Ha, I do miss the extra crotch room. Here’s actually an interesting article about why women’s pants have been getting even tighter in the crotch (spoiler alert - it’s money):

https://fashion-incubator.com/anatomy_of_a_camel_toe_pt1/

https://fashion-incubator.com/anatomy_of_a_camel_toe_pt2/

the waist thing is a non-issue

Depends on the shape of your hips. I wore men’s pants almost exclusively until my hips changed a lot during pregnancy and I haven’t been able to find a comfy pair of men’s pants since (and I’m far from the only woman I know with this problem). Glad it works for you, though! The huge pockets are so nice and the fabric is usually sturdier, too.