For four days I've held my tongue, while I tried to condense forty years of nordic experience as a skier and equipment seller into something coherent, concise and useful for kmac and the others seeking advice. The result is what I'm calling "The Nordic Skier's Pyramid of Paradoxes":
1. At the pyramid's base is the fact that the first time you try the supposed "fun" of nordic skiing you may have very little fun, and it may seem like it will never get better. You might not move forward for lack of grip, and when you finally do start moving you fall down almost immediately. I tell people it's a lot like tennis (and golf, I imagine) -- your fun increases in direct proportion to your skill development. This is why it's a very good idea to get a lesson or two from a competent instructor right at the start, so you start with good technique as your model.
2. The next paradox is the desire for grip and glide. Achieving good grip and glide simultaneously is the Holy Grail of nordic skiers. It does not come easily to beginners and is often a source of great frustration for them. Good waxing technique requires substantial experience in a variety of snow conditions. (BTW, New England is one of the most difficult places on the planet to acquire good waxing technique. If you want an easier time of it, move to Minnesota where the snow is consistently drier, colder, and not as icy.) So-called "waxless" skis offer OK grip but glide that is almost always inferior to good wax applications. Skins offer great grip, relatively poor glide, and the hassle of getting them on properly.
3. The third paradox is the tension between gliding and turning. Gliding is done best with skinny skis, light boots, and light bindings, whether in a classical (diagonal) stride or with a skating technique, in a groomed track. Turning is best done with skis with substantial sidecut, with beefy boots and substantial bindings, in fresh, ungroomed snow. Substantial sidecut requires a width at the tips and tails that is antithetical to good gliding. Floating on fresh snow requires a width at ski tips, waist, and tail that is antithetical to good gliding.
4. The apex paradox is the fact that as a beginner, it's almost impossible for you to know what the "right" equipment for your own needs looks like. If your budget limits you to one set, then you will want to pick the equipment that will maximize your enjoyment for the type of skiing you will spend the most hours doing. For newbies, this absolutely requires expert advice. Read all the information available on the ski, boot, and binding manufacturers' web sites. Ask questions here. When you shop, grill the salespeople on their personal experience using the equipment they're recommending. If they're real skiers and not mere posers, they'll love talking about it. Pick a slow weeknight for your shop visit, so they have time to actually help you. Selecting and fitting skis and boots takes some time.
this was just very different. The skis seemed to be super slippery and I felt like I was trying really hard to manuever, I guess that's where the skins can help. 
