim(std::string_view &str, size_t next);
 
-std::vector<std::string> SplitString(const std::string &source, const std::string &delim);
+	std::string_view m_orig;
+	std::string_view m_delim;
+	bool m_reverse = false;
+};
 
 // 'Numeric type' to string conversions.
 std::string FloatToStr(float val);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 5cae87bd42b..2359184c003 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ extern "C" int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		// fallthrough protect
 		if (mode == MODE_START_AT) {
 			// try to get start planet number
-			std::vector<std::string> keyValue = SplitString(modeopt, "=");
+			std::vector<std::string> keyValue = SplitString(modeopt, "=").to_vector<std::string>();
 
 			// if found value
 			if (keyValue.size() == 2) {
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ extern "C" int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			// for each argument
 			for (; pos < argc; pos++) {
 				const std::string arg(argv[pos]);
-				std::vector<std::string> keyValue = SplitString(arg, "=");
+				std::vector<std::string> keyValue = SplitString(arg, "=").to_vector<std::string>();
 
 				// if there no key and value || key is empty || value is empty
 				if (keyValue.size() != 2 || keyValue[0].empty() || keyValue[1].empty()) {