diff --git a/include/mapbox/feature.hpp b/include/mapbox/feature.hpp
index 1c93138..decb22a 100644
--- a/include/mapbox/feature.hpp
+++ b/include/mapbox/feature.hpp
@@ -33,9 +33,37 @@ using value_base = mapbox::util::variant<null_value_t, bool, uint64_t, int64_t,
                                          mapbox::util::recursive_wrapper<std::vector<value>>,
                                          mapbox::util::recursive_wrapper<std::unordered_map<std::string, value>>>;
 
-struct value : value_base
+struct value : public value_base
 {
-    using value_base::value_base;
+    using array_type = std::vector<value>;
+    using object_type = std::unordered_map<std::string, value>;
+
+    value() : value_base(null_value) {}
+    value(null_value_t) : value_base(null_value) {}
+    value(bool v) : value_base(v) {}
+    value(const char* c) : value_base(std::string(c)) {}
+    value(std::string str) : value_base(std::move(str)) {}
+
+    template <typename T, typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_integral<T>::value, int> = 0,
+              typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_signed<T>::value, int> = 0>
+    value(T t) : value_base(int64_t(t))
+    {
+    }
+
+    template <typename T, typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_integral<T>::value, int> = 0,
+              typename std::enable_if_t<!std::is_signed<T>::value, int> = 0>
+    value(T t) : value_base(uint64_t(t))
+    {
+    }
+
+    template <typename T, typename std::enable_if_t<std::is_floating_point<T>::value, int> = 0>
+    value(T t) : value_base(double(t))
+    {
+    }
+    value(array_type array) : value_base(std::move(array)) {}
+    value(object_type object) : value_base(std::move(object)) {}
+
+    explicit operator bool() const { return !is<null_value_t>(); }
 };
 
 using property_map = std::unordered_map<std::string, value>;
diff --git a/test/feature.cpp b/test/feature.cpp
index d9d2d5a..2908126 100644
--- a/test/feature.cpp
+++ b/test/feature.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,36 @@ using mapbox::feature::feature;
 using mapbox::feature::feature_collection;
 using mapbox::feature::null_value;
 using mapbox::feature::null_value_t;
+using mapbox::feature::value;
+
+namespace {
+
+template <typename T, typename U>
+void checkType(U&& arg) try
+{
+    value v{std::forward<U>(arg)};
+    CHECK(v);
+    CHECK(v.template is<T>());
+    CHECK(v.template get<T>() == arg);
+}
+catch (...)
+{
+    FAIL();
+}
+
+} // namespace
+
+TEST_CASE("test value")
+{
+    CHECK(!value());
+    checkType<int64_t>(32);
+    checkType<uint64_t>(32u);
+    checkType<bool>(false);
+    checkType<std::string>("hello");
+
+    value intV{32};
+    CHECK_THROWS(intV.get<uint64_t>());
+}
 
 TEST_CASE("test feature")
 {