diff --git a/cache/redis_cache.go b/cache/redis_cache.go
index 310b2ae0..ed73da84 100644
--- a/cache/redis_cache.go
+++ b/cache/redis_cache.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package cache
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
@@ -35,12 +34,12 @@ func InitRedisCache(ctx context.Context, redisAddress string, keyPrefix string)
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) SetString(ctx context.Context, key, value string, expiration time.Duration) error {
-	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key), value, expiration).Err()
+	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key, value, expiration).Err()
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) GetString(ctx context.Context, key string) (string, error) {
 
-	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key)).Result()
+	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Result()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -49,12 +48,12 @@ func (cache *RedisCache) GetString(ctx context.Context, key string) (string, err
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) SetUint64(ctx context.Context, key string, value uint64, expiration time.Duration) error {
-	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key), fmt.Sprintf("%d", value), expiration).Err()
+	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key, strconv.FormatUint(value, 10), expiration).Err()
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) GetUint64(ctx context.Context, key string) (uint64, error) {
 
-	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key)).Result()
+	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Result()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
@@ -67,12 +66,12 @@ func (cache *RedisCache) GetUint64(ctx context.Context, key string) (uint64, err
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) SetBool(ctx context.Context, key string, value bool, expiration time.Duration) error {
-	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key), fmt.Sprintf("%t", value), expiration).Err()
+	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key, strconv.FormatBool(value), expiration).Err()
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) GetBool(ctx context.Context, key string) (bool, error) {
 
-	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, key).Result()
+	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Result()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
@@ -85,11 +84,11 @@ func (cache *RedisCache) GetBool(ctx context.Context, key string) (bool, error)
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) SetBytes(ctx context.Context, key string, value []byte, expiration time.Duration) error {
-	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key), value, expiration).Err()
+	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key, value, expiration).Err()
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) GetBytes(ctx context.Context, key string) ([]byte, error) {
-	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key)).Result()
+	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Result()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -101,18 +100,18 @@ func (cache *RedisCache) Set(ctx context.Context, key string, value interface{},
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key), valueMarshal, expiration).Err()
+	return cache.redisRemoteCache.Set(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key, valueMarshal, expiration).Err()
 }
 
 func (cache *RedisCache) Get(ctx context.Context, key string, returnValue interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
-	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key)).Result()
+	value, err := cache.redisRemoteCache.Get(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Result()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(value), returnValue)
 	if err != nil {
-		cache.redisRemoteCache.Del(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", cache.keyPrefix, key)).Err()
+		cache.redisRemoteCache.Del(ctx, cache.keyPrefix+key).Err()
 		utils.LogError(err, "error unmarshalling data for key", 0, map[string]interface{}{"key": key})
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/cache/tiered_cache.go b/cache/tiered_cache.go
index 5d52f7c1..0dbef57d 100644
--- a/cache/tiered_cache.go
+++ b/cache/tiered_cache.go
@@ -79,6 +79,15 @@ func NewTieredCache(cacheSize int, redisAddress string, redisPrefix string, logg
 	}, nil
 }
 
+// pageKeyPrefix extracts the page type from a cache key by returning
+// the portion before the first ':' separator (e.g. "slots" from "slots:123:456").
+func pageKeyPrefix(key string) string {
+	if before, _, ok := strings.Cut(key, ":"); ok {
+		return before
+	}
+	return key
+}
+
 func (cache *TieredCache) isSszCompatible(value interface{}, key string) bool {
 	if utils.Config.KillSwitch.DisableSSZPageCache {
 		return false
@@ -96,13 +105,17 @@ func (cache *TieredCache) isSszCompatible(value interface{}, key string) bool {
 	cache.sszCompatMutex.Lock()
 	defer cache.sszCompatMutex.Unlock()
 
+	// Re-check after acquiring write lock to avoid redundant validation.
+	if compat, ok = cache.sszCompatMap[valType]; ok {
+		return compat
+	}
+
 	err := modelDynSsz.ValidateType(valType)
 	compat = err == nil
 	cache.sszCompatMap[valType] = compat
 
 	if err != nil {
-		keySplit := strings.Split(key, ":")
-		cache.logger.WithError(err).Warnf("page model not ssz compatible: %v (%v)", keySplit[0], valType.Name())
+		cache.logger.WithError(err).Warnf("page model not ssz compatible: %v (%v)", pageKeyPrefix(key), valType.Name())
 	}
 
 	return compat
@@ -166,8 +179,7 @@ func (cache *TieredCache) Set(key string, value interface{}, expiration time.Dur
 		cache.sszCompatMutex.Lock()
 		cache.sszCompatMap[cacheType] = false
 		cache.sszCompatMutex.Unlock()
-		keySplit := strings.Split(key, ":")
-		cache.logger.WithError(err).Warnf("page model not ssz compatible: %v (%v): %v", keySplit[0], cacheType.Name(), err)
+		cache.logger.WithError(err).Warnf("page model not ssz compatible: %v (%v)", pageKeyPrefix(key), cacheType.Name())
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/handlers/blocks.go b/handlers/blocks.go
index 0fc8a2c5..e16c4c26 100644
--- a/handlers/blocks.go
+++ b/handlers/blocks.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package handlers
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"net/http"
@@ -286,7 +287,7 @@ func buildBlocksPageData(ctx context.Context, firstSlot uint64, pageSize uint64,
 			}
 
 			if pageData.DisplayMevBlock && dbSlot.EthBlockHash != nil {
-				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[fmt.Sprintf("%x", dbSlot.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
+				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[hex.EncodeToString(dbSlot.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
 					slotData.IsMevBlock = true
 
 					var relays []string
@@ -375,11 +376,11 @@ func buildBlocksPageData(ctx context.Context, firstSlot uint64, pageSize uint64,
 }
 
 func getClientTypeName(clientType uint8) string {
-	if clientType > 0 {
-		return execution.ClientType(clientType).String()
+	if clientType == 0 {
+		return "Unknown(0)"
 	}
 
-	return fmt.Sprintf("Unknown(%d)", clientType)
+	return execution.ClientType(clientType).String()
 }
 
 func buildBlocksPageSlotGraph(ctx context.Context, pageData *models.BlocksPageData, slotData *models.BlocksPageDataSlot, maxOpenFork *int, openForks map[int][]byte, isFirstPage bool) {
diff --git a/handlers/blocks_filtered.go b/handlers/blocks_filtered.go
index 5838dbd2..4c0e7842 100644
--- a/handlers/blocks_filtered.go
+++ b/handlers/blocks_filtered.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
@@ -395,7 +396,7 @@ func buildFilteredBlocksPageData(ctx context.Context, pageIdx uint64, pageSize u
 		mevBlockRelays := ""
 
 		if dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash != nil {
-			if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[fmt.Sprintf("%x", dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
+			if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[hex.EncodeToString(dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
 				isMevBlock = true
 
 				var relays []string
diff --git a/handlers/builder.go b/handlers/builder.go
index 2eec185a..b356336e 100644
--- a/handlers/builder.go
+++ b/handlers/builder.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package handlers
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ func BuilderDetail(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var superseded bool
 
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
-	idxOrPubKey := strings.Replace(vars["idxOrPubKey"], "0x", "", -1)
+	idxOrPubKey := strings.TrimPrefix(vars["idxOrPubKey"], "0x")
 	builderPubKey, err := hex.DecodeString(idxOrPubKey)
 	if err != nil || len(builderPubKey) != 48 {
 		// search by index
@@ -384,7 +385,7 @@ func buildBuilderRecentBlocks(ctx context.Context, builderIndex uint64, chainSta
 		copy(parentRoot[:], slot.ParentRoot)
 		bids := indexer.GetBlockBids(parentRoot)
 		for _, bid := range bids {
-			if bid.BuilderIndex == builderIndexInt64 && fmt.Sprintf("%x", bid.BlockHash) == fmt.Sprintf("%x", slot.EthBlockHash) {
+			if bid.BuilderIndex == builderIndexInt64 && bytes.Equal(bid.BlockHash, slot.EthBlockHash) {
 				block.Value = bid.Value
 				block.ElPayment = bid.ElPayment
 				break
@@ -407,7 +408,7 @@ func buildBuilderRecentBids(ctx context.Context, builderIndex uint64, chainState
 	bidBlockHashes := make(map[string]bool, len(bids))
 	var minSlot, maxSlot uint64
 	for i, bid := range bids {
-		bidBlockHashes[fmt.Sprintf("%x", bid.BlockHash)] = true
+		bidBlockHashes[hex.EncodeToString(bid.BlockHash)] = true
 		if i == 0 || bid.Slot > maxSlot {
 			maxSlot = bid.Slot
 		}
@@ -431,7 +432,7 @@ func buildBuilderRecentBids(ctx context.Context, builderIndex uint64, chainState
 		if assignedSlot.Block == nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		hashKey := fmt.Sprintf("%x", assignedSlot.Block.EthBlockHash)
+		hashKey := hex.EncodeToString(assignedSlot.Block.EthBlockHash)
 		if bidBlockHashes[hashKey] && assignedSlot.Block.PayloadStatus == dbtypes.PayloadStatusCanonical {
 			canonicalBlockHashes[hashKey] = true
 		}
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ func buildBuilderRecentBids(ctx context.Context, builderIndex uint64, chainState
 			GasLimit:     bid.GasLimit,
 			Value:        bid.Value,
 			ElPayment:    bid.ElPayment,
-			IsWinning:    canonicalBlockHashes[fmt.Sprintf("%x", bid.BlockHash)],
+			IsWinning:    canonicalBlockHashes[hex.EncodeToString(bid.BlockHash)],
 		}
 
 		result = append(result, bidData)
diff --git a/handlers/builders.go b/handlers/builders.go
index e2d3ce73..a55ba03a 100644
--- a/handlers/builders.go
+++ b/handlers/builders.go
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func buildBuildersPageData(ctx context.Context, pageNumber uint64, pageSize uint
 		if filterPubKey != "" {
 			pageData.FilterPubKey = filterPubKey
 			filterArgs.Add("f.pubkey", filterPubKey)
-			filterPubKeyVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.Replace(filterPubKey, "0x", "", -1))
+			filterPubKeyVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(filterPubKey, "0x"))
 			builderFilter.PubKey = filterPubKeyVal
 		}
 		if filterIndex != "" {
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func buildBuildersPageData(ctx context.Context, pageNumber uint64, pageSize uint
 		if filterExecutionAddr != "" {
 			pageData.FilterExecutionAddr = filterExecutionAddr
 			filterArgs.Add("f.execution_addr", filterExecutionAddr)
-			filterExecutionAddrVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.Replace(filterExecutionAddr, "0x", "", -1))
+			filterExecutionAddrVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(filterExecutionAddr, "0x"))
 			builderFilter.ExecutionAddress = filterExecutionAddrVal
 		}
 		if filterStatus != "" {
diff --git a/handlers/search.go b/handlers/search.go
index f941084d..e97b45ee 100644
--- a/handlers/search.go
+++ b/handlers/search.go
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ func buildSearchResolverResult(ctx context.Context, searchQuery string) (searchR
 		}
 	}
 
-	hashQuery := strings.Replace(searchQuery, "0x", "", -1)
-	hashQuery = strings.Replace(hashQuery, "0X", "", -1)
+	hashQuery := strings.TrimPrefix(strings.TrimPrefix(searchQuery, "0x"), "0X")
 	if len(hashQuery) == 96 {
 		validatorPubkey, err := hex.DecodeString(hashQuery)
 		if err == nil && len(validatorPubkey) == 48 {
@@ -199,8 +198,7 @@ func SearchAhead(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	searchType := vars["type"]
 	urlArgs := r.URL.Query()
 	search := strings.Trim(urlArgs.Get("q"), " \t")
-	search = strings.Replace(search, "0x", "", -1)
-	search = strings.Replace(search, "0X", "", -1)
+	search = strings.TrimPrefix(strings.TrimPrefix(search, "0x"), "0X")
 
 	// 404 before cache so we don't cache disabled/unknown types
 	allowedTypes := map[string]bool{
diff --git a/handlers/slot.go b/handlers/slot.go
index dbc7033b..f9f840ae 100644
--- a/handlers/slot.go
+++ b/handlers/slot.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func Slot(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	)
 
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
-	slotOrHash := strings.Replace(vars["slotOrHash"], "0x", "", -1)
+	slotOrHash := strings.TrimPrefix(vars["slotOrHash"], "0x")
 	blockSlot := int64(-1)
 	blockRootHash, err := hex.DecodeString(slotOrHash)
 	if err != nil || len(slotOrHash) != 64 {
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func SlotBlob(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	blockRoot, err := hex.DecodeString(strings.Replace(vars["root"], "0x", "", -1))
+	blockRoot, err := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(vars["root"], "0x"))
 	if err != nil || len(blockRoot) != 32 {
 		http.Error(w, "Invalid block root", http.StatusBadRequest)
 		return
diff --git a/handlers/slots.go b/handlers/slots.go
index 155d2745..95075174 100644
--- a/handlers/slots.go
+++ b/handlers/slots.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package handlers
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"net/http"
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ func buildSlotsPageData(ctx context.Context, firstSlot uint64, pageSize uint64,
 			}
 
 			if pageData.DisplayMevBlock && dbSlot.EthBlockHash != nil {
-				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[fmt.Sprintf("%x", dbSlot.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
+				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[hex.EncodeToString(dbSlot.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
 					slotData.IsMevBlock = true
 
 					var relays []string
diff --git a/handlers/slots_filtered.go b/handlers/slots_filtered.go
index a466c753..963ba2ca 100644
--- a/handlers/slots_filtered.go
+++ b/handlers/slots_filtered.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package handlers
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"net/http"
@@ -544,7 +545,7 @@ func buildFilteredSlotsPageData(ctx context.Context, pageIdx uint64, pageSize ui
 			slotData.PayloadStatus = uint8(payloadStatus)
 
 			if pageData.DisplayMevBlock && dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash != nil {
-				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[fmt.Sprintf("%x", dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
+				if mevBlock, exists := mevBlocksMap[hex.EncodeToString(dbBlock.Block.EthBlockHash)]; exists {
 					slotData.IsMevBlock = true
 
 					var relays []string
diff --git a/handlers/validator.go b/handlers/validator.go
index 0f0999c7..b27e5deb 100644
--- a/handlers/validator.go
+++ b/handlers/validator.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func Validator(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	var validator *v1.Validator
 
 	vars := mux.Vars(r)
-	idxOrPubKey := strings.Replace(vars["idxOrPubKey"], "0x", "", -1)
+	idxOrPubKey := strings.TrimPrefix(vars["idxOrPubKey"], "0x")
 	validatorPubKey, err := hex.DecodeString(idxOrPubKey)
 	if err != nil || len(validatorPubKey) != 48 {
 		// search by index^
diff --git a/handlers/validators.go b/handlers/validators.go
index c9c5c9e5..acb28b1e 100644
--- a/handlers/validators.go
+++ b/handlers/validators.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func buildValidatorsPageData(ctx context.Context, pageNumber uint64, pageSize ui
 		if filterPubKey != "" {
 			pageData.FilterPubKey = filterPubKey
 			filterArgs.Add("f.pubkey", filterPubKey)
-			filterPubKeyVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.Replace(filterPubKey, "0x", "", -1))
+			filterPubKeyVal, _ := hex.DecodeString(strings.TrimPrefix(filterPubKey, "0x"))
 			validatorFilter.PubKey = filterPubKeyVal
 		}
 		if filterIndex != "" {