Cheap switch-mode regulator "comparable" to LM317
Here is a quite short list of TI's Buck/Boost converters which have PDIP packaging.
There are only 2 of 33 DC-DC converters which are available with though-hole package
, and the only difference of the listed items is the Operating Temperature Range (C°).
So as you can see and as @Dave Tweed said, through-hole design is not popular.

Let's have a look on the MC33063A's features:


Wide Input Voltage Range: 3V to 40V
High Output Switch Current: Up to 1.5A
Adjustable Output Voltage
Oscillator Frequency Up to 100kHz
Precision Internal Reference: 2%
Short-Circuit Current Limiting
Low Standby Current
Worst efficiency is 62.2% when using it as a voltage-inverting
converter. As a step-up or a step-down  converter, it has efficiency
over 80%.


The datasheet has a quite good Detailed Design Procedure guide including component selection and typical application schematics.

As for clear instructions, here is a snippet for step-up converter: 


There are a couple mismatch between the features and your criteria, but I think there always be since there isn't a wide selection of through-hole converters.