diff --git a/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs b/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
index 088cf3056e..2cfd12d7df 100644
--- a/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
+++ b/bench-vortex/benches/compress.rs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ fn parquet_decompress_read(buf: bytes::Bytes) -> usize {
 }
 
 fn parquet_compressed_written_size(array: &ArrayData, compression: Compression) -> usize {
-    let chunked = ChunkedArray::try_from(array.clone()).unwrap();
+    let chunked = ChunkedArray::maybe_from(array.clone()).unwrap();
     let (batches, schema) = chunked_to_vec_record_batch(chunked);
     parquet_compress_write(batches, schema, compression, &mut Vec::new())
 }
diff --git a/encodings/alp/src/alp/array.rs b/encodings/alp/src/alp/array.rs
index 91e1f67d3c..eae2d6e3b3 100644
--- a/encodings/alp/src/alp/array.rs
+++ b/encodings/alp/src/alp/array.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ impl ALPArray {
     }
 
     pub fn encode(array: ArrayData) -> VortexResult<ArrayData> {
-        if let Ok(parray) = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array) {
+        if let Some(parray) = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array) {
             Ok(alp_encode(&parray)?.into_array())
         } else {
             vortex_bail!("ALP can only encode primitive arrays");
diff --git a/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/search_sorted.rs b/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/search_sorted.rs
index a7cfe4059c..f8b85b004e 100644
--- a/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/search_sorted.rs
+++ b/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/search_sorted.rs
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ impl<'a, T: BitPacking + NativePType> BitPackedSearch<'a, T> {
         let min_patch_offset = array
             .patches()
             .and_then(|p| {
-                SparseArray::try_from(p)
+                SparseArray::maybe_from(p)
                     .vortex_expect("Only sparse patches are supported")
                     .min_index()
             })
diff --git a/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/slice.rs b/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/slice.rs
index a2be5e461c..8fef04b8d4 100644
--- a/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/slice.rs
+++ b/encodings/fastlanes/src/bitpacking/compute/slice.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ impl SliceFn<BitPackedArray> for BitPackedEncoding {
                 .filter(|a| {
                     // If the sliced patch_indices is empty, we should not propagate the patches.
                     // There may be other logic that depends on Some(patches) indicating non-empty.
-                    !SparseArray::try_from(a.clone())
+                    !SparseArray::maybe_from(a.clone())
                         .vortex_expect("BitPackedArray must encode patches as SparseArray")
                         .indices()
                         .is_empty()
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/array/extension/compute/compare.rs b/vortex-array/src/array/extension/compute/compare.rs
index 9dbc1ecc8c..47e53be14b 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/array/extension/compute/compare.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/array/extension/compute/compare.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use vortex_error::VortexResult;
 
 use crate::array::{ConstantArray, ExtensionArray, ExtensionEncoding};
 use crate::compute::{compare, CompareFn, Operator};
-use crate::encoding::EncodingVTable;
 use crate::{ArrayData, ArrayLen};
 
 impl CompareFn<ExtensionArray> for ExtensionEncoding {
@@ -24,8 +23,7 @@ impl CompareFn<ExtensionArray> for ExtensionEncoding {
         }
 
         // If the RHS is an extension array matching ours, we can extract the storage.
-        if rhs.is_encoding(ExtensionEncoding.id()) {
-            let rhs_ext = ExtensionArray::try_from(rhs.clone())?;
+        if let Some(rhs_ext) = ExtensionArray::maybe_from(rhs.clone()) {
             return compare(lhs.storage(), rhs_ext.storage(), operator).map(Some);
         }
 
diff --git a/vortex-array/src/macros.rs b/vortex-array/src/macros.rs
index 9a363b2bdc..9a69549309 100644
--- a/vortex-array/src/macros.rs
+++ b/vortex-array/src/macros.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ macro_rules! impl_encoding {
                             stats
                     )?)
                 }
+
+                /// Optionally downcast an [`ArrayData`](crate::ArrayData) instance to a specific encoding.
+                ///
+                /// Preferred in cases where a backtrace isn't needed, like when trying multiple encoding to go
+                /// down different code paths.
+                pub fn maybe_from(data: $crate::ArrayData) -> Option<Self> {
+                    (data.encoding().id() == <[<$Name Encoding>] as $crate::encoding::Encoding>::ID).then_some(Self(data))
+                }
             }
 
             impl TryFrom<$crate::ArrayData> for [<$Name Array>] {
diff --git a/vortex-ipc/src/stream_writer/mod.rs b/vortex-ipc/src/stream_writer/mod.rs
index b3f7210526..800c7fb607 100644
--- a/vortex-ipc/src/stream_writer/mod.rs
+++ b/vortex-ipc/src/stream_writer/mod.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ use std::fmt::{Display, Formatter};
 use std::ops::Range;
 
 use futures_util::{Stream, TryStreamExt};
-use vortex_array::array::{ChunkedArray, ChunkedEncoding};
-use vortex_array::encoding::EncodingVTable;
+use vortex_array::array::ChunkedArray;
 use vortex_array::stream::ArrayStream;
 use vortex_array::ArrayData;
 use vortex_buffer::Buffer;
@@ -83,9 +82,8 @@ impl<W: VortexWrite> StreamArrayWriter<W> {
     }
 
     pub async fn write_array(self, array: ArrayData) -> VortexResult<Self> {
-        if array.is_encoding(ChunkedEncoding.id()) {
-            self.write_array_stream(ChunkedArray::try_from(array)?.array_stream())
-                .await
+        if let Some(chunked_array) = ChunkedArray::maybe_from(array.clone()) {
+            self.write_array_stream(chunked_array.array_stream()).await
         } else {
             self.write_array_stream(array.into_array_stream()).await
         }
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp.rs
index de3985029f..df1f506e01 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for ALPCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports f32 and f64
         if !matches!(parray.ptype(), PType::F32 | PType::F64) {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp_rd.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp_rd.rs
index 96f44473ca..410afce9f6 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp_rd.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/alp_rd.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for ALPRDCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports f32 and f64
         if !matches!(parray.ptype(), PType::F32 | PType::F64) {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/bitpacked.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/bitpacked.rs
index 97741a7eee..f1138bd509 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/bitpacked.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/bitpacked.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for BitPackedCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports unsigned ints
         if !parray.ptype().is_unsigned_int() {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/delta.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/delta.rs
index 74c0124cf5..d5107be7b9 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/delta.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/delta.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for DeltaCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports ints
         if !parray.ptype().is_unsigned_int() {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/dict.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/dict.rs
index 112861deef..9eb305cee0 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/dict.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/dict.rs
@@ -54,16 +54,13 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for DictCompressor {
         like: Option<CompressionTree<'a>>,
         ctx: SamplingCompressor<'a>,
     ) -> VortexResult<CompressedArray<'a>> {
-        let (codes, values) = if array.is_encoding(PrimitiveEncoding::ID) {
-            let p = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone())?;
+        let (codes, values) = if let Some(p) = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone()) {
             let (codes, values) = dict_encode_primitive(&p);
             (codes.into_array(), values.into_array())
-        } else if array.is_encoding(VarBinEncoding::ID) {
-            let vb = VarBinArray::try_from(array.clone())?;
+        } else if let Some(vb) = VarBinArray::maybe_from(array.clone()) {
             let (codes, values) = dict_encode_varbin(&vb);
             (codes.into_array(), values.into_array())
-        } else if array.is_encoding(VarBinViewEncoding::ID) {
-            let vb = VarBinViewArray::try_from(array.clone())?;
+        } else if let Some(vb) = VarBinViewArray::maybe_from(array.clone()) {
             let (codes, values) = dict_encode_varbinview(&vb);
             (codes.into_array(), values.into_array())
         } else {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/for.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/for.rs
index f309787e62..ab088db409 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/for.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/for.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for FoRCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports integers
         if !parray.ptype().is_int() {
diff --git a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/zigzag.rs b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/zigzag.rs
index b5b3e0759c..8f60b4bf70 100644
--- a/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/zigzag.rs
+++ b/vortex-sampling-compressor/src/compressors/zigzag.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ impl EncodingCompressor for ZigZagCompressor {
 
     fn can_compress(&self, array: &ArrayData) -> Option<&dyn EncodingCompressor> {
         // Only support primitive arrays
-        let parray = PrimitiveArray::try_from(array.clone()).ok()?;
+        let parray = PrimitiveArray::maybe_from(array.clone())?;
 
         // Only supports signed integers
         if !parray.ptype().is_signed_int() {