hi i maybe able to help with this one as have used the aquatap for well over a year on all of our poles and have just got the new ones,
if you are using the aquatap and it is getting stiffer over time, what you have to do it get a pair of mole grips and pull the metal pins out of the side pull the aquatap apart and grease the inside with lithium greace (the rubber gaskets not being greased it what is making it stiff) if you have any old ones do this they will be like new
i believe peter worked with gardiners to produce the new tap which is great as you can see infulences from both partyes on which is a really great device, i dont think you will have any trouble with stiffnes on this one as you can use an allen key to adjust tension