Abstract: A sock includes an integral leg and foot knit throughout of at least one body yarn, the leg and foot including a front half having a front leg portion and an instep portion, and a rear half including a rear leg portion, a heel portion and a sole portion. A stabilizing band of elastic yarn, e.g., LYCRA.RTM., is laid-into, or knit in a plated relationship with, the body yarn and extends from the top of the wear's instep around an apex of the heel portion such that in use the stabilizing band prevents the leg of the sock from sliding down the wearer's leg into the ski boot. A method of manufacturing the "split-heel" construction uses a circular hosiery knitting machine having short, medium and long butt needles. The needles are selectively lifted out of and/or dropped into the knitting track of the machine to form the split-heel.