A technique for managing a file system includes arranging a first set of multiple metadata elements at a first set of block locations and arranging a second set of multiple metadata elements at a second set of block locations. Each of the first set of metadata elements is related to a respective one of the second set of metadata elements to form a respective pair of metadata elements that the file system is configured to update together. The technique further includes backing the first set of block locations and the second set of block locations together on a single RAID stripe, such that updating each pair of metadata elements is achieved using a single stripe write.