the one i saw was not padded on the other side. you could cut on both side and it was self-healing as well. but it also resisted the heat of an iron and you could iron right on the mat itself. also, you could keep it rolled up for a long time and when you laid it down, it immediately laid flat.
it was pricey, but because you could iron on it, i thought it might be worth it. i could get rid of the ironing pad i keep near the machine and have a little less clutter.