from @adlerjohn: > They encode to storage, not memory https://github.com/datachainlab/ibc-solidity/blob/e5c5e622877e1c6c5269b4238889007dd135be13/contracts/core/types/ProtoBufRuntime.sol#L21 i.e. it'll cost like a billion gas to do anything. If you know them, tell them to use and contribute to my library! 1. https://github.com/lazyledger/protobuf3-solidity-lib 2. https://github.com/lazyledger/protobuf3-solidity