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Sleeping bags are rated at the temperature they should keep you warm. Warm-weather bags rated at about 40 degrees come in rectangular shapes. They are normally heavier than mummy bags of the same temperature rating because they require more insulation and fabric to cover a larger area than a mummy bag.
Mummy bags keep more of your body's heat near you, which makes them lighter than a rectangular bag, for the same temperature rating. They often have lighter weight fabric and insulation and are preferred for backpacking for this reason. A good cold weather bag should have a hood with drawstring closure. This will keep your head warm, and keep your body warmer. An insulating tube behind the zipper (draft tube) will keep cold air from entering thru the zipper. A 15 to 20 degree mummy bag keeps me warm for the coldest of our camping weather.
One of my favorite sleeping bags is a rectangular polarfleece. It is good to about 50 degrees, but that covers many of our warmer weather campouts. It is lightweight, small and cost about $20. I use it on about one third of our campouts, including all summer camps.
Sleeping mats make the hard ground more comfortable to sleep on. They add insulation between you and the cold ground in the winter. They come in thicker varieties that are comfortable but heavy, or thinner and light weight. The lighter ones are preferred for backpacking. Most are self-inflating, with foam inside that force air into the bag without requiring the camper to blow it up himself. Some Scouts have no problem sleeping on the ground and prefer to not use mats.
Cots get you up off the ground and allow air to circulate under the sleeper. This is great during the summer, when you need all the cooling you can get. They are only useful for car camping, and are recommended for summer camp.
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