Best footwear for portaging?
Getting ready for my first trip to Algonquin from the mid-Atlantic USA. I'm an experienced canoeist but it's mostly been on rivers. Haven't done a long portage since Boundary Waters in 1984. Back then, we wore tennis shoes for everything and just stayed wet and muddy. I'm 67 years old, pretty fit, and will be traveling with my 14 year-old grandson, who is also athletic. Planned route is 6 days, Opeongo - Redrock - Happy Isle - Opeongo. Water taxi for first Opeongo day, so not a lot of paddling but the three portages look challenging. We're trying to keep weight down, so I'm wondering about multiple pairs of footwear. Do we need hiking shoes/boots for the portages, or can we get by with our water shoes? I'm thinking closed-toe sandals, Keen-type. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!