diff --git a/ringbuf/reader.go b/ringbuf/reader.go
index 64e5fec6f..3b1f26ef7 100644
--- a/ringbuf/reader.go
+++ b/ringbuf/reader.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ var (
 	errBusy    = errors.New("sample not committed yet")
 )
 
+var ringbufHeaderSize = binary.Size(ringbufHeader{})
+
 // ringbufHeader from 'struct bpf_ringbuf_hdr' in kernel/bpf/ringbuf.c
 type ringbufHeader struct {
 	Len   uint32
@@ -42,23 +44,29 @@ type Record struct {
 	RawSample []byte
 }
 
-func readRecord(rd *ringbufEventRing) (r Record, err error) {
+// Read a record from an event ring.
+//
+// buf must be at least ringbufHeaderSize bytes long.
+func readRecord(rd *ringbufEventRing, rec *Record, buf []byte) error {
 	rd.loadConsumer()
-	var header ringbufHeader
-	err = binary.Read(rd, internal.NativeEndian, &header)
-	if err == io.EOF {
-		return Record{}, err
+
+	buf = buf[:ringbufHeaderSize]
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rd, buf); err == io.EOF {
+		return err
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("read event header: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return Record{}, fmt.Errorf("can't read event header: %w", err)
+	header := ringbufHeader{
+		internal.NativeEndian.Uint32(buf[0:4]),
+		internal.NativeEndian.Uint32(buf[4:8]),
 	}
 
 	if header.isBusy() {
 		// the next sample in the ring is not committed yet so we
 		// exit without storing the reader/consumer position
 		// and start again from the same position.
-		return Record{}, fmt.Errorf("%w", errBusy)
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w", errBusy)
 	}
 
 	/* read up to 8 byte alignment */
@@ -73,18 +81,22 @@ func readRecord(rd *ringbufEventRing) (r Record, err error) {
 		rd.skipRead(dataLenAligned)
 		rd.storeConsumer()
 
-		return Record{}, fmt.Errorf("%w", errDiscard)
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w", errDiscard)
 	}
 
-	data := make([]byte, dataLenAligned)
+	if cap(rec.RawSample) < int(dataLenAligned) {
+		rec.RawSample = make([]byte, dataLenAligned)
+	} else {
+		rec.RawSample = rec.RawSample[:dataLenAligned]
+	}
 
-	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rd, data); err != nil {
-		return Record{}, fmt.Errorf("can't read sample: %w", err)
+	if _, err := io.ReadFull(rd, rec.RawSample); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("read sample: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	rd.storeConsumer()
-
-	return Record{RawSample: data[:header.dataLen()]}, nil
+	rec.RawSample = rec.RawSample[:header.dataLen()]
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Reader allows reading bpf_ringbuf_output
@@ -96,6 +108,7 @@ type Reader struct {
 	mu          sync.Mutex
 	ring        *ringbufEventRing
 	epollEvents []unix.EpollEvent
+	header      []byte
 }
 
 // NewReader creates a new BPF ringbuf reader.
@@ -129,6 +142,7 @@ func NewReader(ringbufMap *ebpf.Map) (*Reader, error) {
 		poller:      poller,
 		ring:        ring,
 		epollEvents: make([]unix.EpollEvent, 1),
+		header:      make([]byte, ringbufHeaderSize),
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -159,24 +173,30 @@ func (r *Reader) Close() error {
 //
 // Calling Close interrupts the function.
 func (r *Reader) Read() (Record, error) {
+	var rec Record
+	return rec, r.ReadInto(&rec)
+}
+
+// ReadInto is like Read except that it allows reusing Record and associated buffers.
+func (r *Reader) ReadInto(rec *Record) error {
 	r.mu.Lock()
 	defer r.mu.Unlock()
 
 	if r.ring == nil {
-		return Record{}, fmt.Errorf("ringbuffer: %w", ErrClosed)
+		return fmt.Errorf("ringbuffer: %w", ErrClosed)
 	}
 
 	for {
 		_, err := r.poller.Wait(r.epollEvents)
 		if err != nil {
-			return Record{}, err
+			return err
 		}
 
-		record, err := readRecord(r.ring)
+		err = readRecord(r.ring, rec, r.header)
 		if errors.Is(err, errBusy) || errors.Is(err, errDiscard) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		return record, err
+		return err
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ringbuf/reader_test.go b/ringbuf/reader_test.go
index 34ef6ec8f..71e1ea04b 100644
--- a/ringbuf/reader_test.go
+++ b/ringbuf/reader_test.go
@@ -254,3 +254,34 @@ func BenchmarkReader(b *testing.B) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func BenchmarkReadInto(b *testing.B) {
+	testutils.SkipOnOldKernel(b, "5.8", "BPF ring buffer")
+
+	prog, events := mustOutputSamplesProg(b, 0, 80)
+
+	rd, err := NewReader(events)
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer rd.Close()
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 14)
+
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+
+	var rec Record
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		ret, _, err := prog.Test(buf)
+		if err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		} else if errno := syscall.Errno(-int32(ret)); errno != 0 {
+			b.Fatal("Expected 0 as return value, got", errno)
+		}
+
+		if err := rd.ReadInto(&rec); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal("Can't read samples:", err)
+		}
+	}
+}