A hip belt pocket on each side. Until this year I used a pack with them built-in. Ran a frankenpack this year without them--it was awful. I won't use a pack without hip belt pouches ever again. My pants pockets were full of junk all day! I also use a $10 Amazonian Chinese crap molle-strap...
+1 for the rip stop nylon meatbarrier. You can get some ridiculously lightweight rip stop by the yard at ripstopbytheroll.com. it is lighter, quieter and easier to pack than Tyvek.
Not familiar with the Cabela's XPGs. Realize we're talking a different category of tents, here, but I have a Eureka family tent and am not impressed with it's durability even when you account for the fact that it is a lower-class tent. IMO, the Eureka punched BELOW it's weight class.
I'm no boot expert, but I am pretty sure trying to make your boots waterproof after they are known to leak is going to be nigh on to impossible. If the liner has separated or cracked, I don't think an exterior sealer is going to help much, especially when submerged. If you hike and hunt in wet...
IMO, IF, as you said, you are not needing to haul super heavy loads or pack out an animal, look at the backpacking companies like Osprey/Gregory/Deuter, etc. They make very good packs for what they are designed to do and you can probably get a pack that will serve your needs for less pesos. It...