"Should I go with a wrench or a screwdriver?" Wtf do you need either for? Do you have a set goal in mind? If not then you need to seriously consider a couple things. First… is this really an area you're willing to invest time and effort into learning. If not, then fuck off… seriously this isn't for you, don't even waste your time. If so, then start with null-byte and n0where and start reading all the articles that are at your level of understanding. Google networking if you don't understand the basics. Take notes if need be. Start working thru levels on the wargames. OverTheWire is a great place to start. Do Bandit first, then Leviathan and Natas. If you're new to coding, CodeAcademy is a good place to start, start with their Python series. Learn as much as you can stomach about Linux (if its something you're interested in it won't be difficult).
As for the distro's, they are security specific distros for learning and exploring, they aren't meant to be day to day desktop OS's. Kali will have a lot of the tools you're reading about installed already, so you should have an environment you can explore and learn in.Tails is for exploring the deep webs, and proxying traffic thru tor, or need some other volatile environment with crypto support that won't leave any local traces upon reboot. As always, don't be afraid to ask questions, but also think and google a bit first before you ask.