diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index c0c7ad3..4694304 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ before_build:
 
 build_script:
   - cmake --version
-  - cmake -H. -Bbuild -DPHMAP_BUILD_TESTS=%TEST% -G %CMAKE_GENERATOR%
+  - cmake -H. -Bbuild -DPHMAP_BUILD_TESTS=%TEST% -DPHMAP_BUILD_EXAMPLES=%TEST% -G %CMAKE_GENERATOR%
   - cmake --build build --config %CONFIG% --target ALL_BUILD -- /maxcpucount
 
 test_script:
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 7fc3273..b773dd1 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -115,4 +115,4 @@ matrix:
 dist: trusty
 
 script: 
-  mkdir build && cd build && cmake -DPHMAP_BUILD_TESTS=ON -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${COMPILER} -DCXXFLAGS="${CXX_FLAGS}" .. && cmake --build . && make test
+  mkdir build && cd build && cmake -DPHMAP_BUILD_TESTS=ON -DPHMAP_BUILD_EXAMPLES=ON -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${COMPILER} -DCXXFLAGS="${CXX_FLAGS}" .. && cmake --build . && make test
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c67db03..4c7dba9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -159,67 +159,20 @@ The rules are the same as for std::unordered_map, and are valid for all the phma
 
 ## Example 2 - providing a hash function for a user-defined class
 
-In order to use a flat_hash_set or flat_hash_map, a hash function should be provided. Even though a the hash function can be provided via the HashFcn template parameter, we recommend injecting a specialization of `std::hash` for the class into the "std" namespace. For example:
+In order to use a flat_hash_set or flat_hash_map, a hash function should be provided. Even though a the hash function can be provided via the HashFcn template parameter, we recommend injecting a specialization of `std::hash` for the class into the "std" namespace. We provide a convenient and small header `phmap_utils.h` which allows to easily add such specializations.
+
+For example:
+
+** file <Person.h> **
 
 ```c++
-#include <iostream>
-#include <functional>
+#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h> // minimal header providing phmap::HashState()
 #include <string>
-#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap.h>
-
 using std::string;
 
-struct Person 
+struct Person
 {
-    bool operator==(const Person &o) const 
-    { return _first == o._first && _last == o._last; }
-
-    string _first;
-    string _last;
-};
-
-namespace std
-{
-    // inject specialization of std::hash for Person into namespace std
-    // ----------------------------------------------------------------
-    template<> 
-    struct hash<Person>
-    {
-        std::size_t operator()(Person const &p) const
-        {
-            std::size_t seed = 0;
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._first);
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._last);
-            return seed;
-        }
-    };
-}
- 
-int main()
-{
-    // As we have defined a specialization of std::hash() for Person, 
-    // we can now create flat_hash_set or flat_hash_map of Persons
-    // ----------------------------------------------------------------
-    phmap::flat_hash_set<Person> persons = { { "John", "Galt" }, 
-                                             { "Jane", "Doe" } };
-    for (auto& p: persons)
-        std::cout << p._first << ' ' << p._last << '\n';
-}
-```
-
-The `std::hash` specialization for `Person` combines the hash values for both first and last name using the convenient phmap::hash_combine function, and returns the combined hash value. 
-
-phmap::hash_combine is provided by the header `parallel_hashmap/phmap.h`. However, class definitions often appear in header files, and it is desirable to limit the size of headers included in such header files, so we provide the very small header `parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h` for that purpose:
-
-```c++
-#include <string>
-#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h>
-
-using std::string;
- 
-struct Person 
-{
-    bool operator==(const Person &o) const 
+    bool operator==(const Person &o) const
     { 
         return _first == o._first && _last == o._last && _age == o._age; 
     }
@@ -233,21 +186,43 @@ namespace std
 {
     // inject specialization of std::hash for Person into namespace std
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------
-    template<> 
-    struct hash<Person>
+    template<> struct hash<Person>
     {
         std::size_t operator()(Person const &p) const
         {
-            std::size_t seed = 0;
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._first);
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._last);
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._age);
-            return seed;
+            return phmap::HashState().combine(0, p._first, p._last, p._age);
         }
     };
 }
 ```
 
+The `std::hash` specialization for `Person` combines the hash values for both first and last name and age, using the convenient phmap::HashState() function, and returns the combined hash value. 
+
+** file <main.cpp> **
+
+```c++
+#include "Person.h"   // defines Person  with std::hash specialization
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap.h>
+
+int main()
+{
+    // As we have defined a specialization of std::hash() for Person,
+    // we can now create sparse_hash_set or sparse_hash_map of Persons
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------
+    phmap::flat_hash_set<Person> persons = 
+        { { "John", "Mitchell", 35 },
+          { "Jane", "Smith",    32 },
+          { "Jane", "Smith",    30 },
+        };
+
+    for (auto& p: persons)
+        std::cout << p._first << ' ' << p._last << " (" << p._age << ")" << '\n';
+
+}
+```
+
 
 ## Thread safety
 
diff --git a/examples/hash_std.cc b/examples/hash_std.cc
index 20eef8f..04551ff 100644
--- a/examples/hash_std.cc
+++ b/examples/hash_std.cc
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ int main()
     // we can now create sparse_hash_set or sparse_hash_map of Persons
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------
     phmap::flat_hash_set<Person> persons = 
-        { { "John", "Galt" },
-          { "Jane", "Doe" }
+        { { "John", "Mitchell", 35 },
+          { "Jane", "Smith",    32 },
+          { "Jane", "Smith",    30 },
         };
 
     for (auto& p: persons)
-        std::cout << p._first << ' ' << p._last << '\n';
+        std::cout << p._first << ' ' << p._last << " (" << p._age << ")" << '\n';
 
 }
diff --git a/examples/hash_std.h b/examples/hash_std.h
index 03dfe64..660f5b4 100644
--- a/examples/hash_std.h
+++ b/examples/hash_std.h
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef phmap_example_hash_std_
 #define phmap_example_hash_std_
 
-#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h>
-
+#include <parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h> // minimal header providing phmap::hash_combine
 #include <string>
 using std::string;
 
@@ -10,26 +9,23 @@ struct Person
 {
     bool operator==(const Person &o) const
     { 
-        return _first == o._first && _last == o._last; 
+        return _first == o._first && _last == o._last && _age == o._age; 
     }
 
     string _first;
     string _last;
+    int    _age;
 };
 
 namespace std
 {
-// inject specialization of std::hash for Person into namespace std
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------
-    template<>
-    struct hash<Person>
+    // inject specialization of std::hash for Person into namespace std
+    // ----------------------------------------------------------------
+    template<> struct hash<Person>
     {
         std::size_t operator()(Person const &p) const
         {
-            std::size_t seed = 0;
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._first);
-            phmap::hash_combine(seed, p._last);
-            return seed;
+            return phmap::HashState().combine(0, p._first, p._last, p._age);
         }
     };
 }
diff --git a/parallel_hashmap/phmap.h b/parallel_hashmap/phmap.h
index 2d175f2..b1b3245 100644
--- a/parallel_hashmap/phmap.h
+++ b/parallel_hashmap/phmap.h
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <mutex>
 #include <array>
+#include <functional>
 #include <cassert>
 
 #include "phmap_bits.h"
 #include "phmap_base.h"
-#include "phmap_utils.h"
 #include "phmap_fwd_decl.h"
 
 #if PHMAP_HAVE_STD_STRING_VIEW
@@ -58,6 +58,164 @@
 #endif
 
 namespace phmap {
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------
+//               phmap::Hash
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------
+template <class T>
+struct Hash
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(const T& __v) const
+    {
+        return std::hash<T>()(__v);
+    }
+};
+
+template <class T>
+struct Hash<T *>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(const T *__v) const noexcept
+    {
+        static const size_t shift = 3;
+        const uintptr_t i = (const uintptr_t)__v;
+        return static_cast<size_t>(i >> shift);
+    }
+};
+
+// from http://burtleburtle.net/bob/hash/integer.html
+// fast and efficient for power of two table sizes where we always
+// consider the last bits.
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------
+inline size_t phmap_mix_32(uint32_t a)
+{
+    a = a ^ (a >> 4);
+    a = (a ^ 0xdeadbeef) + (a << 5);
+    a = a ^ (a >> 11);
+    return static_cast<size_t>(a);
+}
+
+// More thorough scrambling as described in
+// https://gist.github.com/badboy/6267743
+// ----------------------------------------
+inline size_t phmap_mix_64(uint64_t a)
+{
+    a = (~a) + (a << 21); // a = (a << 21) - a - 1;
+    a = a ^ (a >> 24);
+    a = (a + (a << 3)) + (a << 8); // a * 265
+    a = a ^ (a >> 14);
+    a = (a + (a << 2)) + (a << 4); // a * 21
+    a = a ^ (a >> 28);
+    a = a + (a << 31);
+    return static_cast<size_t>(a);
+}
+
+template<class ArgumentType, class ResultType>
+struct phmap_unary_function
+{
+    typedef ArgumentType argument_type;
+    typedef ResultType result_type;
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<bool> : public phmap_unary_function<bool, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(bool __v) const noexcept
+    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<char> : public phmap_unary_function<char, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(char __v) const noexcept
+    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<signed char> : public phmap_unary_function<signed char, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(signed char __v) const noexcept
+    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<unsigned char> : public phmap_unary_function<unsigned char, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(unsigned char __v) const noexcept
+    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<wchar_t> : public phmap_unary_function<wchar_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(wchar_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<int16_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int16_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(int16_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<uint16_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint16_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(uint16_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<int32_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int32_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(int32_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<uint32_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint32_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(uint32_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<int64_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int64_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(int64_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_64(static_cast<uint64_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<uint64_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint64_t, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(uint64_t __v) const noexcept
+    { return phmap_mix_64(static_cast<uint64_t>(__v)); }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<float> : public phmap_unary_function<float, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(float __v) const noexcept
+    {
+        // -0.0 and 0.0 should return same hash
+        uint32_t *as_int = reinterpret_cast<uint32_t *>(&__v);
+        return (__v == 0) ? static_cast<size_t>(0) : phmap_mix_32(*as_int);
+    }
+};
+
+template <>
+struct Hash<double> : public phmap_unary_function<double, size_t>
+{
+    inline size_t operator()(double __v) const noexcept
+    {
+        // -0.0 and 0.0 should return same hash
+        uint64_t *as_int = reinterpret_cast<uint64_t *>(&__v);
+        return (__v == 0) ? static_cast<size_t>(0) : phmap_mix_64(*as_int);
+    }
+};
+
+
 namespace container_internal {
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h b/parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h
index 1db808a..dbc6c5a 100644
--- a/parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h
+++ b/parallel_hashmap/phmap_utils.h
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Copyright (c) 2019, Gregory Popovitch - greg7mdp@gmail.com
 //
+//       minimal header providing phmap::hash_combine
+//
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 // You may obtain a copy of the License at
@@ -17,195 +19,59 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-//#include <cstddef>
-#include <functional>
+#include <cstddef>
+
+namespace std
+{
+    template<class Key> struct hash;
+} // namespace std
 
 namespace phmap
 {
 
-template <class T>
-struct Hash
+template <class H, int sz> struct Combiner
 {
-    inline size_t operator()(const T& __v) const
+    H operator()(H seed, size_t value);
+};
+
+template <class H> struct Combiner<H, 4>
+{
+    H operator()(H seed, size_t value)
     {
-        return std::hash<T>()(__v);
+        return seed ^ (value + 0x9e3779b9 + (seed << 6) + (seed >> 2));
     }
 };
 
-template <class T>
-struct Hash<T *>
+template <class H> struct Combiner<H, 8>
 {
-    inline size_t operator()(const T *__v) const noexcept
+    H operator()(H seed, size_t value)
     {
-        static const size_t shift = 3;
-        const uintptr_t i = (const uintptr_t)__v;
-        return static_cast<size_t>(i >> shift);
+        return seed ^ (value + size_t(0xc6a4a7935bd1e995) + (seed << 6) + (seed >> 2));
     }
 };
 
-// from http://burtleburtle.net/bob/hash/integer.html
-// fast and efficient for power of two table sizes where we always
-// consider the last bits.
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------
-inline size_t phmap_mix_32(uint32_t a)
+
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+template <typename H>
+class HashStateBase {
+public:
+    template <typename T, typename... Ts>
+    static H combine(H state, const T& value, const Ts&... values);
+
+    static H combine(H state) { return state; }
+};
+
+template <typename H>
+template <typename T, typename... Ts>
+H HashStateBase<H>::combine(H seed, const T& v, const Ts&... vs)
 {
-    a = a ^ (a >> 4);
-    a = (a ^ 0xdeadbeef) + (a << 5);
-    a = a ^ (a >> 11);
-    return static_cast<size_t>(a);
+    return HashStateBase<H>::combine(Combiner<H, sizeof(H)>()(
+                                         seed, std::hash<T>()(v)),  vs...);
 }
 
-// More thorough scrambling as described in
-// https://gist.github.com/badboy/6267743
-// ----------------------------------------
-inline size_t phmap_mix_64(uint64_t a)
-{
-    a = (~a) + (a << 21); // a = (a << 21) - a - 1;
-    a = a ^ (a >> 24);
-    a = (a + (a << 3)) + (a << 8); // a * 265
-    a = a ^ (a >> 14);
-    a = (a + (a << 2)) + (a << 4); // a * 21
-    a = a ^ (a >> 28);
-    a = a + (a << 31);
-    return static_cast<size_t>(a);
-}
+using HashState = HashStateBase<size_t>;
 
-template<class ArgumentType, class ResultType>
-struct phmap_unary_function
-{
-    typedef ArgumentType argument_type;
-    typedef ResultType result_type;
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<bool> : public phmap_unary_function<bool, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(bool __v) const noexcept
-    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<char> : public phmap_unary_function<char, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(char __v) const noexcept
-    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<signed char> : public phmap_unary_function<signed char, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(signed char __v) const noexcept
-    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<unsigned char> : public phmap_unary_function<unsigned char, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(unsigned char __v) const noexcept
-    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<wchar_t> : public phmap_unary_function<wchar_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(wchar_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return static_cast<size_t>(__v); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<int16_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int16_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(int16_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<uint16_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint16_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(uint16_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<int32_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int32_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(int32_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<uint32_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint32_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(uint32_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_32(static_cast<uint32_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<int64_t> : public phmap_unary_function<int64_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(int64_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_64(static_cast<uint64_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<uint64_t> : public phmap_unary_function<uint64_t, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(uint64_t __v) const noexcept
-    { return phmap_mix_64(static_cast<uint64_t>(__v)); }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<float> : public phmap_unary_function<float, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(float __v) const noexcept
-    {
-        // -0.0 and 0.0 should return same hash
-        uint32_t *as_int = reinterpret_cast<uint32_t *>(&__v);
-        return (__v == 0) ? static_cast<size_t>(0) : phmap_mix_32(*as_int);
-    }
-};
-
-template <>
-struct Hash<double> : public phmap_unary_function<double, size_t>
-{
-    inline size_t operator()(double __v) const noexcept
-    {
-        // -0.0 and 0.0 should return same hash
-        uint64_t *as_int = reinterpret_cast<uint64_t *>(&__v);
-        return (__v == 0) ? static_cast<size_t>(0) : phmap_mix_64(*as_int);
-    }
-};
-
-template <class T, int sz> struct Combiner
-{
-    inline void operator()(T& seed, T value);
-};
-
-template <class T> struct Combiner<T, 4>
-{
-    inline void  operator()(T& seed, T value)
-    {
-        seed ^= value + 0x9e3779b9 + (seed << 6) + (seed >> 2);
-    }
-};
-
-template <class T> struct Combiner<T, 8>
-{
-    inline void  operator()(T& seed, T value)
-    {
-        seed ^= value + T(0xc6a4a7935bd1e995) + (seed << 6) + (seed >> 2);
-    }
-};
-
-template <class T>
-inline void hash_combine(std::size_t& seed, T const& v)
-{
-    Combiner<std::size_t, sizeof(std::size_t)> combiner;
-
-    combiner(seed, phmap::Hash<T>()(v));
-}
-
-}
+}  // namespace phmap
 
 
 #endif // phmap_utils_h_guard_