diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 9004d52..27ad95b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -294,6 +294,16 @@ pub trait Integer {
         R: BitRead + ?Sized,
         Self: Sized;
 
+    /// Reads a valur of ourself from the stream using a variable width integer.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Passes along any I/O error from the underlying stream.
+    fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+    where
+        R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+        Self: Sized;
+
     /// Writes ourself to the stream using the given const number of bits.
     ///
     /// # Errors
@@ -319,6 +329,16 @@ pub trait Integer {
         writer: &mut W,
         bits: BitCount<MAX>,
     ) -> io::Result<()>;
+
+    /// Writes ourself to the stream using a variable width integer.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Passes along any I/O error from the underlying stream.
+    fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+        self,
+        writer: &mut W,
+    ) -> io::Result<()>;
 }
 
 /// Reading and writing booleans as `Integer` requires the number of bits to be 1.
@@ -376,6 +396,15 @@ impl Integer for bool {
         }
     }
 
+    #[inline(always)]
+    fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(_reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+    where
+        R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+        Self: Sized,
+    {
+        unimplemented!("Can't read a VBR boolean")
+    }
+
     #[inline(always)]
     fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(self, writer: &mut W) -> io::Result<()> {
         const {
@@ -399,6 +428,14 @@ impl Integer for bool {
             ))
         }
     }
+
+    #[inline(always)]
+    fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+        self,
+        _writer: &mut W,
+    ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        unimplemented!("Can't write a VBR for boolean")
+    }
 }
 
 impl<const SIZE: usize, I: Integer + Copy + Default> Integer for [I; SIZE] {
@@ -432,6 +469,21 @@ impl<const SIZE: usize, I: Integer + Copy + Default> Integer for [I; SIZE] {
 
         Ok(a)
     }
+    fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+    where
+        R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+        Self: Sized,
+    {
+        let mut a = [I::default(); SIZE];
+
+        a.iter_mut().try_for_each(|v| {
+            I::read_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, R>(reader).map(|item| {
+                *v = item;
+            })
+        })?;
+
+        Ok(a)
+    }
 
     #[inline]
     fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(self, writer: &mut W) -> io::Result<()> {
@@ -446,6 +498,13 @@ impl<const SIZE: usize, I: Integer + Copy + Default> Integer for [I; SIZE] {
     ) -> io::Result<()> {
         IntoIterator::into_iter(self).try_for_each(|v| writer.write_counted(count, v))
     }
+
+    fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+        self,
+        writer: &mut W,
+    ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        IntoIterator::into_iter(self).try_for_each(|v| I::write_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, W>(v, writer))
+    }
 }
 
 /// This trait extends many common integer types (both unsigned and signed)
@@ -642,6 +701,15 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
                 reader.read_unsigned_counted::<MAX, _>(bits)
             }
 
+            #[inline(always)]
+            fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+            where
+                R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+                Self: Sized,
+            {
+                reader.read_unsigned_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>()
+            }
+
             #[inline(always)]
             fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
                 self,
@@ -658,6 +726,14 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
             ) -> io::Result<()> {
                 writer.write_unsigned_counted(bits, self)
             }
+
+            #[inline(always)]
+            fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+                self,
+                writer: &mut W,
+            ) -> io::Result<()> {
+                writer.write_unsigned_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(self)
+            }
         }
 
         /// Unsigned NonZero types increment their value by 1
@@ -728,6 +804,16 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
                 }
             }
 
+            #[inline]
+            fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+            where
+                R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+                Self: Sized,
+            {
+                <$t as Integer>::read_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, R>(reader)
+                    .map(|u| NonZero::new(u + 1).unwrap())
+            }
+
             #[inline]
             fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
                 self,
@@ -758,6 +844,14 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
                     ))
                 }
             }
+
+            #[inline]
+            fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+                self,
+                writer: &mut W,
+            ) -> io::Result<()> {
+                <$t as Integer>::write_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, W>(self.get() - 1, writer)
+            }
         }
 
         impl Integer for Option<NonZero<$t>> {
@@ -778,6 +872,15 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
                 <$t as Integer>::read_var::<MAX, R>(reader, count).map(NonZero::new)
             }
 
+            #[inline(always)]
+            fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+            where
+                R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+                Self: Sized,
+            {
+                <$t as Integer>::read_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(reader).map(NonZero::new)
+            }
+
             #[inline]
             fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
                 self,
@@ -798,6 +901,17 @@ macro_rules! define_unsigned_integer {
                     count,
                 )
             }
+
+            #[inline]
+            fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+                self,
+                writer: &mut W,
+            ) -> io::Result<()> {
+                <$t as Integer>::write_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, W>(
+                    self.map(|n| n.get()).unwrap_or(0),
+                    writer,
+                )
+            }
         }
     };
 }
@@ -896,6 +1010,15 @@ macro_rules! define_signed_integer {
                 reader.read_signed_counted::<MAX, _>(bits)
             }
 
+            #[inline(always)]
+            fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, R>(reader: &mut R) -> io::Result<Self>
+            where
+                R: BitRead + ?Sized,
+                Self: Sized,
+            {
+                reader.read_signed_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>()
+            }
+
             #[inline(always)]
             fn write<const BITS: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
                 self,
@@ -912,6 +1035,14 @@ macro_rules! define_signed_integer {
             ) -> io::Result<()> {
                 writer.write_signed_counted::<MAX, _>(bits, self)
             }
+
+            #[inline(always)]
+            fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, W: BitWrite + ?Sized>(
+                self,
+                writer: &mut W,
+            ) -> io::Result<()> {
+                writer.write_signed_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(self)
+            }
         }
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/read.rs b/src/read.rs
index 1fe2b19..4a71a40 100644
--- a/src/read.rs
+++ b/src/read.rs
@@ -902,7 +902,7 @@ pub trait BitRead {
         T::from_bits(|| self.read_bit())
     }
 
-    /// Reads a number using a variable using a variable-width integer.
+    /// Reads a number using a variable using a variable width integer.
     /// This optimises the case when the number is small.
     ///
     /// The integer is mapped to an unsigned value using zigzag encoding.
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ pub trait BitRead {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Reads a number using a variable using a variable-width integer.
+    /// Reads a number using a variable using a variable width integer.
     /// This optimises the case when the number is small.
     ///
     /// The integer is mapped to an unsigned value using zigzag encoding.
@@ -993,6 +993,27 @@ pub trait BitRead {
             })
     }
 
+    /// Reads a signed or unsigned variable width integer from the stream.
+    /// 
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Passes along any I/O error from the underlying stream.
+    /// Returns an error if the data read would overflow the size of the result
+    ///
+    /// # Example
+    /// ```
+    /// use bitstream_io::{BitReader, BitRead, BigEndian};
+    ///
+    /// let bytes: &[u8] = &[0b0110_1011, 0b1100_0001];
+    /// let mut r = BitReader::endian(bytes, BigEndian);
+    /// assert_eq!(r.read_vbr::<4, u32>().unwrap(), 6);
+    /// assert_eq!(r.read_vbr::<4, i32>().unwrap(), -50);
+    /// ```
+    #[inline]
+    fn read_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, I: Integer>(&mut self) -> io::Result<I> {
+        I::read_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(self)
+    }
+
     /// Creates a "by reference" adaptor for this `BitRead`
     ///
     /// The returned adapter also implements `BitRead`
diff --git a/src/write.rs b/src/write.rs
index df092bf..669e704 100644
--- a/src/write.rs
+++ b/src/write.rs
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ pub trait BitWrite {
         T::to_bits(value, |b| self.write_bit(b))
     }
 
-    /// Writes a number using a variable using a variable-width integer.
+    /// Writes a number using a variable using a variable width integer.
     /// This optimises the case when the number is small.
     ///
     /// Given a 4-bit VBR field, any 3-bit value (0 through 7) is encoded directly, with the high bit set to zero.
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ pub trait BitWrite {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Writes a number using a variable using a variable-width integer.
+    /// Writes a number using a variable using a variable width integer.
     /// This optimises the case when the number is small.
     ///
     /// The integer is mapped to an unsigned value using zigzag encoding.
@@ -1034,6 +1034,26 @@ pub trait BitWrite {
         self.write_unsigned_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(zig_zag.as_non_negative())
     }
 
+    /// Writes a signed or unsigned variable width integer to the stream
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Passes along any I/O error from the underlying stream.
+    ///
+    /// # Example
+    /// ```
+    /// use std::io::Write;
+    /// use bitstream_io::{BigEndian, BitWriter, BitWrite};
+    /// let mut writer = BitWriter::endian(Vec::new(), BigEndian);
+    /// writer.write_vbr::<4,_>(6u32);
+    /// writer.write_vbr::<4,_>(-50i32);
+    /// assert_eq!(writer.into_writer(), [0b0110_1011, 0b1100_0001]);
+    /// ```
+    #[inline]
+    fn write_vbr<const FIELD_SIZE: u32, I: Integer>(&mut self, value: I) -> io::Result<()> {
+        I::write_vbr::<FIELD_SIZE, _>(value, self)
+    }
+
     /// Creates a "by reference" adaptor for this `BitWrite`
     ///
     /// The returned adapter also implements `BitWrite`