diff --git a/metrics-tracing-context/Cargo.toml b/metrics-tracing-context/Cargo.toml
index e0b90a5..a1c12c0 100644
--- a/metrics-tracing-context/Cargo.toml
+++ b/metrics-tracing-context/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ bench = false
 name = "visit"
 harness = false
 
+[[bench]]
+name = "layer"
+harness = false
+
 [dependencies]
 metrics = { version = "0.13.0-alpha.1", path = "../metrics", features = ["std"] }
 metrics-util = { version = "0.4.0-alpha.1", path = "../metrics-util" }
diff --git a/metrics-tracing-context/benches/layer.rs b/metrics-tracing-context/benches/layer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92f1904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/metrics-tracing-context/benches/layer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+use criterion::{criterion_group, criterion_main, Benchmark, Criterion};
+use metrics::{Key, KeyData, Label, NoopRecorder, Recorder};
+use metrics_tracing_context::{MetricsLayer, TracingContextLayer};
+use metrics_util::layers::Layer;
+use tracing::{
+    dispatcher::{with_default, Dispatch},
+    span, Level,
+};
+use tracing_subscriber::{layer::SubscriberExt, Registry};
+
+fn layer_benchmark(c: &mut Criterion) {
+    c.bench(
+        "layer",
+        Benchmark::new("all/enhance_key", |b| {
+            let subscriber = Registry::default().with(MetricsLayer::new());
+            let dispatcher = Dispatch::new(subscriber);
+            with_default(&dispatcher, || {
+                let user = "ferris";
+                let email = "ferris@rust-lang.org";
+                let span = span!(Level::TRACE, "login", user, user.email = email);
+                let _guard = span.enter();
+
+                let tracing_layer = TracingContextLayer::all();
+                let recorder = tracing_layer.layer(NoopRecorder);
+                static LABELS: [Label; 1] = [Label::from_static_parts("foo", "bar")];
+                static KEY_DATA: KeyData = KeyData::from_static_parts("key", &LABELS);
+
+                b.iter(|| {
+                    recorder.increment_counter(Key::Borrowed(&KEY_DATA), 1);
+                })
+            })
+        })
+        .with_function("noop recorder overhead (increment_counter)", |b| {
+            let recorder = NoopRecorder;
+            static LABELS: [Label; 1] = [Label::from_static_parts("foo", "bar")];
+            static KEY_DATA: KeyData = KeyData::from_static_parts("key", &LABELS);
+
+            b.iter(|| {
+                recorder.increment_counter(Key::Borrowed(&KEY_DATA), 1);
+            })
+        }),
+    );
+}
+
+criterion_group!(benches, layer_benchmark);
+criterion_main!(benches);
diff --git a/metrics-tracing-context/src/tracing_integration.rs b/metrics-tracing-context/src/tracing_integration.rs
index 9d07340..f55b8a4 100644
--- a/metrics-tracing-context/src/tracing_integration.rs
+++ b/metrics-tracing-context/src/tracing_integration.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ impl Visit for Labels {
     }
 
     fn record_bool(&mut self, field: &Field, value: bool) {
-        let label = Label::new(field.name(), if value { "true" } else { "false " });
+        let label = Label::new(field.name(), if value { "true" } else { "false" });
         self.0.push(label);
     }
 
diff --git a/metrics-util/src/debugging.rs b/metrics-util/src/debugging.rs
index f26e948..4c6ab66 100644
--- a/metrics-util/src/debugging.rs
+++ b/metrics-util/src/debugging.rs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pub struct Snapshotter {
     registry: Arc<Registry<DifferentiatedKey, Handle>>,
     metrics: Option<Arc<Mutex<IndexMap<DifferentiatedKey, ()>>>>,
     units: UnitMap,
-    descriptions: DescriptionMap,
+    descs: DescriptionMap,
 }
 
 impl Snapshotter {
@@ -115,27 +115,15 @@ impl Snapshotter {
                     metrics.clone()
                 };
 
-                for (dkey, _) in metrics.into_iter() {
-                    if let Some(handle) = handles.get(&dkey) {
-                        collect_metric(
-                            dkey,
-                            handle,
-                            &self.units,
-                            &self.descriptions,
-                            &mut snapshot,
-                        );
+                for (dk, _) in metrics.into_iter() {
+                    if let Some(h) = handles.get(&dk) {
+                        collect_metric(dk, h, &self.units, &self.descs, &mut snapshot);
                     }
                 }
             }
             None => {
-                for (dkey, handle) in handles.into_iter() {
-                    collect_metric(
-                        dkey,
-                        &handle,
-                        &self.units,
-                        &self.descriptions,
-                        &mut snapshot,
-                    );
+                for (dk, h) in handles.into_iter() {
+                    collect_metric(dk, &h, &self.units, &self.descs, &mut snapshot);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -152,7 +140,7 @@ pub struct DebuggingRecorder {
     registry: Arc<Registry<DifferentiatedKey, Handle>>,
     metrics: Option<Arc<Mutex<IndexMap<DifferentiatedKey, ()>>>>,
     units: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<DifferentiatedKey, Unit>>>,
-    descriptions: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<DifferentiatedKey, &'static str>>>,
+    descs: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<DifferentiatedKey, &'static str>>>,
 }
 
 impl DebuggingRecorder {
@@ -177,7 +165,7 @@ impl DebuggingRecorder {
             registry: Arc::new(Registry::new()),
             metrics,
             units: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
-            descriptions: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
+            descs: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
         }
     }
 
@@ -187,7 +175,7 @@ impl DebuggingRecorder {
             registry: self.registry.clone(),
             metrics: self.metrics.clone(),
             units: self.units.clone(),
-            descriptions: self.descriptions.clone(),
+            descs: self.descs.clone(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -202,17 +190,17 @@ impl DebuggingRecorder {
         &self,
         rkey: DifferentiatedKey,
         unit: Option<Unit>,
-        description: Option<&'static str>,
+        desc: Option<&'static str>,
     ) {
         if let Some(unit) = unit {
             let mut units = self.units.lock().expect("units lock poisoned");
             let uentry = units.entry(rkey.clone()).or_insert_with(|| unit.clone());
             *uentry = unit;
         }
-        if let Some(description) = description {
-            let mut descriptions = self.descriptions.lock().expect("description lock poisoned");
-            let dentry = descriptions.entry(rkey).or_insert_with(|| description);
-            *dentry = description;
+        if let Some(desc) = desc {
+            let mut descs = self.descs.lock().expect("description lock poisoned");
+            let dentry = descs.entry(rkey).or_insert_with(|| desc);
+            *dentry = desc;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/metrics/src/recorder.rs b/metrics/src/recorder.rs
index dd27356..9e73649 100644
--- a/metrics/src/recorder.rs
+++ b/metrics/src/recorder.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@ pub trait Recorder {
     fn record_histogram(&self, key: Key, value: u64);
 }
 
-struct NoopRecorder;
+/// A no-op recorder.
+///
+/// Used as the default recorder when one has not been installed yet.  Useful for acting as the root
+/// recorder when testing layers.
+pub struct NoopRecorder;
 
 impl Recorder for NoopRecorder {
     fn register_counter(&self, _key: Key, _unit: Option<Unit>, _description: Option<&'static str>) {